The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-12-03
Portland and the West.

| ton of Portland and the West by railroad, by
a transaction which occurred under my own
observation A hundred barrels of -four were
consigned the other day by party in Iowa to
aparty here, by way of the Grand Trunk road.
On the arrival of the flonr in Chicago, howev-
er, the agent there writes to the party here, un-
der date 24th inst, that the Michigan Central
Railroad refused to bill through by way of the
Grand Trunk, because the latter refused to
agree to the rates of passenger fare proposed
by the former. He therefore had to ship by
the crcuitous route of Buffalo, Albany and
Boston. 1t will be remembered that few
months since there was meeting of the man
ayers of the principal railroads connecting the
East with the West, in which they agreed to
raise the tariff of freight and fares, and to
stand by each other in upholding the same
Into this combination, or rather, conspiracy
against the public welfare, the Grand Trunk
refused to enter, or become q party, and as
a punishment, to whip them into tlis urholy
alliance, the Michigan Central refuses to take
freight over their road, intended for the Grand
Trunk, thereby cutting OFF Portland from the
West, by its proper channel, the Grand Trunk,
and depriving it of the great advantages it
should derive from the Grand Trunk Road.
1t is easy to see the disastrous results to
the commercial prosperity OF our city from
this outrageous conduct of the Michigan Cen
tral. This road is the only one which connects
us with Chicago by its junction with the
Grand Trunk at Detroit, and virtually says,
that we shall pay tribute to Boston and New
York by compelling every pound of freight
shipped to Portland to take that circuitous
route. Take, for instance, the hundred barrels
of -four referred to. The freight and costs are,
at least, 25 cts. per barrel more by way of Bos-
ton than by way of the Grand Trunk, thereby
making Boston cheaper market for -four
than Portland, Whereas with proper railroad
arrangement, a barrel of flour or any other
article of Western produce can be placed here
at as low, OF lower figure, by the Grand
Trunk road than it can be placed in Boston
And we certainly ought to be able to supply
the demands of ourown State for all articles of
Western produce, instead of allowing Boston
to supply that demand. ts S395e85 NJ.
The question is, how to compel the Michigan
Central Road to forward freight as it is legally
bound to do.g One remedy, atroublesome one,
pound of freight from Chicago by way of the
Grand Trunk, to tender that road, the NJ. G.
r. r. the freight money to Detroit, and on
their refusal sue them for damages Let every
shipper do this, and bring them before jury
of the country, and it might bring them to rea-
son. Let all business men interested, unite to
give no business patronage to the Road,
which undertakes to say to every merchant
you shall ship your freight as we say, without
any regard to cost because we have a quarrel
with the Grand Trunk. lHsiiE
know we have powerful odds to contend
against. This Railroad combination of which
the Michigan Central is part represents u
capital of at least, S150,0GO,OOO millions There
is the n. Y. Central, the n. Y. and Erie, the
Pennsylvania Central, the Great Western, the
Michigan Central, &c., all in this wicked COM
binatien to depletc the public for their own
benefit. In my opinion one of the greatest
dangers to the welfare of this country, is the
Railroad monopoly, interviewer in its very
hbreS by its network of iron, and concentrat-
ing such immense wealth in the hands of few
managers. We hear much said against specu-
lators for attempting to control the markets,
but their power dwindles into insgnificance
when compared with the combinations of these
immense railroad companies, which will raise
the price of freight 100 per cent in "a hours,
and visit their vengeance on any road that
stands out against their extortion. Paul Cliff
ford was a genteel highwayman, and only re-
lieved an occasional traveller of his surplus
coin and jewelry; and SO with highwaymen of
oldeD time generally; but nowadays, our rail-
roads exact tribute from every man, woman
and child in the country, whether they travel
on their highways or remain at home, by their
enormous charges for fare aad freight.
l am told even the Grand Trunk which charg-
ed for -four one dollar per barrel for freight
from Chicago 60 days ago, now charges two and
a quarter, though it costs no more to carry the
barrel of -four on this 30th day of November
than it did on the 30th day of September last;
but lake and canal navigation is about closing,
and all freight must come by rail. Hence,
railroads take advantage of this and put the
screws on the people Just as far as they can
possibly bear. This shows the nature Of the
beast. Now, every d ollar of this overcharge
for freight is paid first, by the wholesale dealer,
charged over by him to the retail purchaser,
and by him to the consumer; thus enhancing
the price of every pound of pork, -four. lard or
beef, brought to us from the West. We need
then have no fears of Spectators OF manufac.
turing monopolies while this railroad monopo-
ly is eating up the substance of the people. 1t
is said corporations have no souls, but railroad
corporations certainly have a sole, and that sole
is upon the necks of the people. I.