New-York tribune., 1908-07-17
nTsCUSS
pzILRO4D HEADS MEET.
ur;dc Differences of Opinion De
,elop at Unexpected Conference.


presidents of most of the Eastern rail-
a. the Trunk Line Association and some
rosos .-,oe-nresidents and traffic managers met
O. -,sav at No. 143 Liberty street TO discuss
gesNo,osea general increase in freight rates.
-. .cnference was unexpected at this time. and
Ihe ,-od II is understood, wide differences of
Se - among the railroad heads to the ad-
0lD. 0:,i-v of such an increase. the Pennsylvania.
fRjd sajd. Joining with the Lackawanna, Read
R'e5 Lehigh Valley roads in opposing the
,-cgrarn1e
pls other side was led by E. H Hartman,
- behalf Of the Central. the Delaware &
1,..sa, the Baltimore & Ohio and the Erie the
1se in which he personally or the Union Pa
= heavily interested strongly advocated an
e.'. &c as the best means of raising money to
o. o., diyidends. President McCrea of the Penn
f~ fria il was learned, expressed himself with
came vigor in opposition.
80, those present at the conference, which
hold both morning and afternoon. were
Hartman, President Underwood of the
-. President Truesdale of the Lackawanna,
i5en+ Raer Of the Reading. President Loree
= .bo Delaware & Hudson, President McCrea
= .he pennsylvania, President Murray of the
,,-,.,r,ore & Ohio, President Delano of the
-1-ahssb. President Cannif of the Nickel Plate
~ G Brown senior vice-president Of the
,-e- York Central
tr5ef statement was given out at the close
:. ,be meeting by c. c. Mccain, commissioner
- .bs Trunk Line Association as follows:
7-h. ouestior of an advance in freight rates
as discussed at length and reports of the COM
-ni+tees having in charge the detail work of
hncling rates were considered. II was found
,bst this work had not progressed to such a
mint as TO make definite action practicable at
this time
AT the noon adjournment for luncheon Presi-
sen+ Underwood said There is a very wide
dvisiou Of opinion to the proposal TO increase
.be freight rates on the roads of the associa-
,ian AS 8 matter Of fact, if is astounding what
adherence of opinion there is After the after
mon conference he remarked: "An present
agreed that increasing rates would be good
,b,ns but the question arose to whether it
would be feasible
President Delano of the Wabash said he
Was leaving the conference room: There are
f. great many difficulties IN the way of increas-
ing freight rates, such state laws and local
conditions" In reply 10 the question whether
ruch opposition to an increase had developed
st the meeting he said: NO. there appeared to
he no great opposition 1t is likely there will
be some advances in freight rates
There Is change IN the SITUATION as q re-
splt of the meeting" remarked President Trues-
dale of the Lackawanna. Later Mr. Truesdale
said the Lackawanna would act with the other
roads in the matter
Vice-President Brown, of the New York Cen
1ral said after the meeting that nothing definite
had been decided, but he took occasion to sdy
that he stood firm in his approval of q general
Increase
II had been intended 10 hold conference of
the railroad presidents TO discuss the rate In
crease question in August. but as a number of
Them had planned 10 be abroad next month 1t
was decided 10 hold Il yesterday. But it was
not realized how great task it would be for
the different traffic committees TO check the
rates in force so that definite advances could he
considered and the lack of data made it impos-
sible for the conferrees to reach any decision.
i was planned TO have the increase. II MADE,
20 into effect on October l. The Immense
amount OF work still before the traffic COM
mittees, il now develops. will make necessary
at least a months postponement
Not 2 word was said at the meeting in regard
10 wages, the railroad men said. The proposed
adrance in rates, if made, will affect both class
and commodity rates But TO say that the gen
ersl Increase Will be one Of 10 per cent they
say, is Goose talk" as the advance on any given
rate or class Of rates Will have to be regulated
by local and competitive conditions.