Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1866-12-14
Mr. Qmincy,s RaiIway AAGess.

Mr.. Quincy's Railway AdGeSs.
In Hon. Josiah Quincy's paper on the
"Railways Of Massachusetts are embodied
many important facts pertaining TO local
railway interests, which are worthy Of no.
tice.
In speaking of the Western Railroad, he
says when it was first completed many more
passengers and much more freight found its
way to Boston, than under former condi-
tions. But, as the West grew, freight in
creased and passengers multiplied till, at the
present moment the freight received at Al
bany alone last year amounted to 100000
tons, on an average $4,000 tons day-the
through tonnage arriving at Albany by rail
from 1856 TO 1864, nine years, having in
creased 149 per cent.
Now he asks, "has this demand for in
creased facilities been met by correspond
ing accommodations on the part Of the rail-
road? What proportion of the treasure
from the great granary of the West has been
attracted by this route to New England?
During the last ten years the Western rail
road has added 212 freight cars to their
equipment-the Worcester railroad not one.
During the same time the New York Cen
trail. which is one of the combinations of this
line, have nd led 2005 to theirs, and increas-
ed its business 400 per cent, while that of
the Western has increased but G2, and as
the increase of local freight on the Western
railroad is more than equal to the whole
amount of its rolling-stock since 1917, it ap
pears that for twenty years there has not
been added one car to accommodate the
freight business between Boston and Alba
ny, for which purpose the road was express
" built "And the through tonnage of the
Western railroad to Boston was a triile
greater in 1917 than in 1865; the flour tran
sported from Albany and Troy being 150,-
GOO barrels less in 1865 than it was in
lS47."
In reviewing the management of the Wes-
tern road since its origin, Mr.. Quincy re-
marks that its history only adds evidence to
the fact that railways at present hold pow
cr which should only be committed to the
State. which must itself be responsible TO
the whole people, for whose use and benefit
it holds the means of intercommunication,
and asks: "Can the fares and frcights on the
Western railroad be reduced?' This he
answers aflirmativcly, quoting largely from
English railway statistics to prove its feast
bility. lie says:
a prevalent opinion is that the charges
on a railway must be proportional to the
| cost of construction-that when the cost is
! heavy the charges must be proportionally
great. Now it is found that the English
railways on which the greatest amount of
capital per mile was expended, are precisely
those on which the fares are the lowest The
Charng Cross Railway, for instance, cost a
million and a half sterling, or S7,50000O in
gold per mile, sum far greater than the
capital stock of either the Worcester or
Western railroads; and yet passengers are
carried at lower rate than on some rail
tpnptpl n hnOlppItI
part of that cost.
''Now LET the Albany road reduce their fares
not to one-cighth but TO one-siXth of thcil
present rate. e. one dollar from Albany
fifty cents from Springfield. and twenty-five
cents from Worcester. With Il similar in,
crease of business, rs in England, the dillcr
, ence to the shareholders would consist il
receiving nine instead of ten per cent. pei
annum ON their investment, n loss of abou
one hundred thousand dollars to the two
roads and gain of millions to the commu
nifty.
"As to freight, according to Gen. Stark,
ton could be brought from Albany to BOs
ton for two dollars the cars returning emp
ty. Mr.. Chaplin, President of the WesterI
road, thinks that his expenses divided on al
his freight would be Il cent and n half ton
per mile or three dollars for that distance
but as there is return freight which pay
nine dollars Il ton to be deducted from tn
down freight, which would probably amour
to one-third, and reduces the actual cost o
conveying ton ON Gen. Stark's estimate t,
Sl,33, and ON Mr.. Chapin's TO 81, and as
ton is equivalent to two passengers, the,
could be brought from Albany to BOstOl
certainly for II dollar each.
The experience in England shows tina
such reduction treblcs the business. Tn
" passengers carried mile ON the Boston an,
Worcester and Western roads last year wer
a a SS4, ,2l5,965, and the freight S70,2l0,1GG A
It Mr., Chapin's estimate, these amounts trel
led would yield over S500O,000, enough t
pay interest and expenses; and as wa
freight and passengers would be charge
y two cents and one cent mile, enough woul
be raised to meet all contingencies and lcav
.; a surplus AKA
!! Mr.. Quincy before proposing his plan {
/, relieve the Western and Boston and Wol
2 cester railroads from alleged defects, rC
i. marks
d, "1Ioweyer great may be the benefits aC
=, cruing TO the people from the low fare syi
ID TEN, we have seen that they are unattain;
lie BILE under the present mode Of management
y !, The presidents of these roads would not I
d justified in trying experiments or in sacrih
q ing one per cent on the dividends of the
\, ~ shareholders. There is one mode of secu
ing an advantage whatever may be the co
of transportation.
The State has reserved the right of pu
chasing both these roads by paying the p
q value Of their shares, together with ten p
cent on the Western railroad from the tin