, 1873-03-29

Pn41n1E c1Ez, stoDosouon Co. Ill.,, hlarch g. 1879,
DEAR SIN, Your Railroad hill. which has
passed tho Senate, will, I think, fully meet! tho
wishes Of tho farmers Of our State; but permit
mo to suggest for your consideration whether
Bttll another concession may not Justly bo ro.
quirod Of the railroad companies. 10 illustrate
my iden: My noarost station il at prnirio City
on tho. Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Road .
Sx !, ", mi1ss 4 SOUTH ct Buahnol ihe Rockford
former, as does also tho Toledo, Peoria & War;
aaw, which affords direct freight route to tho
East. If wish to send n carload Of produce to
st. Louis Or tho East by ono Of
nss'ssn sai faaa' unsy sst er f' to 6aaass 6Sn'sasS
there unload, rad reload on cur Of ono OF tho
other roads, according to Ito destination. Tho
Chicago. burlington d Quincy will not haul q
car bolonglng 70 ono ct tho other roads up hero
for mo to load, tako it back to .ushyillc, and de-
liver it to tho Company furnishing 1t. This ia q
rllle, believe, Of all the rontls whore thoy can,
by this means, forco freight over their own lineB
and they thus oftcn deprive III Of the bost mar
'e,a;o kGs year sgo, corn w1s worth eents por
moro than at adjacent stations on the Chicaso,
burlington j. Quincy, which practically restricts
us to tho uarkots Of Chicago, Peoria, and Quin-
cy, its own torHinl. get tho Rockford, Rock
Island q 1T. Louis is ono Of the roads which,: 1t
Now, when railroads GROSS each other, having
stations within reasonable Distance, shonld they
not bo REQUIRED by law to put down ut Joint ex-
penso side-track aud connecting switches: and
eaoh, upon demand of the agent of the othor,
bo compelled to roceive and haul carB therefrom,
empty or laden, to any required point on its own
road, rcturn tho aamo as instructed. or forward
to any othor point OH its own road and return
it, charging therefor only Just and reasonable
penalties might be provided2. -
see no injustice to tho roads in this require
mont and, II tho plan shall bo onforcoa by
Liquidation, it will go far toward making them
really public highways, and occurring competition
in freight ratos nll over our State, andwould
give us choice Of markets., which we cannot
otherwise advantageously secure. A. =
But, inasmuch as connecting roatg might COM
bine to rondor this plan nllgatory, by agreeing
not to force tlioir cara on each others
roads, and to leave to each the carrying monopo-
ly IL now possesses, it may also DO necessary to
provide that individual companies, or corpora
ttons, may, OIL their own lands, put down sido-
TRACKS, and switches, connecting tIiom with any
freight station thereon, and provide their own
cars, which said connecting road shall receive
aud hand from aaid sida-trGck to any other ate-
tion upon its own roat. or deliver to any conucct
ing road, md rcturn tho samo when unladon or
rodollyored to them Reasonable ratcB for said
service only being cl,argoablo thorofor. -
. hopo tho general features OF this plan will
moot your approval, while hayo no doubt your
recent study Of tho subject will unable yon to
improve it nnd porfect it in detail.
As, In this railroad fight, you have your hand
in, lot mo call your attention to another clnss Of
outrages, besides Wholesale freight robbories,
for Which redress should be provided. II rail-
road company sets on fire 4 farntox's meadow,
consuming hosbege, and hodges, destroys some
frequently happens in cur villages, thoy will
offor about llalf the value Of tho property do
atroyed, and tell you, II not satisfied to aue and
help yourself. Should not somo legal method
bo provided for having damages fairly asseesed
at tho cost OF the railroadf Illon, it they will
not pay, nuke, them liablo for plaintiffs costs
and attorneys foes. DO, If ho rocoyora judg-
mont in court against tho Company. Yory re-
Bpoctfully yours, &C.,
Vico-P President illinois Htato Farnlora' ABsooia-
ton for Tenth District.