East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-05-17

Acting en- the information that the
Hartman and Hill roads have agreed
to make the freight reductions iii ia
vor of Spokane for which that city
has been contending for years, the
Boise Commercial club will at once
| inaugurate a movement to secure
similar concessions for Roise, says
the Boise Capital-News. If necessary
proceedings will be instituted before
the interstate commerce commission,
but It Is believed that the desired
concessions can be secured without
such action.
Secretary Atkinson of the club be-
came enthusiastic today when he
learned of the decision reached by
the railroads in the Spokane case.
eff that is true" said Mr.. Atkinson,
ait means that Boise will secure a
freight rate no higher than that CIV
en- Spokane, and If that is within
rer cent CT the rate given coast
points, II will mean mere to Boise
than would another railroad. 1t will
simply mean that Boise will be the
unrivaled distributing point and
wholesale center of the vast territory
extending from Pocatello to Hunting
ton.
"The benefits of such concession
cannot he over estimated. 1t will
not only mean prosperity for the
wholesale men now here, but other
wholesale establishments will come.
and the wholesale business of Boise
will increase 100 per cent within two
years. 1t will mean more to Boise
than anything else that has ever be-
fore occurred, and its beneficial re.
suits will be felt in every line of busi-
ness. 1t will simply mean that
wholesale dealers of the coast cities
will be unable 10 compete with
Boise wholesale men in the great ter
,itory tributary to Boise; and that
the Poi tland wholesale establish
ments which now get the lions share
of the business of southern Idaho
and eastern Oregon will either have
to abandon the field or establish dis
! tributing stations here. In either
event the advantage to Boise is ap.
parent"
When the Spokane Chamber of
Commerce decided to take its fight
for lower freight rates before the in
terstate commerce commission, the
Roise Commercial club offered to as
sist in defraying the expenses of the
proceedings. but the offer was de-
clined by Spokane, the funds already
having been provided by the busi.
ness men of that city. Boise has
been just as materially interested ir
1 the proceedings, however, as has
4 Spokane. as it Is conceded that the
railroads cannot discriminate by Civ
! ing Spokane a rate lower than that
] to this city.
Boise is farther from the coast
than Spokane and at present pays g
higher freight rate. The freight rate
from eastern points to Boise is high
er than to any other distributing
point in the country. With this sit
uation to contend with Boise whole
sale dealers have had an uphill figh
1 for years and 1t has been a very diff
ficult matter to compete with tn,
wholesale dealers of the coast cities
The fact that Boise is not on tn,
!, main line will not in any way pre-
y. vent the granting of the lower rates
4 Boise now has main line rates ant
i the reduction will apply the same a
to points actually on the main line
It is thought here that the spokan'
rate will he practically the same a.
v that prevailing to coast cities, ant
. the efforts of Boise will be to ge
u that rate. Although Spokane con
tended that 1t should receive lowe
rate than that to the coast, 1t
y, thought here that this contention will
y fail.