Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-04-13
Only One Railroad Has the Cour.
age to do That Work
This Year.
ALL. OTHERS KEEPING OUT.
Significant Letter That Sent to
All Agents in Utah and the
Surrounding States.
Looks Like Interstate Commerce.
Commission Was Feared In the
Present Scramble.

The annual trouble regarding tina
proprety Of loading wool by the vari.
ous railroad representatives I'm this
territory has come up again This
time II looks as though It viii be set
tied by federal Interference.
AZ conditions are now among the
lines east OF Chicago the Nickel Plate
IL the only system that Is loading wool
! and In consequence this line has Sc
| cured every pound that has been
| shipped to date out of this territory.
| The Vanderbilt, Erie, Pennsylvania
and other lines decline to do this and
accordingly they are not getting any
| business.
AS far as can be learned the eastern
| lines signed an agreement before the
wool season opened not to load wool.
This compact is being kept by all who
agreed to IT, The Nickel Plate. how
ever. declined to enter this agreement
giving az its reason that unless the
water lines were included IT would
keep out and go out after business.
As Il consequence the Nickel Plate IL
sending into this territory a force OF
men and is scooping up everything in
sight much to the modification of the
other agents here whose hands are tied
under instructions from headquarters.
CHANGE PREDICTED.
1t is confidently affirmed, however.
that inside Of ten days not even the
Nickel Plate will be loading wool.
This condition Of affairs Is creating
CONSERVATION in the ranks of the east
ern woolbuyers. who are paying big
prices and are gambling more or less
on the outcome Ia the merry scramble
for the wool that has not already been
sold under contract, II VIII mean that
they viii have to hire additional men
to DO the work heretofore performed
by the railroad representatives who Sc
cured the consignments. This will cut
into anticipated profits very consider
ably.
In the meantime they are all routing
the clips via the Nickel Plate east OF
Chicago, and as no one road can haul
the tonnage originating IN Utah and
contiguous states further complications
are looked for unless there is some so.
luton 30 the present Dilemma not now
In sight.
ON BEST BEHAVIOR.
II is hardly TO be credited that the
various railroads involved are Keeping
out of the wool-loading proposition for
conscience sake. The recent agitation
In Washington. rather. is placing then
on their best behavior and on the lofty
pedestal Of square dealing. Under no
conditions will the Vanderbilt and other
lines court the rays of the searchlight
of the interstate commerce commission,
because there is no knowing where the
investigation might end.
NICKEL PLATE BUSY
1t is an embarrassing position, 81
much so that both Of the representa-.
tiyes OF the Vanderbilt and Erie have
not been at their respective offices for
some days The theory Is that neither
gentleman wants to be the first to tell
the woolbuyers that his road cannot
load wool this year. but would like to
get the tonnage just the same As be-
fore stated. the Nickel Plate has no
such scrupes and Is making hay while
the sun shines.
INTERESTING LETTER.
As a solution to this sudden assump.
ton Of straight-laced impeccabllty on
the part Of the railroads the followlnL
letter written 10 j. +. Tucker chair
man Central Freight association, chi
cago, and signed by eight Of the leading
wool and hide firms OF Chicago makes
interesting reading:
For several years the travelling
freight agents representing roads east
Of Chicago. in the wool territory west
OF this city, have, in our opinion, been
IN the habit OF exceeding their duty IN
order to secure shipments OF wool over
their respective roads. While we 10
not object to these freight agents so
Letting woods when ready fo. ship
ment, we DO object to the unfaS solic-
itation In Which the acts enumerated
below form good basis for complaint:
Providing printed invoice blanks.
Buying wool from grower.
Weighing, loadiug and marking
wool for buyers.
Paying for wool with dealers draft
Using telegraph blanks for dealers
business and using dealars' code books
for frank messages
Using railroad transportation. ex-
pense money and paying for livery to-
hunt up growers and keep eastern
buyers posted on whereabouts of same
prices asked and quantities for gale by
them. In fact leading to act as repre-
sentatives FOR eastern concerns without
remuneration ana thus working against
the dealers Of this city
Unless some action II taken IN the
matter at very early date and before
the commencement OF the next wool
season, We shall be compelled % lay this
matter before the members Of the In
terstate Commerce Commission who
Will no doubt grant us the relief we
ask
Before taking this step. however.
We viii lay this subject before vow
for your consideration and shall be-
pleased TO hear from YOU at your ear
Hast convenience. and after you have
placed this complaint before your as
ISOLATION"
With this threat suspended over
their heads like the sword OF Damocles
the railroads with the exception OF the
Nickel Plate and tho water lines are
standing from under