The San Francisco call., 1909-02-28
WATER RATES MAKE
RAILROADS YIELD
Merchants Ship to New York by
Steamers and Invade Mis-
souri, River Territory
Transcontinental Lines Suffer
Loss and Decide to Give
Some Concessions

Acting upon a common impulse since
continental rail rates went into effect,
the local merchants have consigned
their shipments to New York whenever
possible by the water route.
The railroads, have received only what
the shippers We're compelled TO give
them. While the shippers deny that
there has been anything amounting 10
boycott, they assert that the Santa Fe
and the Southern Pacific have suffered
through the advance in rates.
There are many firms which have not
shipped a pound OF freight over either
the Santa Fe or the Southern Pacific
Grif1th- Durney company, one of the
largest dealers in the city in canned
goods. has shipped exclusively by water
Others have done the same.
RAILROADS FEEL. Loss
The railroads have felt this loss of
revenue and have made small conces-
siens from time to time, but without
any great effect.
Announcement was made yesterda,
that the higher rates on a number OF
articles have been Cancelled The tariff
on beans and peas, which had been
raised TO SIS cents per 100 pounds. has
been restored to 15- cents for points
west Of the Missouri river. Fiber con-
dults, west bound in carload lots, have
been re-established a 81 per 100 pounds
on the basis OF a 10000 pound mini
mum. Baseball bats, west bound, will
take carload rate on 10000 pounds
minimum of Sl-25. and for less than car
loads $1.75. Lumber, east bound will
carry a tariff of 81 cents. This, how
ever, will not apply as proportional
rste. Wine and grape juice in glass
nave been restored to 75 cents per 100
pounds. Slaves. headings and hoops. in
carloads west bound from Chicago viii;
carry rate OF 75 cents. The action in
advancing the east bound rate on tin
scrap to 05 cents has been rescinded.
MANY REDUCTIONS MADE
In addition TO the changes enum-
Grated a dispatch from Chicago says
that other amendments in the schedule
were ordered. Oil rates were restored
TO 80 cents per 100 pounds. The tele-
gram names the following articles on
which the old rates were restored:
wagons and vehicles. reduction Of
/ 10 cents; agricultural implements, 10
cents; beer, 10 cents; cottonseed oil 10
cents; wire fencing, from Chicago, 20
cents. from east of Chicago, 10 cents;
fiaxseed, cents; Hnseed OIL cents;
wheel and drag scrapers. 10 cents from
Chicago and points west; pig iron,
! from $500 to $1,000 per ton, on ac-
| count of water competition from
/ Europe; streetcars, Is cents; pipe fit
tings and connections. 35 cents; radi-
ators. 40 cents.
Chicago advices say further that the
following eestbound rates have been
reduced: Cocoanut; oil. 5 cents; decid-
uous fruits, Is cents to Cincinnati and
central freight association territory
and leather, 10 cents.
The rate changes are far from salts
factory to the local shippers and arc
declared to be merely a sop.
/ MISSOURI DEALERS PROTEST
The Pacific Mail company by its re-
cent action in reducing the water rate
to New York to 40 cents per 100 pounds
on dried fruit ard the like has drawn
upon itself the wrath Of the dealers In
California commodities in such cities
as Kansas City, Omaha and st. Paul
IN fact. all the large operators as fal
west as Omaha have protested. 1t is
lcsw possible for the New York dealers
10 invade the territory as far west as
1 khe Missouri The water rate plus the
, .eGal rail haul westbound is less, ever
: '-.-;s all minor charges considered thar
the s1l0 rate to these points on dried
fruits shipped by rail from. San Fran
cisco.