The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-11-13
racaring Before the Railroad COM
I.si;tce.


Mr.. Phelps said in substance-on the
evening of Nov. 9th on house bill 1873, in
roduced by Mr.. HydcAthat the bill before |
the committee provides for submitting to n
BOARD of commissioners, TO be appointed by |
the Rutland county court, on notice to both |
parties, the regulation of the rates of freight
10 be charged on those roads. within this |
state. run by the Delaware & Hudson canal |
company.
1t is asked for by interests representing
,bUut ninety slate quarrics, with an aggre-
cate capital of eight millions of dollars.
and paying in frcigbts annually over eighty
thousand dollars. Also by propretors OF
marble quarres, paying an annual freight
Of about one hundred thousand dollars.
The roads over which this large freight
$ obliged to be transported are all in pos
session of the Delaware 81 Hudson canal
company. Il foreign corporation of grta
wealth and power whose proprictOrs and
managers all reside in New York. Under
judicial decision, which, if not mistaken,
las been at least most unfortunate in its re-
,ults, the roads and their franchises, built
originally by Vermon,ers. have passed into
he hands of those whose interests and sym
pahies are entirely foreign to Vermont.
The complaint now IN deis by no means
iew. Twice, in former years, it has leen
,ef, re the legislature. Both times the
'ime facts were presented and proved
10Th times the relief sought from the legis.
azure was granted, and both times it has
proved Intellectual The first relief asked
or was charter for new line from the
luarries to Rutland. 1t was granted, bur
y some lcgerdcmain soon passed into the
.0ntrol of the same foreign corporation.
rhe next remedy was by the act of 1868 au
holizing the entry upon the Rutland and
Washington railroad by the trains of the
larlem Extension, to draw marble from
he West Rutland Quarres. unless the
managers of the Rutland u Washington
would draw it at Il reasonable price, fixed
II the act. The operation of this act had
zen enjoined, and the question is still
,ending in the United States courts. The
sufferers by the exlortion of this foreign
corporation are therefore here again, seek
ng II remedy for an evil that is becoming
inlolcrable
Mr.. Phelps then proceeded to review
the evidence, and To show the following
points That for slate going to Rutland
from thu quarres $3.50 per car was
charged for an average distance, claimed
TO be lwenty-twO miles, but really less, be
ing at the rate of five and sixteenth cents
per ton per mile f.; while upon the Rutland
md other railroads, run by the Central Yer
mont, only two and fourteenth cents wa
charged upon the New York Central onl,
me cent, and on the Maine roads only one
| md One-half cents. That for slate going
vest S25 per car was charged to Troy and
| schenectady. being at the rate of three and
'ne-tifth cents per ton per mile. The same
| freight west of Schenectady is car
| led at q uniform rate of one cent.
| That for marble blocks from West Rut-
and to Center Rutland, distance of two
niles, sixty cents per ton is charged, and
rom West Rutland to Rutland. distance
# four miles s. so is charged if the mar.
lie is going over the Harlem Extension
road; mnelv-tour cents if going over the
'entral Vermont, west, and fifty cents il
going to Boston these determinations
icing, as the commits sioners contend, a,
much against law as against justice and
eason. That marble in the block is car
ried on the Rutl,nd road from Sutherland
Falls to Rut and, four miles. for fifty cent,
per ton. From Sutherland Falls to Beldens
Falls, thirty-two miles, for 81. From
Brandon to Burlington, fifty miles, fo
81. That the plea that the charges
II the Delaware & Hudson are justified 10y
! the short distances, is without foundation
nasmuch as the business is a large, regular
md permanent one, ell the loading and I'M
loading being done by the owners; and the
lstanc on the Vermont roads above re-
erred to are also shOt distances.
hat discrimination in the freights on
marble WAS likewise made, based upon the
quality of the marble and the profits made
On it 10y the owners, which was IN ustifiabe
and unjnst.
That these excessive charges and unfair
marble interests, which aie rendered unable
10 compete with the production Of quarries
n other states.
Tina, the result to the Delaware & Hud.
son company, as shown in their own report
% the STATE of New York. was that in 1873
hey paid dividend of eight per cent on
| largely waiered capital of $4,000, 900 on
me hundred and eighty-two miles of road
md made surplus beside of more than
5000 600, and this not including the freight
IN their own coal, transported and sold tt
IN immense amount, and in which, by The
, control of the roads, they had a virtual
monopoly. And that the freight earnings
of the road were within $50, 900 of paying
: their entire EXPENSES, leaving all other re.
. ceipts as profit.
, Mr.. Phelps further maintained that the
rates charged by This company were in d.
! rect violation of the general law of this
Y state, prohibiting the making of freight
charges Tor skor, distances at greater rates
per mile than those for long distances. nnt
+ pointed out that the act of 1868 fixed fy,
4 cents per ton per mile for the transporta
r. tiOn of This very freight.
n He proceeded to answer the objection,
= to the conslitutionality of the bill, and ais,
u the objection of especial legislation.
S which he characterized as mere cry
c r'lsed by the guilty for their own prolec
II II n, and having neither sense nor founda
= lion The remedy sought is as broad a
the evil complained of, and he urged th,
=, Importance of just and inadequate pro
q lection of these important and struggin.
industries.