Bisbee daily review., 1910-11-30
SOUTHWESTERN WILL REDUCE
 FREIGHT RATE
Representatives Tell Business Men Local Tariffs WIN Be As Good As Any In Ter ritoy

P. & s. w. and Eugene Fox, the seneral passenger ana freight agen, of the same road. The meeting was held to discuss the freight rate cues ton in its bearing on the various business interests of this city.
 The meeting was held in the pri vate car Alamorgordo in the railroad yards shortly before noon. Those representing the local board at this important conference were Frank Coles. president pro-tem of the board, G. K. Reynolds. secretary of the board. Charles Allen. M. Newman. James Henderson. C. M. Henkei Emil Marks. c. S. Thompson. w. R. Chaffin. Station Agent Graves was also present and introduced the board members to the railroad of- 1 ficiaIs.
 It was announced by one of the l board members that they wished to learn the roads intentions about the reduction in rates in the near future along the line of what are called the Phoenix rates. Mir. Fox stated that the so-called Phoenix rates do not go into effect until January the date having been chang ed from December l.
 MT. Brown stated that he and Mir Fox had come to Bisbee for no other purpose except to discuss that matter with the people of this city. He said:
 The F.. P. & s. W. will not see other parts of Arizona getting any better rates than that served by the E. P, & s. W. It is our interest to give Bisbee aSd the other towns on this line the same service and rates that would be given if there were direct compe- tition for the business"
 The F. P & s. w was not made party to the order of the interstate Commerce commission which brought about the so-called Phoenix rates, although the road was mentioned in the complaint. This, MT. Brown stated. was un- doubtedly an oversight. but that the E. P. & s. w. will not take advantage of it and will make the reduction in rates just the same as though the order had mentioned the E. P. & S. w for the reason that the road officials did not desire Bisbee or the other E. P. & s. W. points to have rates any higher than those made to other cities of the territory on other railroads.
 That this reductin was contemplat ed and planned long before the board of trade took the matter up with the road was explained by Mir Fox, who exhibited a printers proof of the new tariff the copy for which was in the hands of the printer nearly two months ago.
 Secretary Reynolds asked about tae commodity Sates. Mir. Brown ton of the commodity rates except where the class rates defeat the com nsodity rates, which he explained meant that when a class rate is low CT than a commodity rate the mer chandise will take the class rate.
 
 this arrangement.
 The New York rates will not be reduced because of the water rate via Galveston. When asked about the prOportionate reduction along the lines of the Phoensx rates, Mir Brown and MT. Fox both stated that the Phoenix rates will be the maximum  for E. P. & s. w. points. From the Missouri river the first class rate will be $a50, k,nd from Chicago s2.90 which is reduction of i3 cents per 100 pounds. A number of other east ern points were mentioned from which there will be reduced class rate.
 Following this announcement there was discussion of railroad rates in general Mir. Brown stated that in almost every instance in the reduc of the merchandise and provisions on which freight reductions were made did not get the benefit of the reduc tons. but that the reductions added to the profit of the sellers at the ex pensse of the carTfer This state meut started a general discussion in which some of the merchants declar ed that the freight rate reductions were for the benefit of the consum CTS. particularly in such articles as potatoes and sugar. Mir. Brown said that in such merchandise the rates might made a difference, but in dry goods, shoes. canned goods, packing house products, and such articles the freight rate reduction of a few cents on the hundred pounds did not ef- feet the consumer, but in the long run was an added profit to the seller. One of the merchants stated that dry goods, clothing, shoes and cer tain lines of groceries are being sold now at much narrower margin of