Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-04-29
ARE NOT BLUFFING ROADS OVERTAXED"
EASTERN OPINION OF west COAST
LUMDERMEN.
The Mississippi Valley Lumberman
on Pacific Coast Conditions, Com.
plant Filed With the Interstate
Commerce Commission Means
Business.

II the officials of the northern tram
continental roads and their connections
have been resting in the belief that the
lumber manufacturers OF the Pacific
northwest were making lot OF smoke
with a very little fire, their delusion
must have been dispelled when the press
gave publicity to the formal omplaint
that has been filed with the Interstate
Commerce Commission asking for joint
rate over lines reaching to Portland,
Oregon, from points in that state and in
Washington, through Portland to points
in the Mississippi and Missouri valleys,
that will not exceed the present rate
from Portland to such points. Also, if
the roads believe this is the only shot in
the locker, they will again be dsap-
pointed, unless conditions as regards
transportation improve sufficiently so as
to render further action on the part of
the lnmbermen unnecessary. At the
same time it can be truly Said that the
lumber manufacturers are not acting in
a spirit of antagonism to the roads.
They are merely asking for relief from a
situation that has become intolerable,
and which threatens them with bank
ruptcy.
The complaint referred to above is
fled against one hundred and twenty
three railroads over which freight can be
delivered to points in Nebraska, Iowa,
Kansas. Missouri, Illinois, Colorado,
Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada. Cali
fornia, Oregon and other states. 1t cite 9
that there are more than four hundred
saw mills with an animal output of
1900, 100000 feet OF lumber, and more
than four hundred and fifty shngle
mills with an annual capacity OF more
than fourteen billion shingles, whose
business is effected seriously by the in
ability OF the roads to handle business
offered them and because of the refusal
of the. defendants to the complaint to
make reasonable joint rate through
Portland. The Interstate Commerce
Commission is asked to issue an order
compelling the roads to make such rate
as is asked for and to issue such other
orders as the Commission may deem
necessary in the premises.
AT the present time. points in many of
the states named can only be reached
over the lines OF the northern routes and
their connections, and though no further
removed from the mills than some other
points, many OF them take higher rate
OF freight. During the past few months
the northern routes have been so con-
gested that they have not been able to
handle the business at all, and the only
possible route has been over the lines
radiating from Portland. But the sum
of the local rate from the mills to Port
land and the overland rate, together
with the transfer charge at Portland dor
the northern routes would not permit
their cars to 60 beyond their Portland
terminals) has been too high 10 make
shipment possible by that routing. This
combination OF circumstances has
brought out the complaint, and the re-
quest seems fair.
Nevertheless, it can hardly be expect
ed that the Hartman lines will grant
the rate without a fight. The present
rate from Portland to points in the lower
Missouri valley is fifty cents per hundred
pounds, and it is not quite to be expect
ed that those lines will agree to take
their proportionate part o. division of
forty-cent rate to such points from
shipping points in Washington and Ore.
gon. Is is even intimated that instead of
securing lower rate TO the east by way
of Portland, and from northwestern
points to points on the Missouri river,
the result may be an advance in the
present fortv-cent rate from northern
points to the Minnesota Transfer. What
is still more likely, however, is that the
transcontinental lines will make greater
efforts to handle the business of the Pa.
cifc coast mills, and that they will sue
ceed 80 we'll in raising the embargo and
in taking care of the business offered
them, that the lumbermen will recede
from their hostile attitude. What they
want is service, and if they can get it
without fighting for it they much prefer
that method of accomplishing results.
They have gone far enough to satisfy the
railroads that they are in earnest, and
the roads have enough at stake so that
they cannot afford to enter into a contest
which might compel them to give even
more than they can concede with good
grace and still satisfy the shippers.