Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-12-21
DALLAS HERALD.
Texas Central Railroad versus The
City of Dallas.

Texas Central Railroad versus The
City ofDallas,
All, it is said, have hobby ours is
Railroads, and in order that we may pos
scss the great civilizer, possibly the de-
sire leads to extreme opinions upon the
subject. BE this as it may, our advocacy
for railroads is as pronounced, and as
broad in its nature as any other subject,
except the development and material pros
pesity ofthe particular locality in which
we live. We advocate railroads as the
primal cause to the more desirable effect
of bringing about this state Of prosperity,
and whenever railroad conflicts with
the interests of the City of Dallas, and
| that too when such conflict of interest
need not exist, we shall certainly cry stop
thief Now We dislike more than anything
to be thought growler, and have even
allowed errors Of minor import to 90 un-
whipt vf justice, rather than hazard such
reputation. 1t becomes especially repug-
nant in this case, as It's rather fashiona-
| Die to swear at tho Texas Central, wheth-
er justly, upon general principles "this
deponent sayeth not" therefore it is, to be
thought grumblor for fashions sake is
an ordeal our moral courage would fail to
meet only for the grave character of the
subject in hand.
Under the gold freight tariff, freight
could bo shipped from Galveston to this
point for ,O5 gold per car load, which
reduced to currency at average premium
would bo about S1,l7 currency. Under
the nav currency tariff frcights are
changed, same class and from same point
| (Galveston,) ,33 and abolishing the sys.
tom of car load rates; this, then, you see,
makes difference in currency Of 16c per
100 lbs or some II per cent. against the
merchants of Dallas and in favor of the
Railroad company. Champions of the road
may tell you that the carload system
work ed hardship to the smaller ship
pers and should, therefore, have been
abo lished. No such thing there is, We
dare say, scarcely a merchant in our city
who makes shipments in less quantity
than car load, unless it be some small
Invoice ordered in haste to fill up, and
shipped by express. And now If this was
true, VIC still insist that larger entepri ses
deserve larger facilities, else how could
Dallas or any other city, do an extensive
wholesale business, if no advantages were
prices in purchasing and shipping. 1t is
simple folly; and the most uneducated in
dividual in commercial affairs knows, that
large purchasers have an advantage over
smaller ones in all the marts of tho world.
We would not be thought the champion of
capital against labor, for we are not, and the
very theory of our position proves the as
sertion, for the large buyer having these
advantages is thereby enabled to give his
merchandise TO the consumer, which is the
class we most desire benefited,-at moro
reasonable figures, and capital thus be-
comes the ben efsctor Of labor, q PROPOSE
tion so clear that its putting is almost
unnecessary, and in this capacity, and to
these ends only do we advocate it. 1t
will be seen by the foregoing figures that
the recent change is an actual advance
upon the old tariff, and capable of work
ing good to none but the company. Thi s
is the state of case SO far as Dallas is con-
cerned at least, for the energy, capital
and enterprise of our leading merchants
have created her wholesale mart of no
small Importance.
So much for imports, now for our ex-
ports; and the discrimination made
against Dallas by the recent action Of the
Central smacks Of something worse than
mere gain to the corporation. Thus, our
merchants have TO pay $5,25 per bale for
cotton hence to Galveston, while shippers
thirty-fve miles north of Us only pay
So, 80 the company receiving at the Ter
minus and; paying wagon charges from
points beyond them. This makes differ
ence then against Dallas shippers Of 81 ,45
per bale upon one of the leading COM
mercial staples Of our country. How the
Central can justify this very unfair ac-
tion we are at loss to see, and the only
reason likely to bear a shade of apology,
1--WE will not:say justifcation,) is that this
reduction is made in the tariff from points
north of the Terminus to detract trade
from st. Louis via the NJ, X. & 7. II. r..
This is doubtless the high moral ground
upon, which they stand, the real motiue un-
derlying it all, being, either to attract
business for themselves or o pitiful spite
against the City of Dallas, for reasons
which our readers will understand if such
really be the case. We sincerely hope,
however, that Il is measure Of mistaken
business interest upon their part and not
dictated by mad desire TO break down
our growing city; and right here permit
us the unequivocal announcement, that
the Texas Central Railroad, in whatever
guise the attempt be made, will most in
gloriously fail-true the present action Of
the road has worked us grievous hard
ship, in this, that the advanced rates Of
freight, and the unfavorable distinction
enacted against US TO the interest Of other
rival markets in North Texas initiates
considerably against our interests. A
case in point. The energy and capital Of
our wholesale merchants is inducing q
large trade from the Eastern portion Of
the State, q section whose commercial in
terests becoming psralized for lack Of
transportation, its people are seeking our
capital to buy its produce and our large
wholesale stocks to supply their wants, q
trade that would continue with US for q
long time to come only for these obstacles
thrown by the Central Railroad, for the
difference in freigbts, especially staple
groceries, when compared with the old
I Il "A