The San Francisco call., 1908-12-11
RAILROAD TRAFFIC
MEN DODGE ISSUE
Promised Meeting on Proposed
Rate Schedule Postponed by
Corporation Agents
Replies From Hartman and Rip
ley on Subject Said to
Be Encouraging


cal shippers yesterday from President
Hartman of the Southern Pacific and
President Ripley of the Santa Fe in
reply to the request that the proposed
rate schedule cancelled The mes
sages will be made public today at
meeting of the special COMMITTEES of
five which has the subject under con-
sideration. The messages, while hold
ing out no definite promise, are said
to be encouraging.
AT the same time the shippers have
been somewhat nettled by the treat
ment they have received by the local
representatives of the corporations.
When the suggestion was first made
that a special conference be arranged
the railroadmen approved heartily and
promised to arrange a meeting at an
early date. Later came the announce
ment that Edward Chambers of the
Santa Fe had been taken III and that
the conference must be postponed
The shippers naturally thought that
either w. A. Bissell or H. A. Anewalt
of the Santa Fe freight department
could act for the company, but the
corporation has preferred to delay the
issue. Not only has this been the
case, but Bissell and Anewalt of the
Santa Fe and II. A. Jones of the
Southern Pacific traffic department
have left the city on the disbursements
agent of the Southern Pacific, is absent
from San Francisco on the instruction
train.
SHIPPERS MUST WAIT
With all the freight officials absent
or incapacitated the shippers can do
little but wait. Only 20 days remain
before the time set for the rates to
become effective. 1t is evident that no
conference can be arranged for nearly
week. That would leave about two
weeks time in which to go over the
matter thoroughly with the railroad
officials and then perfect an applica-
tfon for an injunction If such
course should be deemed advisable.
1t is suggested by some of the ship
pers that the two companies are mere
ly ''jockeying" for time to block in
junction proceedings. 1t is such a
court issue that the railroads are dis
inclined to meet
A dispatch from Washington says
that the interstate commerce commits
sion has announced the increase of
rates as proposed by the railroads. The
announcement follows:
"Transcontinental freight tariff be-
ginning January l will be advanced on
all eastbound traffic, both by rail and
by water The class rates on west
bound traffic will remain as they are
now.
"rThe commodity rate on westbound
traffic from Atlantic seaboard points to
Pacific coast terminals will be in
creased approximately 10 per cent
ION eastbound class rates there will
be a decrease on first class shipments
from S3.T0 per 100 pounds to So per
100. On class rates in Chicago and
Central traffic association territory
from the Pacific coast terminals there
will be a decrease on first class ship
ments from $40 per 100 pounds to
SO per 100. This will equalize the
class rates on both east and westbound
traffic.
THE eastbound commodity rate from
the Pacific coast to the Atlantic sea-
board points will be advanced about
18 per cent on the average, some of
the items being as high as so per cent
advance and some as low per cent.
It is notable that the bulk of the traf-
fic moves under the commodity rates
which show a decided increase"
HARRIMAN'S LITTLE JOKE
The reference to the decrease in
among the local shippers. This decrease
is on first class shipments eastbound
from 1910 to SO to New York and
from S3.40 to SO to Chicago The
Joker appears in the fact that no ship
ments are made to eastern points un-
der this rate. First class shipments
are made up Of such articles as cloth
ing. boots and shoes, mirrors and the
like. which are manufactured in the
east and shipped to the Pacific coast
None of these shipments originates on
the Pacific coast. The reduction is re-
garded as Harriman's little joke.