The Nevada journal., 1854-01-20
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Stage Menspoly.
A. A. SARGENT, EDITOR,

Stage Monopoly.
The STATE Journal of the 18th, at the
request of Mr.. Birch, reviews our article
upsA ths shove subject, because 6 its state
ments:would, il sncontralicted, be the means
Of creating unnecessary prejudice in the
minds Of some persons against certain stage
lines.,", With the tone of said review we
have TO fault to End, and the history Of
the Nevada line up to the formation of the
monopoly we know&o be correct, save one
item. But we spoke of our own knowl-
ledge, aid the fact of the monopoly, and its
objects are not denied. That it was de-
signed to prevent the cheapsning Of travel
by excluding all competition is not only not
denied by the new company, but was
openly proclaimed before the project was
consummated. If the new mammoth COM
pany can clear themselves Of this charge,
they will do so of course, in fact would
have done SO heretofore, as the best way
to prevent prejudice" In reference to
the increased rate for travel the State
Journal says
"In March, '53, Mr.. Birch purchased the
line back from Hdworth s Swift, and reduced
the fare to $l2, and continued it at that price
till Dec. lst, when owing to the season. as is
always the custom-from necessity rather than
choice-the fare was advanced to $l5, each
way. This was long before any idea of combi
nation was had The fare now is SIS, to and
from Nevada, which considering the state OF
the roads, is as low as $l2 in the summer The
Company commenced its existence on the Ist
of January, '54."
The fare as stated above was Dec. 1st
$12, but it is shallow assertion that ow-
ing to the season rather than choice the
price was raised, for till the middle of JAN
uary the roads were better than they had
bsen in summer, hay auj grain were cheap,
and there was no necessity" for raising
the price. Further, business was dull,
money was scarce, and the enhancing the
price was direct oppression to the public.
Rnt Mr.. Birch will NOT pretend to say
the monopoly was not determined on, be-
fore Dec. LIST. 1t was coma1on topic of
remark at that time, and when the price
was raised it was spok of as an act of
the old company, who had nothing to hope
or iear from the public, 10 take the curse
from tie Rew ore, who, though the roads
were ever so good, would have the high
price. The additional rate was as anneh
an act of the monopoly as anything that it
has done since its acknowledged actiea
commemorative coming event cast its
shadow before.
I BY Rr. Birch's reasoning, as we'll as his
action, the public must always pay in win
ter the prices of two years ago. No
cheapeaing Of other thmgs-no improve.
1feHt of roads--no enhanced value of mon.
ey, can be urged as bar to the high rates
fixed BY ancient usage. In the winter Of
1881 the people paid SIS to get to Sacra.
mento; ergo, they and their children for
ever shalspay SIS. So reasoss the "re'
view." So also reason the acts of this
immense monopoly; for, lest other men
4 should convey the public for less, well
form = combination aud break down any
one who tries to de it, and thus shall the
public always pay us SIS to Sacramento.
During the past month $40 has been as
much as $40 was the year before. But
the public must travel, the old company
was protected by the incoming monopoly
that by its own presumed strength, and
thus the exhorbitant rates were originated
We think the State Journal should more
fully examine this subject, and see that il
does not give aid and comfort to an op.
pressive monopoly. For ourself we have
referred to this matter as one where pub.
lie interests were prejudiced, and not with
any design to interfere with matters of an
individual bearing only