, 1873-07-17

largo city Rs Now York.
't.+s. ~--@@-@-~-
RAILROAD CHARGES.
Just now, whou tho question is 30 warmly dis
puted what tho railroads ought to charge, it may
bo worth while to look bnck little and 800 what
they have charged. As the complaint is mainly
with regard to Western roads, 1t mhy help, alao,
to know what Eastern roalu charge for doing tho
Bame sort of business.
Talo first tho great trunk roads, tho Penn
sylvanis, Now York Central l. Hudson River,
Erie, and Boston l. Albany at tho East, aud
tho IaRo Shore, Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne
& Chicago Atlantic & Great Western,
Cleveland, Columbus Cincinnati l. Indian
apolis, and Groat Wcstorn, OF Canada,
operating in connection with tllo Eastern trunk
lines in tho movement Of Western produce.
Comparing tho latost published returns. those OF
1871, we find that the average charge per ton per
mile on the four Eastern roads was G0-1O0 per
ton pcr mile, and on the yo Western trunk lines
only 3t-100 per ton per milo. ThiB is because
the Western roads, having 1oBs local traflio in
country loss compaotly settled, do lnrgor pro-
portion of through business, which can bo
and ia dono Mt somowhnt lower cost.
Tho groator tho distance to which q load
ID moved, tho lower tho actual cost OF moving it,
and hence the lower tho charges to which close
competition will push tho railroads. Carrying
at lower rates, tho five Western roads yielded
much smaller earnings. Tho average not earn-
ings of tho four Eastern roads wore 97,59G por
milo, and tho avorage not earnings OF the five
Western roads only s2,7o1 per mile. Tho alleged
cost Of the Eastern roads WAS nbout $50, 900 por
mile, and Of tho Western about $4,000; tho
four Eastern roads therefore oarncd about 016
per cent interest On their cost, and the five
Western roads about lilo por cont.
Lot ua noSt take another class Of Western
roads, which, having far leBs through traffic to
sustain thom, aro yet relieved from tllat compo-
tition with tho water route which ho3pH to koop
rates 40 low OH tho trunk roalB Eastward. Tho
Chicago, Rock Island i Pacific, Chicago, Bur-
lngton d Quincy, Chicago & Northwestern, nli-
noiB Contral, milwaukee, l. st. Paul. Western
Union, Ohio i Mississippi, Kansaa Pacific, Bur-
lngton l. Missouri River, md Hannibal Il st.
Joseph oil published statements in tho samo ycar
which enable III to compare their average ohargo
per ton per milo with those Of tho most
prosperous trunk routes Of tho Eastern
and Central States. On those ten roads, the
average distance to which freight was moved
was lat miles; on tho Iako Shore and
four other Westorn trunk routes, 100 milcs
In Too
Actual cost being less Of distance increases,
we cannot expect to find rntes quite as
| low for an average haul Of 147 miles as for ono
Of 1Go miles. Butt tho average charge per ton
per mile on tho ton roads last named,
in 1871, Was 54-100 onts,--nearly double
tho ratio on the five Central lines,
| and ono-half greater than tho rato on Eastern
trunk roatls. Nevertheless, oyon with higher
charges, the ten Western roads reaIzod net
earnings Of only s2,7s2 pcr milo,-probab1y
about per cent on their ooas Some Of tl1om
hayo never paid any dividends. Dotweon theso
roals aud tho great trunk roads OF tho East,
however, tho comparison il scnrcely n fair ono,
bcca1lBe they have as yet q much smaller busi-
moss. But tho charges on tho trunk roads of
| the South are still highor; thoBa carrying over
one hundred miles Average 1-5 cents por ton
| por mile, anil yet their net earnings are only
| 91,725 por milo,-losa lllan per cont OF their
| cost.
| Thia difference in rate charged on Eastern,
Western, aud Southern roads IL not confined to
| tho larger and longer routes. Although but
small proportion OF tho roads mako public tho
facts necessary to onab!o tho inquirer to ascer-
tain tho rato actually charged for freight, enough
havo done 80 to give fair idea Of the rolativo
cost Of transportation in tho different SECTIONS.
| OF these, twelve roads at tho South, carrying
freight each all average Distance OF two,lty milos
| Or oyor. vary in charge per ton por milo from
2 8-10 to II contB,-tho latter rate being tho
average receipts Of tho Galveston Il San
Antonio. Tho nyerngo rato charged by all
Of than for IN average distance OF about
eighty n1os il ~ centa per ton per mile.
Twenty-throo ronts in tho Western Htatcs (not
including tho tlyo Central lnes already mon-
tionod) carry freight M average distance of 1O7
miles, anl Charge MI average rate Of Q co1lta
Qor ton 3eE 1nl4o. GlAIY-Iour EaGtefh f0AuB,
carrying freight all average distance OF ffty-uino
milps, charge All ayoraao rato Of Dl4
conts per ton per milo. Many of these,
however, arc allort roadB, upon whic!, tho
cost IL necessarily somewhat higher por
milo than 1t is on longer Western
roads those carrying IN average distance
of thirty miloa or less charge All average ratio OF
about contB per ton per mile. Considering Tho
distance and cont, therefore, tho pooplo OF tho
Western ststes already got lover ratea per ton