New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-03-30
PAcIFIC RAILROAD FAXES And FREIGHTS.

PACIFIC RAILROAD FARES And FREIGHTS.
The debate in the House on the Joint Reso-
luton offered by Mr. Washburn of Wisconsin
for reducing the rates of freights and fares on
the Union Pacific Railway to not exceeding
double the average rates charged on roads
east of the Mississippi River, has developed
some important information, and perhaps DIS
PEELED some illusions relative TO the con
dition and management OF this great
enterprise. Congress has reserved the
right to regulate the rates of freightS
and fares whenever the net earnings OF the road
exceed ten per cent. of its cost. But 1t Is
claimed that the managers of the road make ITS
cost appear to be much more than it is, and that
the condition of the road and the interests of
the people already require the exercise
of this power 10y Congress. On one hand,
residents on the line Of the road assert
that the cost of transportation from Omaha
TO Denver is higher over the road than
it formerly was BY the wagon lines,
which the road has superseded. On the other
hand. official statements from the Quarter
masters Department are produced to show
that the Government paid more than twice rs
high rates per tun, per mile, for transportation
before the road was built rs il now does.
Both these statements may be true, rs it is
quite likely the Government paid twice rs
much for transportation under the old wagon
system rs it was worth. Government gets
very few services of any kind without paying
in this proportion. The rates for passen-
gers charged by the Union Pacific are ten cents
per mile Those of the Chicago and North
Western Company, owning three OF the routes
running north and west from Chicago, are four
cents per mile. The Chicago and Rock Island
charges three cents per mile. Some of the
Southern roads, as the Richmond and Dan
Vile road, charge six cents Most of the roads
running east from Chicago average from - 10
8 cents per mile.
The Union Pacific charges seven mills per
hundred pounds per mile for freight The
Eastern routes charge from two and half to
four mills, while some of the Southern roads
charge as high as seven mills. The Union
Pacific averages nearly four times the rates for
frcghts and passengers charged by the other
railroads of the country, and the proposed
resolution limiting it TO twice the average
Eastern rates of freight and fare would reduce
its rates one half Indeed, the Company in its
published reports states that Its rates are four
times those of Eastern roads but adds that
they are only one fourth the former cost by
teams. The latter statement is denied 10y those
who claim familiarity with the facts. Numer-
Gus petitions are flowing into Congress from
the Pacific and Western States and Territories
calling for q reduction of freights and fares,
and it is obviously the true ultimate interest
of the Company 70 pursue liberal policy in
this matter. The cases of the London, and
North Western and other English Railways
which reduced their frcights and fares to
one sixth their usual rates and found
the increase of travel and traffic very
nearly compensate them for this enor-
nous decrease of rates, show how absurd tho
policy of exorbtant treights and fares must be
in new country, where tho amount OF bust