The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-10-08
z.x a,,lro,a Mopovoly worl,,

How Railroad Monopoly works. |
The canal question is prominent IN
New York politics just now, from the fact
hat the whole monied interest Of the New
York Central Railroad is at work to Sc
cure the sale Of the Erie canal, which
that corporation wishes to purchase, that
it may not only reap the profit on the Ca
nal tolls, but also put up its own railroad
rates of freight. The New York Central
and New York and Erie Railroads have
been in active and ruinous competition,
which may have benefited directors, but
has eaten up, in the case of the Erie road
at least, the interest of the stockholders.
It has been a main idea with the New
York Central not only to crush the Ere
road, but to force a sale of the canals on
the ground that they were not profitable
TO the State. 1t has made them unprofit-
able. The actual cost of freighting -four,
by the Central road, from Buffalo to AL
bany, is Al 29. 100 cents per barrel. Yet
during canal navigation that road carries
-four from Lake Erie to New York at ga
35 cents per barrel. Putting the cost on
the Hudson at five cents per barrel, the
road gets 29a30 per barrel between Buff
fslo and Albany, sustaining loss of liza
20c. on every barrel it moves between
those points. 1t makes up this deficit by
heavy scay charges. While taking -four
ou contract from Toledo to New York
city for 3Oc. per barrel, it charges Buffalo,
Lockport, Rochester and Bloomfield 50c
per barrel. 1t charges one-sixth more pei
hundred on household goods from Troy
TO Buffalo than from New York to Cleve
land. Stock hogs-Chicago to New York
40c per hundred Buffalo to Canastota
half way to Albany, Csc per hundred
Such is its course with all the heav,
freight carried by it. The total amour
of way freight is far greater than that o
through freight, and being charged a tarii
of from one to five hundred per cen,
higher, the farmer, miller, or manufactur
/ er in that State, is compelled to pay nc
only the cost of transportation on his ow
) freight, but also to make up the defcier
t cy on through freight.
This cuts down the profits on grain
: the farmers hands. and crushes the bus
Q ness of millers and manufacturers.
Q correspondent of the New York Tim
e gives cases illustrating the result
4 The result is, that nine tenths of tt
best milling property in the State is n,
worth the powder that would blow it u
Every run of stones would, if in motto
It run their owner in debt, and his only r.
Il source is himself to run to the West. Ho
q the policy referred to effects manufactu
ers may be illustrated by single illustr
u ton. Messrs. D. & C. were. up to 1875
q doing large and profitable business
= Buffalo, in the household furniture lin
q They sent their wares in boxes to all par
:. of the West. The railroad policy deye
>" oped ITSELF For FIVE years they struggl,
l. manfully against it, unwilling to NAL
y the sacrifice necessary to removal.
b this time, then, New England compel
tors, by the aid of the railroad manages
- were delivering their goods in all 81
" Western towns at less cost for freight tn
sr they could. Last Winter the alternati
s, OF removal or ruin was too palpable to
IN longer dodged-it must be met; and Il
year they are doing prosperous busi,,.
D in Connecticut.
J. Persons who have been deluding ther
oi selves with the idea that railroads q
such blessing to an agricultural COUNT
: that Kansas only needs railroads to bui
ei 1T up, may as we'll look at the other 81
" of the picture, and take care that SINH
IS monopolies are not permitted to exist
Kansas. Grant these corporations il
mense land grants, sufficient to pay for t
of construction of the roads, and yet tn
h. will not fail to prove the adage, tt
10 Corporations have no souls" They W
10 obtain every possible financial advanta,
A and then attempt, as the New York Ce
VI trail now does, to usurp the control of t
of politics of the State. - -.