Answer:
The railroad is sending goods past the destination and back again so that it can charge Derrick more money for shipping.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the book titled "The Octopus: A Story of California" which was written by Frank Norris and published in 1901. The book was based on the Mussel Slough Tragedy that occurred in 1880, a land dispute between settlers and the Southern Pacific Railroad.
In the book, Harran Derrick, the son of Magnus Derrick was being cheated by the railroad in what that "The railroad is sending goods past the destination and back again so that it can charge Derrick more money for shipping."