The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-08-13
Baitimore and OHIO naiirosd-The
Coal Trade and TapiH Ratsa.


Coal Trade and Tariff Rates.
Al the regular monthly meeting Of the
board Of directors Of the Baltimore aud Ohio
Railroad Company, at Camden Station, yes
today fresidont Garrett made the follow
iIg stalsmmt In reference to Che coal trade
fche psads X E
The dcmand for the semi -bltumluous and
gss Goals from Wet virginia, Georges
creek and tho Cumberland regions having
largely Increased, the Baltimore and Ohio
Company, In addition TO the facilities fur
nishcd by the compl lion er"s double track
70 Piedmont, has added largely to Its equip
ment OF locomotives and coal cars. Tho
aggregate Of coal transported eastward for
ten months from the Both Of September,
1867, to the 3fst OF July, 1853, was 65s,G76
tons. For the same time ended 3lst Of July,
1869, Loss, 30s tons have been transported,
showing On increase for that period OF 3d.
62s tons, being upwards Of G5 per cent;
2s, 423 tons Of this coal have been carried
three hundred miles upon our railway for
the supply OF the gas companies Of Balti-
moro, New York, aud other cities.
Coal carrying Interests In Pennsylvania
have urgently pressed this company TO ad-
vance materially its tariff rates. 1t has been
urged that at an advance OF one dollar per
ton, which would now make difference In
the net receipts Of tho company Of slJ0,000
per month, the great demand for coal would
| still cause tho full capacity Of the company
| 10 DO used. The company, however, look
| ing Complementary at all the great inter-
ests involved, has continued the low rate
which was established In the spring Of 1868,
viz! $3.50 por ton of 1900 pounds from
Cumberland to Locust Point shipping
wharvcs, and proportlonate rates from other
points. Whilst this rate Is but little over
one and quarter cent per ton per mile-a
rate deemed by railway companies generally
to be unremuuerative-ya II Is believed that
1t will be the policy Of the company to con.
tinue II during the present and the approach
Ing season.
This policy Is directly the reverse OF that
pursued by the coal -carrying interests Of the
anthracite regions. The Reading road, for
ninety miles, has advanced lis rate to $3.50
| per ton, thus doubling the rate per ton per
mile charged by the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad c ompany. Notwithstanding the
greatly -shorter distances OF the anthracite
regions from Baltimore, as compared with
the bituminous coal regions, yet the rates OF
the Northern Central railroad and other
companies have been such as to cause, In
combination with the cost Of that coal, the
prices charged to consumers In Baltimore Ia
DO from % to $3.50 per ton.
The vast advances TO the manufacturing
and commercial interests of Baltimore which
are secured by the low tariffs on coal main.
tained by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company can be appreciated by contrasting
the market rates for Cumberland coal, viz
e4.60to Is per ton OF 2,240 pounds, delivered
at manufactures accessible by water In the
harbor, for steamship purposes, &c. The
enormous difference Upwards Of a pei
toni betwixt the price at which coal trans.
ported by the Baltimore and Ohio Company
Is furnished, as compared with anthracite
| Goals, 10 causing many consumers to substi.
| tute the former for the latter.
It will be noted that whilst the tariff on
foreign Goals protects measurably the inter-
ests OF the mineral regions Of West Virginia
and Of Maryland, the consumer In New York
and New England Of the Goals from these
States has not been required to pay any ad-
vance thereon Ia consequence Of the main
tenance Of Its low rates Of transportation by
the Baltimore and Ohio Company.
The traffic In coal on the road In june and
July, including 81, 1852 tons for the use Of the
company, was 3l5,597 tons, and, large as
the demand is, the company is promptly
meeting all the present requirements both
for local pusposes and for shipment. The
deliveries In Baltimore frequently exceed
$500 tons per day. Statements have re-
Gently been published which estimate tn,
combined capacity Of the Northern Contra
Railroad Company and the Tide-water Cana
Company at but 400 tons OF coal per day
and this limited delivery is given as one o
the leading causes for the large charge fo
anthracite TO the consumer In Baltimore.
II will be noted that the capacity of tn,
Baltimore and Ohio company for coal trans
portation at present Is four times as grea
as the combined water and rail capacit,
from the anthracite regions 10 Baltimore, az
thus represented. The large deliveries b,
the Baltimore and Ohio company are beinl
made, too, from much greater distances
namely, from l7S TO 800 miles. 1t is truste,
that the policy which the Baltimore an,
Ohio company has so steadily pursued, an,
which II has determined to maintain througl
the fall, and even during the expensive pc
Rod Of the winter, OF charging only Its 10,
rate for transportation, will continue a
heretofore, not only TO benefit directly tn
interests Of our community, but that Il vii
also aid in reducing the high prices charge
for other descriptions OF coal.-Baltinor
Sun, l2h.