The New York herald., 1873-09-12
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION
Meeting of the Senatorial Commit
tee on Transportation.
Evidence Of Railroad Experts as to Cost Of Trans
portation Of ofFreight-How Freight Charges
Are Decided Upon Tho Effect of the
Competition Of Water Routes
Tho New York Trans
portaticn Question.

The Senatorial Committee on Transportation
held their first session yesterday at the Fifth ave.
nue. Hotel. The members OF the committee pres
ent were Senators Winslow (chairman), Conking,
Sherman, DAVIS and Norwood There were also
present the following representatives of railroad
companies:-D. L. Harris, Of the Connecticut River
Railway; Mr.. Chaplin, OF the Boston and Albany
road; Mr.. Worcester Of the New York Central; Mr..
Johnson, Of the New Jersey Central and Mr.. Hayes,
General Manager OF the Blue Line Freight.
The CHAIRMAN stated the object OF the appoint
ment Of the committee, which was to procure, II
possible. cheap transportation to the seaboard.
There we're evidently two sides to the question.
one side holding that the railroads charge too high
q rate for freightage. The committee would like
some Of the gentlemen to make statements with
regard to the matter, and would afterwards sub
init such inquiries as might be suggested.
STATEMENT OF MR. HAYES
Mr.. Hayes, the General Manager OF the Blue Line
o ss h & ha T s ss o
shs % into 1an S9 S
and brought Buffalo at Ave cents per bushe and from
Sushei there a1teen fifteen II miles Of water
IN M there sr Suss as Of wa g.
canal At that time the boats carried about al tons
Part q the business continues nrons3
sa. he ,rodaoe brought to and to get
i sn he sss
ishsd fhi; business ccInpsss with water
either end oithe roads The cost handling and
among themssivss Whereby each IN
%en Thess cars seiong under ms MANAGE
S
there no outside Of the railroad who
tstes handling During the month o. last November the
~Op se as clear
cesity ma! they cannot BE- abandoned The nature Of
:sss sss %
has been such railroad capacity has been taxed
tss 'sS s Rss sss ssse SsSs
9 tas sTsa dsss
@ fi Ell fs
ey on S rn Of #. on
the same amount q property from Chicago to New York
h p sos. % an Sns S
1s toms s .s1''ss rSs csPs sP's
5SS'; may s5Dsssy
@ s|ss f;II 0Hi ssss
& pi
Esasy p. Ss5FynF
per OF their The total earnings of all com
bined Is s. 100 per cent less than sufficient to pay in
forest on their bonds The vital point according Mr.
Hayes the necessity Of providing storage capacity at
the East, that property be moved here and de.
| livered with facility; then the supply and de-
| mand would equalize the movement OF property.
| Mr. Hayes gave II as his opinion that the Niagara
ship canal will bencft traffic as will open
seered clear OF The disadvantages OF the ST.
route great that II will never be of much value
Water communication. whether by canal river, must
be closed the greater part Of the year During the win
and then more roads are called for. The complaint Is
made that when navigation closes the railroads charge
higher rates This caused by the law OF supply and
demand and by the extra cost Of working the fines dur
during the winter Is owing to more night work being
necessary, by the road beds being injured BY ros
the delays caused by snow and Ice. The increase
pense during the winter about quarter Of
operations OF the Blue Line, and examined at length
| By the committee.
| STATEMENT OF COLONEL JOSEPH d. POTTS.
/ Colonel Joseph ID. Potts President OF the Empire
Transportation Company, said that his line was last
vanian lines Tho Lake shore road has on its road all
known kinds OF fast freight lines. The same general
average fixes the freight all lines There is genera
convention, II you choose to call II that ixes the
freight rates and which COVER all shipments out OF
competition Of water routes. At the present time the
! rates OF water routes don't affect u at all
| Last week, for instance, the rates by water
outcs were higher than they by rail from Chicago
upon nuctuaang demand there fie rates will some
The day. Last week there was sudden de-,
mand isr transportation, caused I suppose, by somo
advance from az :eztc 10 alssn cents per ba1ra that