The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-10-07
RAILWAYS m TEE ssrP STATES.

which led to It's humiliating position need not
enter-time has shown they were not radical. On
your acceptance OF the Presidency difficulties rapidly
vanished, and few months have brought US TO the
beginning OF renewed prosperity.
Railways generally, In the United States, have
sngularly failed In realizing the chief objects OF their
construction-they have failed In remunelating the
original shareholders, who, as class. have ceased
to exist as no one now dreams OF subscribing for
shares in q new railway, and they have failed in
providing what Lord Bacon called one OF three
things which make a nation great and prosperous
ian easy and cheap conveyance for men and CON-
modities from ono place to another.n
In the United States we have population en-
ughtened, active, enterprising, producing more by
many fold than any other Of the same extent, and
we have q country teeming with wealth, through
which great railways have been constructed for
exchange Of traffic between these people, with what
resultY 1FF
The vast capital which by a series OF laborious
financial man1uvres finally represents many mil
lions OF dollars Is allowed to remain idle for twenty
ment TO keep the permanent way employed or by
excessive charges on transportation. Twenty hours
ont OF twenty-four means ten months 10 the year.
during which the railway Is closed against revenue
but remains open to depreciation and expenditure
we know what would happen to the banker or mer-
chant who would so administer his capital s.
This timid management-to use mild phrase-is
chief cause OF the wonderful non-success OF our
commodatng the wants OF the community.
The whole through passenger traffic Of the four
trunk lines westward does not much exceed the
foreign immigration, and one street railway IN New
York carries about as many passengers In day as
either OF these companies carry through one way In
year! There are dozens OF commercial houses
whose business exceeds in tonnage the whole
through western traiic Of any OF Them N
The great West has no monopoly Of It's great
the producer will be able to compete In foreign
markets with foreign produce. The semi-barbarous
fvhn LnSfn
match for the civilization or Western America in
supplying Western Europe with breadstufs. /
s pc ae s e that ,s per ton q one
ways who viii have the courage to inaugu-
rate the system and pertnaciousy stick to it, that
merchants may make extended contracts In conf
dence that their plans will not be frustrated by
sudden Jump in rates. TO increase the profits Of the
railway, add to the value OF land and assure the
prosperity OF the country, rates must be low and
liked and this system shall advocate with all my
might until our permanent way Is fully occupied.
You once from your place IN Congress startled the
country by procaiming that the United States could
raise three hundred millions year in support OF The
war, and IN year found You had not stated half the
truth. Something q the same energetic spirit which
had the sagacity 10 measure our financial strength
by the valuation OF our dormant resources is now
required To arouse railway prOprletor5 to the evils
and dangers of THAR position.
We have no first class passenger trafiic because
those who should pay for the best accommodation
generally manage to travel free; the only paying
passengers are those few citizens VINO have no &C
receive no suitable acc0 nmOdat0n. The great mass
OF the Inhabitants OF the Eastern cities, who would
become prosperous citizens in the West are kept III
the sternest competition for q livelihood from want
Of means to travel belive that emigration from
Eastern cities would vastly exceed the immigration
from Europe II the rates were adapted to the means
OF the people.
The Governor OF Wisconsin lately writes:-
There Is need of able-bodcd women suffering
tern STATE. there million. Of unsO their
to any who viii and take them who blessed
q begun aes.pss
the grea. tide Of emigration from the as
pouring IN me West st comparatively spersoy
and in every branch Of industry there is yet abund
The Governor is right as to the advantages OF NOV.
Ing westward but IL the published figures OF through
tralnc on our railways be correct fail to any
particular "tide OF emigration at present, though
railways, by cheap fares. could create great mood.
Though have hign opinion OF the merits OF the
broad gauge, yet Us matter OF policy and to
connections over the marrow gauge system adv0-
cate putting down third rail upon the Atlantic and
sp with Which we have had no reason to be other
not been profitable to either party, from causes
which | believe can be remeded) and the Erie
us with the most consistent illiberality) will also
adopt this third rail.
with the same economy rs the narrow gauge; but the
Great Western OF Engand-a seven feet gauge
works at = less percentage OF revenue than any OF
the leading narrow Qauges-viz fOrty-seven per cent
and may aod when the transportation expenses and
maintenance Of way and works OF any Important
railway In full work exceed ffty per cent the ac-
counts should be received with some suspicion A
writer In the London TlnNS in reference to English
railways, has said
pared down away Let any bewderei chairman OF
and how it that 50 Little is len for
pu. himself IN confidential with two three
,sensbis bn. poor because unpaid workmen along The
Ing deparunenis or the timber yards. Lei him
petty tyranny open at the hands Of lie chef
ocais and oysto9Sers winch would inial,oy follow the
s9 would SSon De let into The mystery
berry In the purchase timber jobbery purchase
and
e or aS.ans, eu, exalted BY fs,orssm aad private IN
S ,,s,s am no ,ars that have not thrown o mint
the spirits OF many shareholders.
trust the general interests OF the several broad
auge lines can DO made TO harmonize more than
through ra1ic impractcabe we should not be
party to Their policy. our road was constructed
for western tra1lc-we do not receive tthero Is no
reason why should not have it except the hos
tIity OF connecting lines. and until more sensible
policy prevails the interests OF our local business
should alone be looked to. Considering the splendid
territory possessed by the Atlantic and Great West
err within ITSELF ano the various resources which it
absolutely controls. think we shall De justified In
altogether abandoning the through traffic, which has
been hitherto conducted 40 loosely and tamely to
create wonder that gentlemen controlling properties
which have cost so much should neglect the superb
bundant sources OF revenue whose development
would so rch.y repay them. Our local traiiic VIII
meet the interest bonded debt aud give sat
isfactory return to the shareholders.
Our railway passes through 100 miles or the
best coal fields in the world, while for some hun
dred miles west, south and north Of US there Is
COAL but heretofore strangled this business
by excessive rates. l propose we shall cut down
these rates and stimulate an enormous production OF
the bread OF Industry coal was felicousy called by
NJ Rouher, recently In the French Parliament In AIDE
bate on the management OF railways These low rates
should not be Intermittent changeable. think
II we can introduce the elements OF cheapness and
certainty into our rates our road will secure q
volume OF business which will raise Its income TO an
amount per mile hitherto uneQualled In the United
States.
The Atlantic and Great western Railway is said to
be overwhelmed with Its capital account. Appa-
rently our capital Is In excess Of sother Iall
roads but IL Is oil capital We did In i've years what
other great corporations with constant appeals for
personal municipal State subscriptions aud
grants, took twenty years to accomplish, aided
by the revenues during all these years The con-
srucion Of the Atlantic aud Greal Western has been