The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-06-20

SbZV,Slz ~ IN may, knlB year, against SoIO,ozO %
for the corresponding month last. showing an In
crease Of $1l009l IS. larger per cent Of the 70
ceps in Nay this year. were from passengers, than
last.
The rates for the transportation of freight on
the New York Central Railroad have lately been
greatly reduced, to prevent les going over rival
routes, which have now become numerous and un-
comfortable, but not enough to comply with the
Jaw limiting the dividends 10 ten per cent an.
nualy on tho amount of capital actually OK pended
in the construction Of the sAme--which docs not
exceed fifteen millions Of doars--or to justify the
suthority given to the company to "tAke private
property for the purposes Of the road upon the
payment of q fair compensation" "The eminent do
main remains In the government, or in the aggre-
gate body of the people In their sovereign capacity,
and they can resums the possession of private pro
pety not only where the safety but also where the
interest or convenience Of the State Ia concerned
as where the land u wanted for road, canal, or
other public improvement" In confederation Of
the exercise OF this right by railroad companies,
and the grant Of the franchise or privilege Of
making the road and taking tolls thereon the pub
lie become entitled TO the use Of it in transporting
persons and property Of equally reasonable and
cheap rates, such as would keep the road in repair
and pay the stockholders seven per cen: dividends
annually on the money actually invested by then.
and it is tho dnty OF the Legislature to maintain
and enforce this right. There can be no more equi
table principle established than that which requires
railroad companies to do their business on su n
cheap and accommodating terms that the benefit
TO the public, from the use of them. may bs of
sufficient Importance to justify the resumption of
the possession Of private property, and granting
the privilege Of making the road and taking tolls
thereon.
Vessels now convey large quantities Of freight
through the Weliand canal, to and from the ports
of Rochester, osveeo, ssekott's Harbor and Csps
Vincent, on Lake Ontario, and Ogdensburg and
other places the river st. Lawrence, where there
are railroads running to Boston, BY way Of the
ogdensburg and Northern, and the Montreal and
Plattsburg Railroads, and New York by the Roches
ter snd Genesee Valley, and Syracuse and Bingham
ton railroads and Philadelphia and Baltimore by
the Elmra and Wilamsport Railroad; and from
Lake Erie it is taken by the New York city, Buffalo,
Corning and New York. and New York and Erie
railroads, to the city Of New York. No compro
mise or satisfactory or equitable arrangement OF
all those conflicting interests can possibly be per
manently made, as the trade and commerce OF the
four most populous and wealthy cities in tho Union
are involved 10 the competition. Tho whole cost Of
AL these railroads will sooner be sacrificed than I'm
reasonable charges liberated. Baltimore, Philade-
ph;s, New York and Boston, the respective railroad
companies and the PLACES where they terminate, as
well as the people inhabiting the intermediate, and,
IN fact, the whole couHtry trsversed by or having
occasion to use them, are vitality interested. The
Erie canal caR always however, be made to regulate
the rates on such freight as does not require speedy
transportation, by reducing the tolls during about
eight months of the year, which the Legislature
win in future be compelled to do, from time 10 time
By the competition Of the above named railroads.
Reductions Of canal tolls have heretofore repeatedly
been made on account Of the competition of the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, which h as eight tun-
pels, altogether two miles in LENGTH and many high
grades, and the Pennsylvania canals and railroads,
which psss over the Allegheny mountains on high
grades, where until recently there were four incln.
ed planes three half mile each, and one three
quarters Of mile in length, on the east side,
and three On the west side, each half mile 10
length over which the railroad cars and canal boats
In sections trucks, have until lately been hauled
by stationary power, when 9 circditous railroad
passing through tunnelling on which locomotive en-
gines are used, was substituted, the expense Of
which is little If any, less than the inclined planes
The range Of the Allegheny mountains extends
through the Northern and Middle States, from City to
two hundred miles in breadth, nearly parallel with
the Atlantic, and from fifty to one hundred and
thirty miles distADt from it, affording no passage
through II between Canada and the Tennessee river,
a. level az the Mohawk valley. Previous 70 the
completion Of tde Erie canal In 1925, vast trade
was carried on betve Baltimore and Philadelphia
and the West though Ohio on turnpike rosds con.
rectipg with the National road, which afforded to
item facilities the New Workers DID not possess,
and the citizens Of those places entertained great
hopes from the extension Of tho National road
beyond Cumberland until they were convinced that
they could not compete with the low rates Of
freight on the Erie canal And the reduced
amount Of the imports and exports and
business Of those cities subsequent to the above
year. furnsh unmistsksble evidence Of tho diversion
Of the business OF the West 70 the city ofNew York
through the Erie canal, which hes continued up 10
the present time. And tho State Of Pennsylvania
bss ever since been endeavoring TO open conmu-
Dications by railroads and canals over the noun
tsDs to transport freight aud passengers al the rates
hsrged on the canals and railroads tn the State Of
New York; but many millions OF dollars have been
sacrificed In the business, and public works which
cost the STATE over thirty millions Of dollars are no
offered for sale At seven and shaf millions, With ne
prospect Of getting buyer, - the Stase has sunk
many miIlsns In the use Of the same, and higher
charges would materially lessen the trade now car.
lied on through those channels, which "a doubtless
Of sufficient benefit to the inhabitants individually
TO compensate for the incredible expense and loss Of
the State In constructing and managing tho same.
And now when the rivalry Of that State no longer
materially interferes with the business Of the Gem
iral Rsilrosd. the above mentioned roads, recently
constructed Within our own State a. much less cost
tran the Central, which was originally 20 frsi that
the tracks we're relad after the pins rail aud fat bar
bad been used about six years, win each take away
portion Of lie freight aad passengers, at still more
stdute cd fatee