Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-05-12
The New Tax Law on Railroads.

The miserable quarrel and unpleasantness which
was raised some years ago between the State Leg
islature and the Phia., Wilmington y Baltimore
RR. Co, has eliminated in most ridiculous
law, that should make ihe cheeks Of those who
nassed il burn with shame. The bad features Of
the law were not pointed out by its opponents in
the Legislature; and here We infer that the law
was not fully examined by any OF the members In
TACT it was not known that the law contained any
such absurd requirements as its examination re-
veas. We called attention to the matter IN the
GAzETTE some weeks ago, and up TO that time
those who passed the bill where wholly ignorant
Of the fact that the law would bear any such a
construction rs lis .s,e requires. How 1t could
pass a Legislative body containing as much IN
teigence as we supposed TO exist IN the last Cen
eral Assembly is'what will astonish all who read
the law as illustrated recent letter from ISAAC
HEEcKLEY, ESQ, President of the p, w. & d. L.
h. Co. la this letter he says:
Suppose we carry barrels of four f5m Dover
10 Camden. Our present rate would be 10 cents
per barrel and that rate is not remuneratiVe. 1t
we comply with the law, and charge the same
prics per ton per mile from Philadelphia TO Dover,
as from Dover to Camden, the rate TOR a barrel of
-four from Philadelphia to Dover would be 81 So,
instead OF IS cents as at present But, some may
saw why not carry the Hour from Philadelphia TO
Dover at 2S cents per barrel, and reduce the rate
for the shorter distances to conform TO the law, III
that wayY 1t we adoptod this couT8e, We should
he forced to carry a barrel of -four from Can En-
bury T. Plymouth for four mills, and from Dover
TO Camden for eleven mills OF course it would
be impossible TO do this.
If We were TO reduce our present rate from
Dover to Wyoming one-half,we should lose money
on every ton moved between those points, and yet
after having so reduced tic rate, Re should be
forced by the law TO carry at the same rate per ton
per mile from Philadelphia 10 Dover. Thus the
law would force US TO charge SlOl3 per ton OF
fourth class freight from Philadelphia TO Dover,
when We are glad 10 carry that ton now between
those places for S2.40
The law referred to, if cbeyed, requires MS to
raise all OF our rates on freight coming into Della
ware, if carried more than two or three miles.
As TO its effect upon passenger rates. IL would
il obeyed, stop the sale of clclgymen's tickets,
children's and settlers tickets, season tickets,
Communication tickets, package tickets and excur-
sion tickets, except 10 limited extent
We cannot carry passenger the shortest dis.
tance for less than Horse Car Railroad rates, say
q cents per passenger, and if we charge cents
for passenger from Plymouth 10 FELTON,, for in
stance, we must, If We comply with the law
charge for passenger as follows.
From Philadelphia 10 Dover S4.T, instead o
81 20, present fare.
From Baltimore TO Dover S7.0S instead OF So e
present fare.
From Philadelphia TO Wilmington II 6S, instcaC
of $3.50, present fare.
From Philadelphia TO New Castle $l.9s, insteaC
of s0.75, present fare.
give YOU the above, as illustrative Of the cpc
ration of the new law, If / read il Alright mus
confess, however, that am in doubt 10 il
construction. Ii would seem that il requires lht
Same per ton per mile for peaches as for pis
iron, but am very probably mistaken rs to this
The law seems based upon The impracticabl'
theory, that II wholesale dealer shall charge sX
actly the same price for his commodities as thu
retail dealer does and inasmuch as the latter can
not be forced TO lower lis prices, the former il
required 10 raise his, regardless of the cohse
uuences to the customer, or TO the dealer
| should be exceedingly gratlhed, if the gentle
men who framed the law referred 10, or any o.
tue gentlemen who voted for 1t, will explain how
the law, ii enforced could, fail to produce thu
most disastrous effects upon the business of th'
State. Tours, truly,
Isaac HIRCKLRY, President.