Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-05-12
FIRST EDITOR.
BOTCHED LEGISLATION.

FouRrEEN WEEKS SESSION OF THE LEaIsLRTURE,
| AND REVENUE Law WORKING GREAT PUBLIC IN
JURY
PmLADELPuA, WILsnNaroN Il BALTIMORE
RAILROAD Co., Presidents OFFICE.
| I. PHILADELPHIA, May 7th, 1873
Hon. ]. P. OoMEGYs, Dover DEL,
| Dean SIR You ask me how the rates of
| transportation upon railroads in Delaware would
be affected by the compliance of the severa
railroad companies with the 4th section of the
law passed at Dover upon 11th ult. 1 reply, that
rates both for passenger and freight. for all dis
tances except the very shortest, must be largely
increased. Our present rates for the shortest
distances are not remunerative, although much
higher per mile than the rates for longer dis
tances But the law referred to prescribes the
same rates per mile for all distances.
The following illustration of the effect upon
freight rates will elucidate the subject.
Suppose we carry barrels of -four, Dover to
Camden. Our present rate would be 10 cents
per barrel. and that rate is not remunerative.
II we comply with the law, and charge the
same price per ton per mile from Philadelphia
TO Dover, as from Dover to Camden the rate of
a barrel Of -four from Philadelphia to Dover
would be S2,53, instead Of % cents as at pre-
sent. But, some may say, why not carry
the flour from Philadelphia to Dover al 28 cents
per barrel. and reduce the rate for the shorter
distances 10 conform to the law in that way
IL we adopted this course, we should be forced
to carry barrel of flour from Canterbury to
Plymouth for four mills, and from Dover to
Camden for eleven mills. or course it would bo
impossible to do this.
II we were to reduce our present rate from
Dover to Wyoming one half, we should lose mo-
ney on every ton moved between those points
and yet after having so reduced the rate, we
should be forced by the law to carry at the same
rate per toniper mile from Philadelphia to Dow
or. Thus the law would force us to charge $40.
IS per ton of fourth class freight from Philadel-
phia to Dover, when we are glad to carry that
ton now between those places for 81. 40. .s..I
Tho law referred to, il obeyed, requires us to
raise all of our rates on freight coming into Del
aware, II carried more than two or three miles.
As to its effect upon passenger rates: 1t would
il obeyed stop the sale Of clergymens tickets,
childrens and sattler's tickets, season tickets,
communication tickets and excursion tickets ex-
cept to limited extent.
We canRot carry passenger the shortest dis
tance for less than Horse Oar Railroad rates.
say cents per passenger, and il we charge
cents for passenger from Plymouth to Feltop,
for instance, we must, If we comply with the
law, charge for passenger as follows:
From Philadephia to Dover $4.5G, instead of
1920, present fare.
From Baltimore to Dover $7Os, instead of
$3 20, present fare.
From Philadelphia to Wilmington $16s, in
stead Of $3.50. present fare.
From Philadelphia to New Castle 81. .9a instead
of 80 rs, present fare.
give you the above, illustrative of the opera
tion of the new law, il read it Alright l must
confess, however, that l am in doubt IS to it's
construction. 1t would seem that it requires
the same rates per ton per mile for peaches as
for pig iron, but am very probably mistaken as
to this.
The law seems based upon the impracticable
theory, that wholesale dealer shall charge ex-
acty the same price for his commodities as the
retail dealer does, and inasmuch as the latter
cannot be forced to lower his prices. the former
is required to raise his, regardless of the conse-
queDces to the customer, or to the dealer.
should be exceedingly gratifed, il the gem
tlemen who framed the law referred to- or any
Of the gentlemen who voted for it will explain
how the law, il enforced. could fail to produce |
the most disastrous effects upon the business
of the State. Yours, truly,
ISAAC HINCKLEY President.