The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-01
PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD COMPANY.
ADJOURNED MEETING YESTERDAY

Company was held yesterday al 10 AN. at Con.
cert Hall. The meeting was called to order nv
his Honor the Mayor, who briefly stated the
object for which they had been called together,
as follows:- '-,,'
At the annual meeting of the stockholders of
the pennsylvania Railroad Company, it was
resolved that committee of seven should be
appointed for the purpose of making certain
examinations and Investigations, and 1t was
further resolved that they should report at an
adjourned meeting to be held this day. As
chairman OF the annual meeting, / was re-
quested to appoint that committee, and in
making the selection l exercised, as it was
proper / should do, great care and circumspec-
tion; and as many of the gentlemen whom /
notified to serve upon it-for various reasons
satisfactory to Observation-Disclosures to serve it
was not until considerable time after the
meeting to which l have referred had been
held, that the committee was completed. But
when II was completed, l think / may say
that, taking into view the professional, COM
merclal mercantile, manufacturing, and pract-
cal business skill OF the men who composed it.
and the high character tor personal integrity
which belongs TO each and to all of them the
stockholders will feel that they have been fairly
represented, aud the community may accept the
conclusions to which this committee have come
with entire confidence in their soundness
What those conclusions are have not been in
torued, but am informed that the committee
are now prepared to present them to the meet.
ing. After the Secretary shall have read the
minutes of the former meeting, l will have the
pleasure Of calling upon the committee for their
report. That committee, as finally appointed
COublSlS Ol OOlOuGl James rage, Chairman.
Henry Winsor, Charles Wheeler, Alau Wood
J. G. Davis, William G. Cresson, aud Israel H.
Johnson
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
Report of the Special Committee of Stock
holders OF the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
appointed in accordance with q resolution
adopted at the annual meeting, February 10,
The undersigned a Special Committee ap,
pointed IN accordance with resolution passed
at the last annual meeting OF the Stockholders
OF the Pennsylvania Railroad Company for the
purposes set forth in said resolution, have at
tended 10 the duties assigned them. and do now
submit the following report OF their proceedings
and Concusions:-
Upon the organization of the Committee, the
president OF the Company was notified of the
TACT, and he appointed the following day for the
I commencement of our Investigations at which
time we met the President and Committee of
the Directors.
These officers expressed a willingness and
desire tO grant every facility for the perform
ance OF our duties, and they and the subordi-
nate officers OF the Company have, in all ways
and at all times, throughout tins examina-
ton, aided and furthered the Committee in its
work.
The Committee, finding 1t convenient and
proper so to do, Will treat the subjects referred
to them in the following order; ;-System of dis
crlmlnation; free passes; private freight ex.
presses; report of the Board of Directors; and
the eXpediency of issuing more stock and of
borrowing more money.
First. OF the system of DISCRIMINATORY
such system; nor have we found any authenti-
Gated case of discriminating between parties
shipping freight under the same circumstances.
AT one of the sessions of our Committee we were
I informed that certain parties made accusations
against this Company on this matter, and we at
once invited them to come before the committee
and prove their charges, but they declined or
did not appear for that or any other purpose,
and the charges of the said parties are therefore
unworthy of further notice.
Charges of discrimination are in many cases
based. believe. mere SuSDlclOQS: and
in other cases they spring from misapprehension
of circumstances which the parties making the
charges do not understand. All experienced
managers of transportation companies know
that fair and equal rates are in the long run
most productive to themselves and most salts
factory to the public; and in the absence OF all
testimony 10 sustain charges of discrimination
against this Railroad Company, we cannot
believe that lis very able officers are guilty OF
practice at variance with the well-established
principles of the business over which they
preside.
this kind are issued TO some extent by the rail-
road companies of this country, and the issue
within strict and narrow limits Is lusttdable;
but the practice, when carried beyond such
limits is improper and unjust. The granting OF
free Lasses to all the members of our City Coun-
ellis is OF pernlcious tendency, and ought to be
abolished. That the issue OF such passes has
been heretofore too much extended by this
Railroad Company is shown by the fact that the
Directors themselves became aware OF the evil
and on the 9th of January last, at meeting oi
the Board, paSSeQ u resOluIOu ~ uSOhnO "
Issue tree passes, except for purely charitable
purposes, and such others as in the opinion o.
the President may be absolutely required by the
interests of the Company" and we hope that the
President will carry out this resolution IN III
letter and spirit.
Third. OF "Private Freight Expresses
There are no expresses of the kind, or with thi
title on the roads of this company; but ther,
are East Freight Lines;n one on the Pennsyl
yania Central Railroad, known as the 'Uniol
Linen and another on the Philadelphia anC
Erie called the Empire Line" both OF then
owned DIV incorporated companies, and running
TO and from Western States.
These lines own the cars used by them-mor
than two thousand in number. Their aVerag
haul of each ton OF freight during the wear 1866
without tIansshipment or breaking pulK, wa
nearly one thousand miles, and their cars al
run not only over the Pennsylvania CenGra
hut over about four thousand five hundre
miles Of other roads, whose own equipment
Hardly sufficient for their ordinary business
and therefore, the additional equipment f9
Iished by these 'Fast Lines' brings over 10
said roads to the Pennsylvania Central muo
freight which it could not get without sue
additional freight cars.
The statements Of the President and othe
officers of this Company in regard TO the sal
lines given in answer to nterrogotories put
ms have been fully confirmed by a mass OF test
mony taken by the commlLtees OF the fenhsy
vania State LEGISLATURE The SAID statement
and testimony show conclusively that these ia
lines are at this time and have been since tne
establisbment, direct and positive oenent
the pennsylvania Railroad Company, oecau'
tb1s Company has by means OF them regalnI
freight which had been lost by the prior eStal
lishment of similar fast lines" on other eoi
peting roads. .vo,so irs,ructed N ex
- 80 ,gho4 aVtent the officers and employ