"You want to get us under your ruinous short–haul rate between Bonneville and San Francisco, and return. Think of it! Here's a load of stuff for Bonneville that can't stop at Bonneville, where it is consigned, but has got to go up to San Francisco first by way of Bonneville, at forty cents per ton, and then be shipped from San Francisco back to Bonneville again at fifty–one cents per ton, the short–haul rate. And we have to pay it all or go without. –Frank Norris, The Octopus" According to the rancher, Harran Derick, how is the railroad cheating him? The railroad is sending goods past the destination and back again so that it can charge Derrick more money for shipping. The railroad is sending goods to the wrong destination so that Derrick will have to go to San Francisco to get them. The railroad is raising the shipping rate so that Derrick will have to pay more than the price he was originally quoted.