Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-04-08
No Progress in Abolishing the
New England Freight Diff
ferentiala
MEET AGAIN APRIL 10
other Roads Are Coming Into Limo
with the Grand Trunk-Pres. Hays
Old Not Attend Yesterdays
Meeting Of Eastern Rail-
road Presidents.

New York April S.--Anothcr prolonged
meeting Of the presidents of eastern trunk
lines and steamship companies. who are
Interested in the freight traffic disputes
between the trunk lines and the New
York, New Haven e. Hartford railroad
over the differential agreement between
that road and the Canadian Pacific was
held here to-day The meeting adjourned
late in the day without having reached
a decision. Another meeting will be held
on April 10.
Evidently the question Is n very knotty
one for It was said after the meeting that
no progress in solving II had been made
to-day. A proposition to submit the entire
subject to a disinterested arbitration COM
mttee was considered but nothing definite
along this line was decided upon.
At the last meeting a committee con-
sisting of the presidents Of the New York,
New Haven & Hartford the New York
Central, the Lackawanna. the Erie and
the Boston & Maine was appointed to OBJ
tain the concurrence of the Grand Trunk
in the action of the trunk lines presidents
on the differential rate situation. The
committee accomplished nothing. It was
stated, as Charles n. Hays. vice-president
line, who has the matter in charge. was
out Of town and could not therefore be
conferred with. Mr.. Hays was also absent
from the meeting to-day.
The plan which it was desired TO have
the Grand Trunk approve was to place
the standard and all rate differentials on
n parity and accord the water lines one
half the differential they now have.
of t,,,p 1t-hn
nre first thought we'll OF this plan have.
II il understood changed their minds
after further considering it. It was dis
covered that the scheme would be de-
trimental to lake and ocean lines and
Mt the meeting to-day the plan was
practically eliminated
Those present at to-day's conference
We're President Walker OF the Old Dom
inion Steamship company; President
Murray of the Baltimore &. Ohio: L. s.
Spence traffic manager Of the Southern
Pacific steamship lines; President Brown
Of the New York Central lines; Presidents
Baer Of the Reading. Truesdale OF the
Lackawanna; McCrea Of the Pennsyl-
vana: Thomas Of tho Iehigh Valley and
several other officials.
these trunk lines on the industries of
New England is shown by the follow
ing excerpts from an editorial in the
Boston Herald on Sunday. April 4.
The most startling news that has come
TO New England in many years is pub
lshed in the Herald to-day Wars have
threatened our industries. But this. too.
IS war news. war OF the trunk line
railroads against New England The
highest officials Of the trunk lines have
been meeting in New York. Every man
of them save one voted to abolish the
westbound differentials which enable
the industries of New England to COM
pete with those of the rest OF the coun-
try
New England has no single railroad
system strong enough to resist such an
attack II the unanimous vote which Is
necessary under the "gentlemen's agree
ment" an agreement which is not Of
f,cially recognized as "a combination in
restraint Of trade" is secured. the freight
rates on New England products will be
Immensely advanced The withdrawal Of
the differentals will mean an increase
Of from five cents to twenty-three cents
per 100 pounds on all the products Of
New England's factories. 1t will mean
IN increase Of $4,000 per ton on all boots
and shoes shipped from New England
to the western market: 1t will mean
similar increase on the product Of all the
wooden mills OF New England which
enters western territory: 1t will mean an
increase of $3.50 per ton on machinery. and
on increase of 50 on all cotton manu-
facturers are obliged to bring their fuel
md their raw material to their mills
and to pay freights on their product from
their mills to their markets. The
differential in the west bound freights. in
recognition Of the excess of cost Of
production by reason Of the freight
charges on raw material. has helped
heretofore In equalizing the competition
between the manufacturers here and
those In the West. The withdrawal Of the
differcntial enforces the full freight rate
upon New England and gives to western
competitors the full advantage Of that
rate. That advantage will exclude New
England from the western market.