The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-03-20
RAILROAD CHARGES.

Mr.. Charles Ellet, Jr., the most ACCOMPLISHED of
American Engineers has addressed admirable
letter to the National MfcHjgeacer the subject of
railroad charges for freight and passengers This
able production shows the ruinous effects of an i'm
properly arranged Railroad tariff, both from under
charging and overcharging. The New York and
Erie Railroad stock Is worth next to nothing. vet
this road annually transports more than million
OF passengers and over three-quarters of million
OF tons of freight The gross annual traffic of this
ROAD, IN freight says Mr.. Eet is about equivalent
to eight millions OF barrels of -four number which,
Iald side by side in row, would extend from New
York to London
Jet this magnificent and most valuable improve
ment does not pay, because its managers have
adopted an inadequate tariff of tolls Another illus
traton mentioned by Mr.. Ellet is the Reading Rail
ROAD company Pennsy lvania. and some idea of its
business he gives by stating that it transports coal
enough e'ery sac months to fill up the whole of Penn
sNNanla Avenue, Washington, depth of forty
feet from the base of the Capitol to the Presidents
Mansion; with vast quantities of merchandise and
a heavy travel in addition ~
Inc stock OF this road is selling for about one
sIAan vi oileseFehth OF its par value. Mr. Elet
also mentions TOUR great companies engaged in the
transportation OF the anthracite coal of Pennsvlva-
LA, rom the mines to the seaboard works which
WIN thelr outfits, have cost about fifty millions of
o lhey carry now about six millions of tons
per ahnum, mass sufficient to form a pile forty
ieeC VIDE, forty feet high, and thirty miles long
YET these companies, overburdened with trade
eaeh seeking to destroy the others prosperity ad-
render ia of
any one of them impossible
put IL Is not only company that carries habit
Iaiiv 1or less than cost that must 90 to ruin Mr.
hhet expresses the opinion that 1.-THE injurious con-
tbu que TO oyereharges are always greater
than those dHe to Wnderchorges." A CHARGE that is
100 hgh reduces both the profits and the business of
!ne ROAD, and Is consequently adverse both to the
Interests OF the company and those of the public
LAIN 10 snow now important to the prosperity of
a company correct tariff of charges isIneitber
TOO high nor too low-he saws:
IL Is tdso general, andsusceptible of demonstra-
tion, tnat devlations from the charges which will
iu 'ne greatest nett profit, will reductions
VI tne nett revenue roporiondlto the square of those
.erto"ohs Hence, deviation of only one mill per
Ton per mile from the charge which corresnonds
win the greatest nett profit, might cause an ex-
;ti sinaii aimlnution OF the profit, while de
walton OF one cent would increase the loss conse-
4uent on the deviation hundred toId or one
hundred times much as the deviation of one min
would have caused. This is an astounding fact,
"nen III IS remembered, too, that deviation of one
cent too high is even more injurious than q dev;,
uoh OF one cent the other way. Mr. Ellet then well
asks the question: which should riyet the whole at
tentioh OF every railroad company: What subject
can pe presented to Board of Railroad Directors
vi greater Importance, or more worthy of labor
anu study imam the preparation of its tariff of char
ges ?'-Richmond Dispotch.
PAPER FROM Moss.-The recent invention IF Dr
lerrey, OF Detroit, demonstrates that excellent
paper may be manufactured from moss There is
an abundance of the article in Texas and Louisiana,
ana II Is expected that large export will be made
OF 1t Tor the purpose of paper making. The gath
erlng and drying of the moss require but little
capital, and large business can be done in its
production and forwarding to market on small
means.
A Chinaman at North San JUAN California. stole
a watch. and mortgaged his wife to prevent prose
cution, fell down shaft seventy feet deep, break
ing thigh getting badly bruised, and staying in it
fourteen hours. His wife, in the meantime. eIoped
with man she liked better.
The bodies of the Rev. Mr.. Newman. DR.. s. II.
Jones, Mr. Matthews, and Mrs. CromwelPs child,
lost by the burning of the steamer Eliza Battle in
Alabama, have been recovered. On the body of
MI. Newman the sum Of $500 was found, and on
that of Mr.. Matthews $4,000 in bank bills. notes
and drafts. A''-'
short time since man named George Fulmer
hving IN Haycock township, Bucks county, Pa,
Whlie IN state of intoxication, attempted to take
the lie OF his wife. He inflicted two horrible
gashes, when the neighbors rushed in, and he ran
up stairs and cut his throat from ear to ear EXPIRING
in q min