The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-04-15
RAILROADS Meet THE JOBBERS
HALF way.
second Conference at Portland Re.
suits r1uCh n0re Satisfactorily
Than Had Seen AntiCipated-
Reductions In All EXCEPT Third
Class.

Suo several conferences between rail-
road men representing the Hartman
system, the Great Northern and North
ern Pacific and the jobbers of the Pa
clfic Northwest, concessions greater
than were anticipated have been made
to the Coast jobbers. They announce
themselves, through W. A. Mears, as
being fairly we'll satisfied with the
stand taken by the railroads.
So far as possible, with the excep-
ton Of goods manufactured on the Pa
cific coast all commodity lots will be
reduced, and for the distribution from
the jobbing centers to inland points in
four of the Glasses some very favorable
concessions were received.
No Seattle representative was on
hand at the meeting yesterday, but
Mr.. Mears met with the traffic men
and consulted for three hours with
them. At the end of that time the
meeting was over and Mr.. Mears gave
out an interview embodying the above.
After the meeting was held last week
the outlook for the jobbing interests
was blue indeed. The jobbers now
frankly admit that they expected to
meet with blank refusal on the part
Of the railroads to do anything for
them. They have therefore been
agreeably surprised.
Railroads Compromised.
Mr.. Mears told the representatives
Of the three roads that rather than &C.
cept the proposals made last week
they would prefer to have conditions
remain as they were. He was told
that the railroads were prepared to
meet the jobbers half way in the mat
ter and arrange a compromise.
cit is quite evident" said Mr..
M ears, "that the railroads are trying
to arrange their tariffs so they will
stand the scrutiny Of the courts and
the railroad commissions. The roads
concerned have had some low commo-
dity rates for carload lots into the in
terror. We asked them for some low
less than car load rates from distribut-
ing points. We were informed that
they are DESTROYS of abolishing so far
as possible the commodity lots on all
goods except such goods as are manu-
featured on this coast.
Carload Lot Issue.
"Such articles as syrups, cereals,
paints, oils and other things that are
manufactured on the coast they will
still carry in carload lots to interior
points, thus showing desire to foster
the industries of the far West. Other
articles, such as beans, sugar and
canned goods, will be placed in class
rates. We also requested that there
be a reduction in class rates, although
we hardly expected that our request
would be acceded to. In this respect
we were also surprised. for they made
a material reduction in class rates for
goods of the first, second, fourth and
fifth classes. Goods of the third class
will remain as they are at present on
the tariff schedule. The first class con-
sists of such goods as pianos, cabs and
carriages, while canned goods and
sugar are in the fifth class.
"We have done very we'll indeed,
and think the jobbers of Portland,
Seattle and Tacoma will have reason
to feel satisfied, in view Of the condi-
ton of affairs. We cannot give out
more concerning the meeting than has
already been stated, but it gives assur-
ance of friendly feeling on the part
Of the railroads to our interests.