The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-04-11
TEuE EKEuGNE INVESTIGATION
BEFORE NEW YORK. LEt.HSEA-
TURF.
The Slate Interest.

Having noticed in the Troy Times an ar
tclc which purports to be the statement
made by Hon. Pitt W. Hyde of Hydevillc,
before the committee on railroads in the
New York Legislature, and having noticed
the same in the Rutland GLOBE of April
9th. and in the Whitehall Times of Sth
inst, desire to say that the article does
not fairly or correctly give the statements
made by Mr.. Hyde Having been present
at the hearing, and having given close at
tention to what was said on tina. occasion,
| am positive that the report was written
by some person strongly in the interest Of
the Delaware and Hudson canal company,
and feeling that the article does great in
justice 10 Mr.. Hyde and to the very large
number OF parties engaged in the slate
business in Rutland and Washington coun-
ties disappearing his statements, and
believing you Will take pleasure in giving
room for a fair report, submit the follow
ing as the correct statements made by Mr..
Hyde, and answers made by him to inter-
rogatories
Mr.. Davis stated to the committee that
Mr., Hyde, president Of an association of
producers, was present, and he wished him
to be examined. Mr., Hyde then stated
that in the counties of Rutland, Vermont
and Washington, New York, there was
large number of parties engaged in the
| business of quarrying and manufacturing
slate that in these counties and on the
line of the railroads owned or operated by
the Delaware and Hudson canal company
there were over 90 different parties or COM
taking into account the large marble bust
ness of West Rutland Center Rutland and
Rutland; that the estimated capital Of these
ninety companies was over $4,000, 900;
that the slate alone. from these quarries
clipped over the Delaware and Hudson
company's roads in 1878, was over 81 900
tons, on which the charges of the Delaware
and Hudson canal company was over
TS1 600; that an association had bccn
formed called the Rutland and Washing
ton Counties Producers Association" of
which he was president; that the members
of this association felt oppressed by the
high rates demanded by the Delaware and
Hudson canal company, and unless
a reduction in the freight charges
from the quarrcs TO Schenectady, should
be made, they would be compelled to give
up the western market, rs they could not
under the heavy charges compete success
fully for the trade of Buffalo or points
west of that city, as against the Pcnnsyl-
vania quarries. That from Slatington, Pa.
to Buffalo, Il distance Of $50 miles, the
freight charges on slate was "a per ton, or
| Clio cents per mile per ton that the
charges Of the ID. & ii. c. company from
the quarrcs to Schenectady 70 miles, was
$3.50 per ton, or 81 cents per ton per mile,
that the freight west of Schenectady to
Buffalo and other points was one cent per
ton per mile, which so far as he knew was
satisfactory to the slate and marble trade,
but that the difficulty was between the
quarries and Schenectady. That the Della
ware and Hudson Canal company charge
from the quarries to Rutland S1.25 per ton
or about 81 cents per ton per mile, while
the Central Vermont railroad company
from Rutland to Boston, Springfield and
other New England points, charge about
2t cents per ton per miley; that the railroad
company have no trouble or expense in
loading or unloading slate or marble. 1t
was the unanimous opinion Of members of
the association as had been expressed in
their meetings-that unless a reduction
could be secured their business must grad
ually or speedily fall off and that they
would be compelled to look for the sale for
their products to home or near markets
that the people complain also of the dis
elimination practiced against them by the
Delaware and Hudson Canal company in
freights going east, for instance, their
charges on grain per car load from Schen-
ectady to Fairhaven, Hydeyillc and Castle
ton is s25 that the through grain passing
oyer their road only pay them $500 per
car from Schenectady to Rutland.
That they charge on flour from Science
tady to Fairhaven, Hydeville or Castlcton
30 ccpts per barrel, they also take -four OF.