Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-07-11
Low Fares.

I
| Messrs. Editors I'm Saturdays issue of the
COMMERCIAL, your correspondent " Ve,itas, on
behalf of the merchants of this cty,an the Stock
holders of the P. W. & B. r. R. Company, asks
few questions, and states few facts in order
to show that high fares from Wilmington to Phil
adelphia are advantageous to our merchants, and
conduce to the material wealth of our city.
With reference to the prices of goods, your cor
respondent, on the testimony of " an estima5ie
cittaea, = endeayors to show to intending purchas-
ers, that the Philadelphia markets is preferable to
that Of Wilmington, and that II is alike the duty
and the interest of our citizens to support the r.
r. Co.. because Its high tariff Of fares oompels US
to buy In the dearest market! Precious logic!
Does Ferftds suppose for moment that yonr
readers can be guided by his pretentious phiIoso-
phy2 Docs he not prove too much for our mer-
chants, In whose behalf he has volunteered his
unseemly scrvicesa This however is their busi-
ness-not mine.
Again he argues that we should submit to the
high charges OF the r. r. Co., rather than pay the
reasonable rates of the Hnncox, because iorsooth
none OF our citizens have any interest in her.
evidently meaning thereby, that none of our cit
izens are stockholders. To estimate the force of
OF Dry Goods merchants II New York, have e.
tablished branch of their business in this city.
where they sell goods forty or fifty per cent BE-
low the other wilmington houses-are we to be
cause the proprletors are non-resdents? Non
sense. The sensible portion of our citizens. who
have the apprepriating Of their own funds, will
always buy III the cheapest market, the advice of
Ve,7fds to the contrary Notwithstanding.
Many OF our citizens who could afford to do So
nave been long in the habit OF making their spe-
clal purchases in Philadelphia, and now that the
Hancox, by reducing the fares, enables our
working men, Of limited means, to purchase in
Y continue q patfo6fss Tie company ;'t to " WHOM
they are indebted for cheap and convenient tray
elling accommodations Nor will the recent re-
auctions in the fare of The Ariel, seduce them
into the support of company, whose only effort;
In this instance, is to monopoze the field, solely
with view to their own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT at the
public expense, Let "Veritas" understand dis
tinctly, that the disinterested public will not be
deceived by the shallow sophistry of any interest
cd party.
1t is further argued on behalf of the r. R, Co..
that It contributes largely to the material prosper
ny OF the city by the extensive disbursements to
the employees OF the company True but this
establishes no right to the monopoly which the
company claims. For every dollar paid by the
company, 1t expects to receive IN equivalent. In
all Its disbursements, Investments, and undertake
ings, it Is actuated solely by desire to promote
the interests OF its own corporation not those of
the city.
In every branch of business in every field of
legitimate enterprise competition Is the best If not
, ID the only means by which the public can
interest of the citizens of Wilmington to sustain
the Hancox at the present rates, even though to
drive her from the aeld, the R. Il. Co. should re-
duce their fares stiil further. Perhaps .Veritas,
who represents the company, and Gun have access
to the documents, will be kind enough to tell JUS
in his next communication, how many passengers
are carried daily on an average, from Wilmington
70 Philadelphia and back, and how many thou
sands Of dollars the company make annually by
she additional charge from their passengers, over
and above the rate charged by the Hancock with
this information our citizens would see ut glance.
the extent to which they had been neeced by the
X. II. Company. PRoBoNo PunI.Ico.