The Washington times., 1906-07-10

Application for membership IN the
Shippers Association.
Business men interested IN the In
crease OF the tobbing trade Of Washing
ton. the adjustment OF frelzht rates.
and the betterment Of frsi sht facilities
are UU,-ed &c clip. sign, an6 forward the
application printed above.
What this town needs to develop
it's Wholesale trade, in the territory
that is naturally and exclusively its
own, is that which is possessed by
every other city of any consequence
in the country system Of local
freight trains, leaving each day at
regular hours anG reaching all the
towns within a ffty-mile radius"
Frank Z. Graham, manager of the
Armour Packing Company's Wash
| ingtor branch, whose remarkable
interview on the subject of freight
facilities in this city, printed in The
Times yesterday, has attracted wide
attention throughout the whole
business community, offered today
a furtheI contribution TO the cur
rent discussion. Mr.. Graham speaks
from 6 wids experience and in the
| light Of 4 constant contact with
| conditions here.
"The truth is" said Mr. Graham,
''the railroads are not awake to
their Washington opportunities.
They have been accustomed TO look
upon Washington exclusively as a
city of Government and residence,
and, held in the grip of,this habit of
thought, they have not been able to
perceive the great strides the city
has been making in business and
trade.
Railroads Willing to Help.
For myself, I believe most Of the rail-
roads entering Washington viii be very
willing to meet the Shippers Association
half way and dc everything they can
10 remedy rate Determinations ana pro-
| vide better facilities. The facilities are
what We want, fer the discrimination
are net material obstacles in the paths
Of progress
when we go to the roads with our
complaints they are going 10 listen. No
public service corporation. doing busi-
ness in q city or the size or Washing
ton, is going to listen unmoved 10 the
/ representations of $50 business men, each
one of whom is anxious 10 ship some
thing over the company's line and in q
position largely &c increase his ship
tments as soon as the needed facilities
are afforded. 1 have every confidence.
despite my own individual experience
and the experience Of other shippers in
the past, that our united efforts are go
ing TO accomplish very decided change.
Better Than Express Service.
'If we had a daily local freight ser
vice out of Washington, have every
confidence there would soon be ample
traffic TO make it decidedly profitable 10
the operating roads. It would be bet
ter than an express service. for the
passenger trains, usually. dc not leave
at a convenient hour for the shipping
business. The rates. OF course. would
he much more favorable At any rate.
with 80 shippers united in a request for
the experiment, do not believe the rail-
roads would refuse IT. If IL proved un-
profitable, 1t would bs within their
right TO discontinue IL.
Bakers Say Facilities Are Poor.
That poor freight facilities have oper-
afed TO the decided disadvantage Of
i Washington is indicated by the exper-
ience of other business men than Mr.
Graham. The Washington bakeries.
which aIe among the largest and most
progressive in the country. and do an