El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-05-25
Ell Paso Not Ready to Ask
For Common Point Rates.
Says A. w. Reeves-Im
portance of Pecos Valley
Trade.

Ell Paso does not want Texas common
point rates at this time. This assertion
attracted much attention at the cham
Der of commerce dinner Thursday noon.
A. w. Reeves, traffic manager of the
chamber of commerce, gave many valu-
able facts about the Fl Paso traffic sit
uation. He argued against the demand
for Texas csmmon-point rates on the
ground that these rates would cover only
interstate business and not interstate
business. In other words, such pro-
vision would give Houston and Dallas
wholesalers cheaper rates into the FL
Paso territory, but would not give FL
Paso merchants any advantage in buying
bulk stock from New York and their
other eastern markets.
Building Wholesale Trade.
Mr.. Reeves compared FL PasO with
other inland points that have built up
wholesale trade without the advantage
OF water rates. He cited the successful
efforts made b. Wichita against the OPP
position of Kansas City, st. Joe, ST.
Louis and Chicago; and showed what
Atlanta has done in the face of seaboard
competition from Charleston, Savannah,
Mobile, and New Orleans. Reviewing the
history of Fl Paso rates, he said IN part:
For a number of years nearly all rates
from eastern points to points west of
this city were a combination of the rates
to and out of FL Paso. With the excep-
ton OF a. number of commodity rates
this has been changed and the through
rates from eastern 10 Arizona points are
no longer the FL Paso combination.
There viii be no return TO this basis of
rate making, as the interstate commerce
commission has repeatedly gone on record
as favOrlng through rates less than the
combination of locals and the elimina-
ton OF basing points when possible. Nor
are Mexican rate conditions as favorable
to our city as they once were. American
and European steamship connection.
has forced down through rates with no
corresponding reduction to and from Ell
Paso. This city will receive concessions,
however, which viii assist in overcoming
what 1T NAV have lost by these changes
Can Hold Business
AS far as the present freight rates
are concerned FL Paso should be able to
hold the bulk of the business east on the
line of the g. II. & s. a. to and includ-
ing Sanderson and to BarstOw on the
Texas & Pacific in addition to being able
to make quicker deliveries: This feature
IS TO be further expedited by the ex-
tension of the telephone line. thereby
enabling the dealer in Toyah or Pecos to
telephone his orders one day and receive
the shipments the following day. The
interests of that section are more closely
interviewer with those of FL Paso than
they are with any other city-we must
hope to grow and prosper together At
late meeting attention was called to
the rich and growing Peeos valley along
the line of the Santa Fe. Although e.
PasO always stands ready 20 assist in
promoting the interests of that section,
vet in commercial way it has ignored
these neighbors. Freight rates TO the
PecOs valley do not favor FL Paso, but
after It has been demonstrated that this
city can and will sell in that section
these rates can probably be adjusted.
Every day Ell Paso postpones this move
the harder it Will be to gain foothold
there. as other centers are becoming more
firmly entrenched The sooner Ell Paso
moves the greater the probability is OF
the early construction of shortline to
that district.
''Rates and service on the eastern d.
vision of the Z. P. & s. W. could hardly
be more favorable. Why cannot FL Paso
statesmen make the circuit bv wav of the
Southwestern 10 Vaughn. thence to
Clovis, and through the Pecos valley. and
get results on nearly the entire rOute?"
Trade West of Albuquerque
Mr.. Reeves mentioned she territory
west on the Ell Paso & Southwestern. and
urged also that more attention be given
to the large territory covered bv the
Santa Fe system west of Albuquerque to
Ash Fork. Ariz-. and south TO Phoenix.
Rates in this field were reduced several
moTths ago. and the few firms who have
statesmen In that territory report flat