Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-01-24

How much, for instance, would the
charters granted for the two mlcs of
railroad from Charleston to Norfolk, or
others now pending in the Legislature
be worth if this requirement should
be incorporated? The charters would
not be worth the paper upon which
they Mv,tld be enrolled
+ If We can only gctgat aud prevent
the abuse of the system of Z" Through
and Local Freight, !" good can be done.
But it would be injurious to producer
and stakeholder and to commerce; 10
break down all distinction between
them.
The following extract from the re-
port of the Chief Engineer and Cen
eral Superintendent of the Wilmington
& Weldon Railroad, i'll 1866 and 1867,
upon this subject will, we think, add
great weight to what VIC have said:
EXTRACT FROM ANNUAL REPORT OF COL.
FREMONT, GEN. sUp'r WILMINGTON t
WELDON r. r., for 1866.
To discriminate i'll making freight
charges has been long and well estab-
Hshed.
No Railway can be we'll and Justly
managed when that principle isnot OBJ
served.
Suppose the horizontal system to be
adopted and all goods paid the same
rates per ton per mile for long or short
distances, the cost of haulinga and hand
ling being the same, and the rate being
such that short distances were simply
remunerative, the charges for the long
est distances would be excessive
| amounting to prohibition. Garry the
principle out as we may, for one, two,
or three thousand miles, and we could
not enjoy the products or manufactures
| of other countries.
IT has been thought best, therefore,
to equalize the burdens of transporter
ton, and ofmaintaining our great Rail
way lines by charging less and less as
| the distances travelled become greater
and greater thus while the resident
near the market towns pay more per
mile than those residing at the greatest
distance, yet the cost of transportation
thus distributed is not oppressive upon
either, and it enables the Railways to
be maintained, as they are, for the
mutual benefit of stockholders and
people. This is precisely the principle
| that regulates the local tari1 of freights
for this and most other Railways.
The distances charged for are the
ton or Weldon, hence the citizens that
produce ut Halifax, Enfield, Battle
; nj
no more cause of complaint than those
who receive and delivertheirs ut North
East, Rocky Point, Burgaw, South
! Washington, Teachey's, Magnolia and
Warsaw. All are charged by the same
liable of distances.
If the complaint is made that the
rates are too high IN one case, they are
equally so i'll both. The real point OF
difficulty seems to be that Weldon is
not the market town, but that it is sixty
or eighty miles distant from that point,
while Wilmington is ut the southern
terminus.
AS to high rates, all we can say is
they are not SO high i'll proportion to
the cost of operating, or the value OF
property transported, as they We're i'll
1861, nor do the receipts net as much,
by large percentage, asthey did then.
The committee of stockholders APP
pointed to examine this report made
the following endorsement
The question of through freights
we have fully considered and approved
and can add nothing to the able argu
ment of the Chief Engineerand Super
intendent, Col 5. l.. Fremont, in it.
behalf. to which arguments, III his re
port, We respectfully call the attention
of all the stockholders and others in
terested in this matter
\. 4. MckoY.
L. 5. KEENAN,,
Jos. 4. ENGELHARD.
EXTRACT FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT Oh
COZ. FREMONT, GENERAL sUrGRINTEN
DENT wILMINGroN It WELDON r. r
, FOR 1S67.-wAY FREIGHT.
This subject as connected with ON
| through business, requires Il few words
of remark. There seems to he All i'm
precision with some of our home pa
; irons that local or WAY freights shOul,
/ be charged as low as hclowest through
rates, on the ground that our people
should bc treated as we'll as those at
distance. 70 this abstract principl,
t no one can object. The true cause o
complaint on this subject, however, il
! that those who built and must sustain
= the road, (the Inconsistencies have nt
reason to complain), lose sight of then
, own interest. Would any people, hav
/ ing completed great work like this
Y shut out its benefits to all the worlt
, but themselves, their neighbors an(
immediate friends, because others hv
: ing at great distance could not affor,
i to use it; and pay the same rate pc
mile that they (the owners) find it ne
, cessary to charge themselves and thei
: neighbors to maintain the road an.
pay all income upon their Investment
f Surely not. And yet this is precisel,
| the case presented. We cannot &c
! the distant business unless we carry i
as low as it can go by other cOmpan,
: routes. Shall we refuse to take it be
e cause OF that fact, and run our cars
$ half loaded with local business only
G. when we can fill them at less rates a
- additional business? We think not
u All we can add to the receipts from
!, such sources is nearly all profit, ant
,. helps to reduce the the local rates, ant
9 thus benefit the local patrons. Il
other words, will the local patrons
5 maintain the line alone, or receive TIN
e assistance of outsiders at such rates Il
they are willing to pay?
From the charlotte Home.
l Reasons Why We Want the Fence
Law.