New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-12
CHEAPER TRANSPORTATION.
RAILROAD AGENTS sKEpTICAL.

u MTrrRE-0BsTACLES TO A FAST FREIGHT ROAD
II DELAY AT TERMINAL POINTS.
II The Senatorial Committee on TranspOrta.
II ton reassebed yesterday at tho Fifth Avenue Hotel
Senators Window. Sherman. DAVIS Conkling Norwood
aud Conover beingIpresent d. IL Harris Of the Con
necticut Ryer Railroad, Chester W. Chaplin President
OF the Boston and Albany Mr. Forester of tho New
York Central Mr.. johnson OF the New-Jersey Central
Mr. Hayes Of the Blue Line Freight JOS D. Potts. Presi
dent OF the Empire Transportation Comany. and A. j.
Cassatt General superintendent, and NJ j. Lewis Con-
troler OF the Pennsylvania road, were present. Sen
ator Window described tho object appointment OF
the Committee as the Of cheap tranpora
| tion from the Interior to the seaboard.
i Mr. Hayes, General Manager Of the Blue Line Fast
\ Freight, gave Interesting statistics regarding grain
| transportation. The nature OF transportation, he
\ clMps so far New-York Ia concerned has changed
While the same amount OF property Is moved it is
moved m different way, by through lines instead of
erent companies The effect Of this system has been
such that the railroad capacity has been taxed at
tain TINES veryargey, and fault has been found that
facilities, were not furnished The great trouble really
atthe destination. When train arrives at New-York
with large quantity OF grain, the must pro-
vide barges to away and this great delay
The difficulty is not In moving the cars over
the lines, but in discharging the grain.
The vital point is the necessary Of providing storage
paoy at the East that property can be moved here
and delivered with facility then the supply and demand
win equalize the movement Of property. He thought
that Niagara Ship Canal would not benefit traffic, as
would open commerce to Montreal Upon the New
York Central the running expenses were about five
cent of the gross receipts The expenses were as large
during the dull at other times The present
tariff from New-York Chicago, OF IS cents per 100
pounds little more than covered the running expenses
A frstrate railroad between New-York and Chicago,
under circumstances. might transport freight at
10 1frafY- utfn fanf I'm
freight road less than Is minutes apart, aud
even then freight could not be handled at terminal
points. Not less than 80 minutes would be required In
good weather trains OF 80 loaded may be run be-
tween this city aud Chicago, but often in the Winter,
Joseph ID. Potts, President of the Empire Transports
ton Company running on the road Of the Pennsylvania
Rsir0ad stated that for percentage they undertook
certain responsibilities. collected freight tariffs &C. The
minimum cost OF running freight from Chicago to New
present business the net cost including all expenses
S-io cents per ton per mile. This would include
the wear and repair OF the rolling stock
demand for transportation than lake commerce could
meet and there an advance OF five cents per buse
are often materially reduced. Tne rates were not reg
uated by certain percentage OF profit ON capital in
vested The Pennsylvania Central could move vastly
more freight than doing at present its limit was
only fixed from its want OF terminal facilities some
times freight was carried at loss. Practically the
tariff was regulated not by the Of the production.
but by the amount tho commodity would bring. Tue
law of supply and demand regulated the tariff He did
not agree with Mr.. HAYES to the running time Of
rains mad trains only five minutes apart with
the usual number devoted TO passengers.
THE PENNSYLVANIA ROAD.
A. j. Cassatt, General superintendent, and NJ j.
Lewis Controller OF the Pennsylvania Railroad, APP
peared before the Committee after the recess. They
stated that the Pennsylvania Company owned the Della
ware and RaritaD Canal and leased the Delaware Rail-
road and, further. had competition with the Anchor
ceved the regular competing rates ON the lakes The
Company had expended large amounts Of money In
i'm Pennsylvania
an lnyariable rule never 10 charge more
TSs p pfss d rate from New York to Pfbugh is s.
cents but is huctuatng very rapidly. Freight roads
might reduce rates but 10 great extent With proper
terminal facilities trains could possibly be 10
minutes. Tue average running tme between New-1Ork
and Chicago was about 90 hours The passenger trains
nterfered very little with the freight trains with an
exclusive road little difference would De maze. Inc
charge for freight during the past year was
Chester W. Chaplin. President OF the Boston aud Al.
bany road, and connected with the Red. white, and
Blue freight lines upon the New-York Central road
said the freight cost per ton per mile was almost II
cents and the charges were two cents canals e ona
move pig IRON, IRON ore, and some other commodities
cheaply than the roads but with grain the de-
mand in favor OF tue latter Little gram now came
by canal. loaded III the middle OF Iowa could
pass through TO Boston. The charges from Omaha TO
New-York are the from Chicago TO New-4Ork.
Mr. Cassatt stated that upon the Pennsylyania road
he thought they could easily run 100 trans per Day on
one track or in one direction without danger Al tins
point the Committee adjourned TIL 10 O'Clock this morn
ing. Committee OF The state Leglslature WIZ wait
upon them during the day with members OF the Produce
Exchange. Horace Day, protector OF the Niagara
Canal, will also address the Committee II 10 expected
that the Senatorial Committee on Transportation
will conclude their session r, here to,morrow
definitely determined upon but the probabilities
are they will proceed from TINS city to Boston and
thence TO Portland, Me-; Burlington, VI; Montreal
Oswego Buffalo, and other cities, and in each place gain
all Indignation possible to the management OF the
thus far, gained is very volumiDous They expect to
give the greater part of the present to thorough
investigation of the matter placed In their hands.
VIEWS OF RAILROAD OFFICIALS.
=.
the advantages to be derived from the efforts OF those
engaged in the project cheap transportation
seaboard TO the West Some railroad men would not
admit that the meeting would have any practical
results BY it is thought that additional terminal
facilities at this point needed while others think
that the facilities equal to the requirements of the
traffic.
GEN Clinton b. Fisk of the Atlantic and Pacific Rail
road said that the railroad transportation problem was
one which REQUIRED serious consideration He did
consider that gains of the railroads usually
enormous they were represented, and he cited
several companies in the West which would
Rea Much Of the freight stood on sIdnss,S
and there was consequent delay 10 moving IL forward
precedence. He thought that good double track rail-
constructed and used exclusively for freight traffic. the
trains be at the rate OF eight or ten miles an hour
Government construction. There would be collisions
and accidents Of many kinds He thought that the
problem
more upon the mouth of the Mississippi than almost
ANYTHING else. The Government OF the United States Is
annually expending about 100000 in dredging the
month OF the III means Of keeping the mouth
of the river permanently free from deposits and OBJ
sIrnctlons could devised the transportation question
would be fair way to settle itself He concluded by
substantially observing that the Oranges and their asso-
ciate organizations rapdy.becOmng power In the
land and would undoubtedly cause trouble 10 the rail
road corporations. 800. -,
SL NJ Barlow. the moving spirit in the Erie Railway
said that did not approve OF the project OF con
structing freight other railroad until existing
roads could pay reasonable dividends.