The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-12-01
PeopIe,s 1,ransportation Co.


fore, be discountenanced by all having al
heart the permanent well-being of socie.
ty Monopclies are frequently engines
of tyranny They favor the rich and
grind the poor. Monopolies are purse.
proud and inaolent. Their constant and
uniform tendency is to make the rich
Eieher and the poor poorer.
Young as Oregon is she nevertheless
isalready cursed with monopolies, not the
least Of which is the Peoples Transpor-
cation Company. We do not pretend to
know personally those who compose this
Company. We have as yet taken but lit
tie trouble to inquire. It is sufficient for
us to know that as a Company they have
no opposition; that hence they are mo-
nOpOly, getting rich of the people of Or
egon by exorbitant charges for freight or
passage
Sometime last August box of books,
belonging to US, all the way from Pitts
field, Illinois vid Cape Horn and San
Francisco, arrived at the wharf at Alba
ny. It cost as as much-less about one
fourth-to get them from Portland here,
as it did from Pittsield to Portland. In
other words, it cost US nearly as much to
transport our books fifteen to eighteen
thousand miles as to have them brought
seyenty-fve or eighty miles, It was not
good day for the P. Trans. Company to
charge, either.
We once moved some household furni-
ture from point opposite Louisiana, Mo-,
to Saltwater, Minnesota distance, BY
water, of seven or eight hundred miles /;
and although it was the, first boat of the
season, and the rates of freight had not
been reduced by competition, yet the
charge was only seventy dollars. Last
August we moved about the same amount
and kind of household goods from Port
land to Albany, and were charged seven
ty dollars therefor; but on our express
ing some surprise, the very gentlemanly
purser very graciously deducted ten dol
lars!
A year ago we were merchandising in
Monmouth, Polk county, Oregon. We
replenished our stock several times, and in
at least half the instances we sent down
to Portland for goods By teams, because it
cost US no more, and teamsters would re-
ceive the greater portion of their pay in
merchandise thing the Peoples Tran.
Company would not do, Of course. They
want the pound Of flesh next the hearts
1t is somewhere in the neighborhood of
eighty or eighty-fye miles, by water, from
here to Portland. Let man get aboard
here at noon, and instead of going right
along down, and being in Portland by
daylight next morning, as hesshould, he
simply drops down to Salem, and lies at
that place all night-paying fifty cents
for bunk; and the following day, at 8 or
4o'elock, he reaches Portland. Then, a
gain, they take their own time in return
ing. We landed In Portland week ago
last Wednesday, and by the following
Friday were ready to return. On inqui-
~ We found that no boat would arrive at
Albany till the next Tuesday and the
alternative was thus presented US either
TO lie over IN Portland four days or else
go home on Friday in one of the delight
full mud-wagons Of the stage Company
We chose the latter. Now, no good rea-
son can be given for such long delays
They are inexeusable. But the P. 7. Co
are monopoly rich, purse-proud, ex-
acting monopoly-and they do as they
please in this matter.
We do not wish it to be inferred that
we were charged more than anybody else
In the above specified cases. So far as
we know they were the usual rates, made
out in exact conformity to the scale of the
Peoples Transportation Company. We
give the Company credit for treating al
alike in the matter of freight charges.
IF they have inserted their fangs into u
quite deep, we have the exquisite salts
faction Of knowing that they bit Others
Just as deeply and fercely. If, while the.
smiled and called US brother, they smot'
US under the fifth financial rib, it is som,
consolation to US to know that they hav,
very nearly disemboweled others.
Not only do the P. 7. Company charg
exorbitant freights, but in the matter 0
meals for passengers they fail to furnish
fair equivalent As we have already in
timated, last week we visited Portland
Of course We jumped aboard the frs
boat that came along, which happened t
be the Fannie Patton The purser, Nh
Church, was just as smiling and obligin
as ever. We took two meals on board
supper and breakfast. We are not Ue1.
fastidious in our gastronomic tastes; bu
are quite easily satisfied in such matters
But when we pay four bits for meal, W
do expect to have something near It's {
ouivalent set before US, whether we pal
take of it or not; and having but recen
" been engaged in the hotel business, W
claim to know what meal should be fc
wbicb half dollar is charged. Tb