, 1866-01-22
RAILROAD EXTORTIONS.
A Few Facts Worth Grin. to tho
PUBLIC.


Every one talks OF the extortlous Of rail-
roads, Farmers md business men here In the
Wcst'sWe)l With indignation at the imposed
exnctiuns, as do toals with fright, and Il any
thing BE- said In palliatiou OF railroad manage
ment they burst, aa do toads, scattering
wratlful words upon the head OF the wight
who defends. The Indignation has arrived At
fever heat, and tho people, groaning under
their burdens, giye expression to their feel
ings through press nad convention, deter
mined that this Incubus upon the prosperity Of
the country shalt be npitfIed~
There being 50 much smoke, We conc1ud ed
10 find out the state OF the fife-rieht at
home. Among our merchants NE have made
diljgent inquiry as to the charges nude By
railroads. And the conclusion ia that our
Western railroads arc norc determined In ex-
tortfon than the Eastern. The railroads say,
"Gentlemen, we canuot move your products,
the contract is too heavy you n.lsc too much
buy too many goods, wc. have not tho means
Of Transporting them Ill. :" But, ,is that reason
why 50 grcat q thrill should be charged on
what you can get to market Is that sound
reason why you cannot 1nercnse your facilities
TO giyc foSr bushels Of his corn Is get one 10
market--how long willfbe continue to raise
eogny II on account Of high railroad tariffs
merchants are compelled to sell tucIr goods
ut panic pficeS To the man who realizes the
price Of one bushel OF corn out Of fom, how
long will the West be inviting to settlement p
Huw fast will It grow, compared With its i'm
mcnse capabilities Of feeding and clothing
world9 Gentlemen, you try to 1.i1t the bird
that lays the golden egg. But 1t will not be
killed. We will tell you why utt1o further
on In this article.
We spoke Of conversation with, our mer-
chants. They showed us their freight bills,
explained them thoroughly, expressions
intcrla1ded which wc will nottreproduce. be-
cause, in some instances, they we're perhaps
intended to be more especially emphatic than
elegant. A little running commentary on tho
bills, now.
Tie hardware firm Of McCosh & Odlorne
showed lls bill Of freight on a small lot;
charges from Troy to Chicago, about 1900
miles, $3.50; ,tiom Chicago to Davenport,
10 miles, $3.50. Another. from New York
to Chseago, $.os; from chtcas,o 70 Daseu-
port, En. Another, o. cents = 100 tbs
and rs Cents from Chleaso to Davenport.
Kelly & Wood, hardware, hare paid for nails
by keg, from Pittsburgh to Chicago, 50 cents,
from Chicago TO Davenport. IS cents. Another
GIm paid Oh a box Of goods from Boston to
Gh!cago; 1oo e.! miles, az $s4.oo, from Chicago to
To show the discrimination In favor of
Chicago lumbeE-dealess rs against :oug own,
be It sud, that lumber from Chicago to Dav-
enport Is $3.50 per NJ; from Chicago to
Kellogg, SIT 90: from Davenport to Kellogg,
5000. From Chicago to some OF the nearer
stations on the VI. l. ". r. R., on lumber
the charges are the same Us to Davenport,
whereas the freight from Davenport to
Duraut is $3.50.
On the other hand, the treightage from St.
Louis to Davenport by ,odttr, dD:miies, on
the class Of goods We lave referred to IN this
article, was last season :oc-thc coming sea-
son will make 1t less. The hardware house
of Slckles Il Preston will bring their iron by
river from Pittsburgh, heneesotth, ], 900 miles,
for about soc . 100 tbs. Other merchants
will bring their goods from New York ria
New Orleans By the new line now organizing,
The Atlantic 4 Mississippi Steamship Compa-
ny, which guarantees the delivery OF goods
at St. Louis from New FORK in fifteen to
twenty days.
this way, and in the water commnnica-
tion bound 10 be made: II Congress hears tho
voice Of the Great West, the people will help
themselves, and make II lay to live In the
West; pay to farm, pay to manufacture, pay
to deal In merchandise, despite the monopoles
which, built to accommodate and bnil1 up
+" the country, have conspired against Its best
interests.