Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-10-13
THURSDAY, OCTOBER IS, 1859.
LoufsyfIIe and Nashville Railroad
Rates of Freight.

Ia
Rates of Freight.
In view of the approaching completion of
the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, the
rates of through freight are beginning TO ex-
cite some speculation. The Louisville Jouyn-
al pu blishts communication from :. d her
chant " on the subject, and accompanies it
with favorable comments. In this communi-
cation it is stated that ii is reported on the
streets that majority of the Board of Direct-
ors are in favorof high charges-40 cents per
100 pounds on heavy goods hence to Nash
vile, being the rate they now expect to ask
The writer contends that this is too much.
and will entirely defeat one of the great ends
had in view in the construction Of tie road.
He continues
Louisville naturally expects TO receive
large Accession to her trade from points in
Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia
over this new line of communication. and in
this expectation she will certainly not be dis
appointed, procided the facilities it offers are
gr, alter and the charges for freights no high
or than other lines now open. We have now
three routes to the leading points in the above
mentioned States--One by river to Memphis
and thence Ivy rail: another by river 20 Tus-
cumbia and thence by rail; and the third by
river to Nashville and thence by rail. Let US
compare the expense of these routes. AT an
ordinary stage of river We can ship through
freight by packets to Memphis at Is cents per
100; to Nashville at 20 cents, and to Tuscum.
bia at 20 cents. Adding these prices to the
preseu; railway charges. we find we can ship
30 Macon, Ga, for instance. via Memphis, at
80 cents per 100 lbs; via Tuseumbia at S2cts;
via Nashville by river at IS cts; while over
the Louisville 81 Nashville railroad the price
would be- ninty-si1 cents per hundred lbs. To
Chattanooga the price would he Sc, 49, and
40 cents, respectively by the first-namcd
routes, while by the railroad the cost would
be 90 cents per 100 pounds. These two points
are sufficient to show the rates TO all others
over tie roads connecting with ours at Nash
vile. .-.-.
st. Louis is our first and most formidable
Competitor for the valuable trade We hope to
bring over our road, aud it is of vital i'm
portance that we shall meet her at least on
equal terms in seeking The business. Let US
whether we will do this or not. By the
tariff of freights over the Memphis and Char
lesion road, published last winter, we find
that she can ship to Chattanooga at so cents
per 100, to Macon at sc per hundred, while
we pay 60 and SO cents to these points, and
equally larger rates to others. These were
the rates last winter. but / am Informed that
the Memphis and Charleston road has re-
duced its rates cents per 100 on lis West
ern section, in view of the opening of our
road, and moreover makes a deduction of II
cents per 100 on all round lots of freight
shipped from ST. Louis. Deduct this IL
cents from her published prices, and We find
discrimination against ourselves in favor
of our powerful rival amounting almost to
a prohibition of all trade with our new
made neighbor. Again, let us compare our
contemplated charge of 40 cents per lOD lbs.
over q road 1873 miles in length with that OF
some other Southern roads. From Atlanta
10 Macon, l03 miles. the price for through
ire;ghts is liz cents per 100 lbs. from Nash
willie to Chattanooga, $50 miles, 20 cents per
100; from Atlanta to Augusta, III miles,
20 cents per 100; from Savannah to Macon,
1872 miles, "a cents per 100; and frcm Nash
vile 10 Atlanta, 2S9 miles Gust loo miles
longer route than ours). 40 cents per 100. 1
make no comparison with Northern rates,
which are greatly lower than these, because
1t could be argued that their treights are car
ried AT loss TO the roads over which they
travel The roads 1 name are not only
Southern roads, which run at grealer ex-
pense than ours should cost, but their stocks
are generally at par, aud they pay their
stockholders regular seml-annual Dividends
in cash. . ... -.s.I..
to Nashville interests as well as those OF
Louisville; but is of quite as much impor-
tance TO the railroad itself A tariff of
freights, as high as those reported, would
prove, we apprehend as injurious TO the road
as TO trade-probahly more so; inasmuch
us it would cause trade to seek other channels.
We shall, therefore. assume, until we know
it be fact that the reported rate on heavy
goods mentioned by "A Merchant" as that
intended to he adopted, is incorrect. The
Board of Directors cannot be 80 unmindiul
OF the interests to be affected by their action,
ef their power To create or destroy trade by
a sound or an unsound policy-as to adopt
such rates of freight as will prevent the
great enterprise, under their charge, the re-
suit OF vast expenditure of money, from
becoming a public blessing. The President
of the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad
Company, fully alive to the Importance of
securing for his road the carrying Of freights
for the sections of country Louisville is now
looking to for an increase Of her trade. es-
tablishsd Communication system which has
proved highly advantageous. II will he
much better for all concerned If the Louis
vile and Nashville Railroad shall determine
to do something similar. In auy event. the
rates of freight ought to put ut the lowest
possible figures.