New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-01-19
TILE R1LLROAD W1R.


The chronic disagreements between the New
York Central and the Harlem and Hudson
River Railroads, which have been threatening
violent outbreak for the last sixteen years,
reached crisis yesterday. We have no means
of knowing which of the companies il In tho
right, or with which the victory is most likely
to remain. 1t only concerns us to know that,
however the quarrel may have arisen and how
ever it may be settled, the public is certain to
be a sufferer by its continuance.
The cause of the trouble seems TO have been
the adjustment of rates for the transportation
of freight between New-Yorll and the West
though the occasion of it, no doubt, was the
.cpnt election for officers of the Central Road,
Shan Mr.. Vanderbilt, who had already obtained
,ou,,I of both the routes between Albany and
Nov york, was defeated in the attempt to
secure the management of the great thorough
fare from Albany TO the West. Close upon the
heels of The election followed an open declara-
tion of uar. The apportiOnment of freight
tolls WINS made the cGSuS beU. Mr. Vanderbilt
ur,nn.,d that for every carload of freight sent
Wo.t over the Hudson River or Harlem Rail-
road the Central Company should send one
carload South from Albany to New-Y York. To
this the Central not unreasonably demurTed:
the length of their road being about double
that of either of Mr.. Nanderbilts lines, they
claimed that they were entitled to send two
loads for Nandcrbilt's one, or that the tolls
should he divided pro rata. The consequence
was that Mr.. Vanderbilt suddenly broke off
all intercourse with the Central Road, and
put a stop to all the facilities usually granted
1s,,. IL
nounced that on and after the 18th inst. the
Hudson River and Harlem roads would trans
port neither freight nor passengers beyond East
Albany, leaving both to make their way across
the river rs best they might, and would receive
neither checks nor tickets from the Central
Road. To counterfeit this arrangement, we learn
that the managers of the Central have made n
contract with the Housatonic Railroad, and for
the present will send their freight by that and
the Western Massachusetts, road to Bridgeport,
whence there is communication both by the
Sound and the New Haven Railroad with this
city. The opening of the Hudson River in the
Spring will OF course introduce Il new element
into the fight.
While the railroad men are thus cutting each
Others throats, we are glad to see that the Legis
public. In tho Assembly yesterday, on motion
Of Mr. Wood, the Railroad Committee, by a
unanimous vote, was instructed to investigate
the present quarrel, and report such bill as
they might Judge cxpedicnt. In the Senate, Mr..
II. c. Murphy introduced a bill, which was
promptly passed by yeas 10, nays o, which seems
to us to go to the root of the matter 1t COM
pels connecting roads TO sell tickets,
check baggage, and transport freight, with
out breaking bulk, TO all stations at which
trains stop. In case of disagreement
between companies, the State Engineer
is to act as umpire, and an appeal from his
decision is to lie TO the Supreme Court of the
Albany district, where it shall have preference
over all other causes, no delays in transporta-
ton to be allowed while the'appeal is pending.
refusal TO comply with the decision ID to
subject the president and directors to a fine of
$4,000 for each days neglect while the case is
pending, and after the decision of the Engineer
in court to fine of $1,000 and imprisonment
in the county Jail for a period not exceeding one
year. Setting aside the merits of the present
controversy, Of which we profess neither to
know nor to care very much, we shall be de-
lighted at the passing of any measure which
will teach railway corporations that they are
created for the public convenience, and not
exclusively for the pecuniary emolument of
their managers. And we know of few COM
panies which need this lesson more than the
Harlem and the Hudson River. How far the new
managers of the Central mean to study the
comfort and safety Of their patrons there has
not yet been time to learn; but as to the roads
which have so long had shameful emnence
for their iasolent disregard of the convenience
of travellers and shippers, we are not without
hope that tho present battle may result in
doing both them and us little good.