The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-07-23
RAILROADS
Try To CRUSH
WATER ROUTES
E. r. Cobb, of the Mobile and
Gulf Steamship Co., Tells
of Effect of Water Compe-
tition on Railroad Rates.
Railroads Meet Rates to
Kill Traffic.

The Albany (Ga.D Herald says: Mr.
E R. Cobb, of Mobile, Ala, represent
ing the Mobile & Gulf Steamship
Company, was a visitor to the city to-
day. Mr. Cobb came to have a con
ference with Secretary J. a. Bette
man, of the Albany Business League.
in regard to the proposed contract be-
tween Albany merchants and Mr.
Cobb's company for the transportation
of freight by the all-water route
Through some misunderstanding Mr..
Betjeman was out of the city when
Mr.. Cobb arrived, having gone to
Montgomery with the intention or
meeting Mr.. Cobb there The latter,
on learning this Immediately after his
arrival, telegraphed Mr. Betjeman to
meet him in cambridge tomorrow.
Mr.. Cobb left for cambridge this af-
ternoon.
Mr. Cobb is well known IN Albany,
having made this city his home for
a number of years until about five
years ago. In talking with a Herald
reporter about the proposed contract
between his transportation company
S2d the business men of Albany, he
said that there is a great deal more
in 1t for Albany than there is for
the company.
freight delivered here by the water
route" said Mr.. Cobb, ''for the rail-
roads to meet our rate. The cOnse-
quence is, We will soon be put out of
business, while the business commun-
ity will reap a rich harvest in the
reduction Of freight rates
TO show you how quickly freight
rates are reduced to meet water com.
petition, let me cite a single in
stance. Some years ago our company
took a contract to transport large
shipments of glucose to Columbus by
water This commodity was purchas-
ed in the Chicago territory, and, as
Will be the case with shipments by
our company to Albany, in the event
the negotiations now being considered
are satisfactorily carried out, were
shipped by rail to Mobile, to which
point water competition has already
established water rates From Mo-
bile our company carried two carloads
of glucose to Columbus, when the rail-
roads met out rate. That put us out
of business, for the railroads can. of
course, put the shipments into Column
bus direct from Chicago, to great adj
vantage as regards time, in compari
son with the all-wateT route. That
low rate on glucose still prevails in
Columbus.
Mr.. Cobb talked Interestingly of
the question of freight rates, and the
bearing water competition with the
railroads has on the subject. He
said that in Alabama the steamboat
companies are now under the control
of the railroad commission, and the
railroads are seeking to bring this
about all over the country The sue
cess of this movement" said Mr. Cobb,
will be the death of water Competi-
ton with the railroads. What that
means to the business interests of the
country can hardly be realized | pre-
dict that eventually the steamboats, of
the coastwise service will he under
the control of the Interstate Commerce
commission The railroads are work
ing to that end. The removal of wa
ter competition will mean the turn
ing over to the railroads Of the entire
transportation field in this country
Mr. Cobb said that in the event the
contract with Albany is closed. there
will be two transfers of freight be-
tween Mobile and Albany The first
will be at ApalachicoIa, and the other
at Bainbridge. II is probable that the
Callahan line of steamers viii bring
the freight from ApaIaChiCOIa to Balm
bridge and steamers of the Mary
class from cambridge 10 Albany
The prospects look quite favora BILE
for the signing Of the proposed con-
tract with Mr.. Cobb's company. Al
bany people are ready to enter the en-
terpTise as soon as they can be salts
fed as to several matters of detail,
such as time, insurance etc. Mr.
Cobb states that these matters can
all be arranged and explained salts
factoTily.