The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-22
Col. T. |, RUSSELL REPLIES TO
LETTER SUBMIT TED. BY MEMBERS
MOBILE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

lions. this wharfage charge 10 absolute.
ly free, or to put 1t in another form
does not exist. To explain to YOU each
individual point of difference existing
at each of these ports when compared
with Mobile, would necessitate a state
ment so voluminous that its clearness
might for this reason be destroyed I
will, therefore, briefly refer you to the
main points of difference.
For example. the tariffs Of all lines At
Savannah read as follows:
1.-THE wharfage, storage and handling
charges at Savannah, Ca, published here
in, will be charged and collected in adj
dition to the transportation rate to and
from Savannah"
2.-"Wharfage, storage and handling
charges on through traffic. The charges
provided for herein will not be added
to the through rate on traffic having
both origin and destination beyond Sa-
vannah, Ga, handled on through billing;
they being added where required at initial
point in constructing the through rates"
This applies upon all shipments to q
large part of the territory, at least, di.
rectly served by the Mobile and Ohio
Railroad company and the Southern Rail-
way company.
At Galveston there is an annual dock
age charge imposed upon all steamship
lines serving that port as we'll as specific
wharfage on freights passing over these
terminals.
At New Orleans, at all city docks.
there are certain berth and other charges.
Every port with which we are in conn
petition is of course extremely sensitive
as to the existence of any set of condi-
tions likely to divert business from its
channels, and pressure has been moro
than bnce applied to the management OF
these companies to force the establish
ment of rules as to wharfage and dock
age similar to those In effect at tho
ports you name. These companies have,
however, withstood this pressure and the
service of their wharves and docks Is
practically free. Therefore, you must see
that the only difference existing between
the practice as to wharfage, ETC.. be-
tween Mobile and the ports you name is
in favor of Mobile, and not against It,
Now as to dispatch. This is a factor
of scarcely less Importance than cost, as
affecting some classes of traffic 1t Is
paramount With tropical fruit it is Oft
en- the case that the entire cargo of
ship has been loaded into cars and all
moving northbound with express train
speed within five hours after first maxi
ing her moorings. This factor to a more
or less degree affects every class of our
traffic.
The only physical connection which the
those of the Turner Hartwell Docks COM
pany are by means of the tracks of the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad COM
-pany, whose line via Pensacola Is the
greatest competitor these companies have
to meet in their endeavor to build up
the export and import business of Mobile.
These tracks lead down through a crowd
ed yard, often in a congested condi-
ton. 1t would not be out of line with
surrounding circumstances, and especial
" If the number of cars to be handled
over these tracks was greatly increased,
for it to take as long to move car to or
from these docks to the yards of these
companies as 1t now takes to move
car between Mobile and Cairo, Ill. 1892
niles. If for no other reason than this,
we could not guarantee to make shipside
delivery to these docks with any hope
of being able to reasonably comply, as
far as time is concerned. with the terms
of our contract, nor would we be willing
to be parties to such cause for delay
from which. this port might suffer ma
terially.
We cannot comply with your request
and make shipside delivery to any dock
which may be designated by the shipper
not reached by our rails.
1.-Because we do not, as you seem to
find discriminate against docks at this
point as compared WIFI uOcks at otHef
ports where conditions are similar.
2.-For the reason that this would re-
quire us to surrender possession of our
traffic before the accomplishment of our
contracts for its carriage and delivery.
That such an agreement would make It
necessary for us to deliver our business
into the hands of our principal competitor
for export and import traffic to be by 1t
in turn delivered to a private docks COM
pany with which we have no contractual
relationship and for which we have no
guarantee protecting us as to the per-
Torrance of the obligations of our con-
tract-namely, delivery at shipside.
3.-We will not agree to make such de-
liveries at our expense for the reason
that we have at great cost constructed
wharves and docks at Mobile, necessary
to properly care for the business at those
companies, and for the further reason
that the revenue from this traffic is not
sufficient to bear any additional bur-
dens whatever.
Ave will not agree to contract for
shipside delivery at any dock which may
be designated by the shipper not reached
by our rails. for the reason that these
docks may be so located that they cam
not be reached except by such delay as
may be generally prejudicial to the repu-
tation of this port for dispatch and thus
to our business. s+
Yours very respectfully.
f. L. RUSSELL,
Vice President, Mobile and Ohio Railroad
comDany