Year: 1873

ism and Unfust Determinations.


From Che Chicago Inter Ocean.


COMPLAINTS are becoming more and more
numerous among shippers Of the extent
nd effects Of the "under-billing'' practiced
by the freight and transportation lines. The
a statements below noted are made by reli-
a rle commercial houses, and by large ship
p.rs of freight 10 the East. A promin-
n Mt member of the Board of Trade stated
to our reporter yesterday that there is
scarcely an agent of any of the independent
lines of Transportation who is not now en-
Gagged in passing grain over by undertaking.
it. TO the exclusion of all fair and legitimate
traders. Agents of these railroad monopo-
lies are allowed on Change by the courtesy
of the members, ard take advantage Of the
latter by destroying their trade In The uhlaT
manner above referred to. A report just
prepared and to be submitted shortly by the
special committee OF the Board OF Iraoe
appointed TO investigate the matter
shows that IN one case Wnere oZz
cars were weighed there were discovered
to be eighty-two cars In excess OF the
amount of grain billed. In cars, too, where
shipments are made from western country
towns direct to the seaboard less rate bas
been charged than from those towns TO
Chicago, and thence eastward. 1t Is
charged by prominent members OF the COM
mittee that there is a strong railroad and
and grain operating ring at Joliet, who
have shipped grain for themselves, for years
past, and under-billed it, to the exclusion
Of outsiders who have been regular ship
pers. The committee say that in recent
transaction five cars of corn were sold on
the 1lth, and Joliet firm delivered the bill
oflading on the 18th inst, three days after
the sale; while at the same time
the purchaser and many others had
grain which had been lying at
that place from thirty to sixty days. Its
shipment had been put of with the excuse
that the road had no cars. The leader in
the underbilling is claimed TO be the gen.
eral freight agent of the General Cutoff
railroad, branch operated by the Central
COMPANY, who is charged with extending
these unfair fSvors to further the interests
of the "railroad grain ring" These par
ties, it is furthermore stated, have business
connections with firms at Detroit. The
Board of Trade committee claim that ship
ments of grain are frequently made at un-
fair ssinside rates. from Joliet TO Detroit
by firms at the former place, and that they
are put in the Michigan Central elevator at
the latter place.


Much Of the Undertaking. business is
done in Peoria, it is said, and the Pittsburg,
Fort Wayne and Chicago railway is made
the line of operations. Grain commission
firms at Pittsburg are said to receive favors
at the hands Of agents in the West to the
exclusion of shippers who have already suf-
fered much loss by the practice. 1t is said
also that the superintendent of the Micbi-
gan Central railroad was, some time ago,
Informed of the favors shown on that line,
and that the steps instituted to remedy the
evils have proven futile. The abuses con-
tinue, the committee says, Notwithstanding
the weak efforts of the railway author
tiles, and grain men outside OF the
ring complain bitterly of the unfair course
pursued, and look now only to the Beard Ct
Trade to demand remedy, and its SPEEDY
applicatiou. The special committee ap-
pointed by the Board of Trade, some tine
AGO. to inquire into the trade abuses will re-
port to the board at an early day that the
railroad and warehouse commissioners, IN
their annual report, say that no complaints
have been made that the railroads refuse to
weigh and receipt for grain shipped, when
IL is a well known fact that the railroads
persistenty refuse TO comply with any OF
the requirements Of the law in relation to
the receipt and shipment Of grain, and
that from such refusal the trade OF
the northwest suffers beyond eomputa-
ton. The committee will also inform the
board that it is impracticable for indivldu-
ais to get justice in the courts, because OF
the long delay and expense. They be-
lieve that the Board of Trade can correct
the abuses of the present railway manage.
ment by a persistent and united effort
They will recommend the board to appoint
a committee from its members and those of
the Grocers' and Mercantile associations
whose duty it shall be to investigate al
charges of Injustice, discrimination Of rate:
or favors, and violation Of the Law on The
part of railroad and transportation agents
and place the facts before the public and
the warehouse commissioners.