Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-08-14
GIVE ROADS CREDIT
YAKIMA SHIPPERS have some
GRIEVANCES.
Out Say That on the Whole They
Have Seen Treated FairIy-pres.
ent Local Freiaht Rates DisCrjm-
mate Some, and Express Rates
Are rluCh too Hiah,


bers Of the state railroad commission
that, while they have a few griev-
ances against the railroads in the mat
ter Of freight rates, past experience
has convinced them that by submit.
ing their protests direct to headquar.
ters, it is an easy matter to secure q
speedy and smicable adjustment.
Incidentally, the men who do the
shipping in this region in car load lots,
and they are legion, went out of their
way to give the railroads. credit for
every concession granted them and the
very low rate now enjoyed, rates which
are building up a prosperous commu-
nityi the heart Of reclaimed valley.
The disposition Of every shipper and
business man visited and Intercepted
by the members of the commission was
to be fair to the railroads as we'll as to
themselves.
Summarized the complaints of the
North Yakima shippers are: Shortage
of cars. excessive freight charges on
express shipments of produce, the fail
ure of the company to furnish refriger-
ator and ventilator cars in sufficient
numbers for shipments of perlshable
goods, and inability to engage in job
bling business at profit in the nearby
towns on account of high tariffs.
Project Local Rate.
Problems that rightly belong to the
interstate commerce commission were
brought up for discussion, but no at.
tepmt was made to place responsibility
for their solution on the Washington
commission.
Because the merchants Of Yakima
are compelled to pay the same rate on
goods from the East as Seattle mer.
chants pay, plus the local rate from
Seattle to North Yakima, the matter
was eloquently protested.
Some Of the shippers acknowledged
the necessity and right of the railroads
to concentrate their efforts in the up
building Of jobbing oenters at termi-
nal points, which can only be done by
giving terminal points advantages not
enjoyed by interior cities.
Chairman H. A. Fairchild and John
s. McMillin, the members of the COM
mission who are making tour Of
Eastern Washington, personally visited
several of the business men, spending
considerable time with each snd going
into the subject of freight rates ex-
haustively.
Private conferences were followed
by a public meeting, held at the Com
mercial club in the evening, which
was largely attended, nd developed "a
valuable line Of argument for the CON-
mission to work upon.
One of the most important subjects
advanced by the shippers of North
Yakima emanated from the Horticul.
tural Union, composed Of 1856 fruit
growers and shippers, of which E. E.
Samson is manager.
The statement was made by Mr..
Samson that the rate on express ship
ments Of produce from this point to
Seattle, for instance, is about 20 cents
a hundred pounds too high.
Rates We're Increased.
J. N. Perry, one of the largest pro.
duce shippers in the valley, made a
similar complaint, and both stated
that about year ago the rates were
increased apparently without cause or
objection.
"If we had reasonable rate on ex-
press shipments fully 30 per cent more
goods could be marketed in Seattle and
the state generally" said Mr.. Samson.
He added that the same might be said
of the rate on express shipments to
Eastern and Northwestern points.
Owing to the present high rate the pro.
duce of this section of the country can
not be marketed in North Dakota at a
profit, the rates on shipmentst to the
Flickertail state being the same as to
Minneapolis and St. Paul.
81 want to say also that the service
to Seattle, unless we ship by express,
asa trocious," sid Mr.. Samson. eve
have to ship goods via Tacoma, and
sometimes it takes several days before
they reach their destination. l have
known it to take four or five days to
get shipment Of apples to Spokane. "