The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-07-22
TIE NPEOPLES, EINE.1

The American public have, for the past
year, occupied themselves with assailing
railroads and railroad managers as the
greatest of swindlers, the most eXtortionate
of monopolists and as guilty of the greatest
of impositions on travellers, producers and
forwarders. In their indignation, they
haye sought for lines OF communication by
water as affording complete redress for
their grievances All of the time. they
have been unmindful or ignorant of the
fact that "water lines" may be as great
swndlers, monopolists, and impose on the
people as much, if not more than railroad
lines. Such, however, is the fact as thous-
ands of people can testify. All lines of
communication are formed for two objects.
First that the organizers may make a hand
some profit on their capital, and, second
that the people may be Accommodated The
o. first is always kept steadily in view, while
the second is lost sight of whenever occa-
sion may be require. Money must be
made at the expense of the public, even if
agents and managers are compelled to re-
soft to open, unblushng falsehood in order
to impose upon the public, obtain the
necessary compliment of passengers and a
full cargo of freight. -Four or five thousand
dollars for trip is of more consequence
than the plightcd faith of the company, or
the comfort and convenience of passengers.
There are many lines of steamships which
are constantly imposing upon the public,
and among these is that great monopoly
known as the " Peoples Line" which is
supposed TO transport passengers and
freight between New York and Albany in
nighttime. But do they do it? Ask
the thousand of passengers and consignees
of freight, what was their course Friday
night last, and has been, as is alleged sew
cral times before. Leaving New York
with broken shaft, knowing of the break
for twelve hours, stating that the boat was
in as good condition as ever, denying the
injury to the shaft when questioned about
it, they deluded nearly thousand travellers
into taking passage for Albany. When
tue break was discovered by the passengers,
what did the captain of the "peoples line
do? Hid himself like a coward. When
compelled to appear, he declared on his
honor that the boat would reach Albany at
II certain holr, when a schoolboy ought to
have known better. His word, however,
was taken by many, and resulted in broken
contracts, protested bank notes, and fam
lilies separated for another week that eX-
pected to have been united Saturday and
Sunday. 1t was an unmitigated, bare
faced swindle, such as no individual would
dare undertake We have waited for those
who have suffered most by the swindle, i'm
position and delay to speak, but as they
prefer to keep silence we will speak for
them. There is no question but what some
parts of the country are swindled and i'm
posed upon by railroads and railroad man
ayers, but the fault is not wholly in them.
We had, for our part, rather trust ourseli
and property to the care Of Commodore
Vanderbilt, monopoist though he is called
than to the tender meicies of the managers
Of the peoples line" If the people and
press can "let up little on railroads,
perhaps they would find something rotten
in these - water lines worth investigating.