The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-13

Meeting Of the Cheap Transportation A,sosi..
tion-The Widening Of the Erie Canal
Canals W Railways-Rapid Transit

The directors OF the Cheap Transport ation Asso.
citation met yesterday afternoon at No. 40 Pearl
street. Mr.. Benjamin p. Baker IN the chair. Mr. y.
n Ihurber acted A. secretary.
Mr.. =. b. Ruggles, OF the Chamber OF Commerce.
addressed the Directors thanking them for
their ard In defeating the .'Iiatch amendments' in
the Legislature. The absurd proposition OF pre-
venting the enlargement OF the most important
canal OF the state alarmed the Chamber so that it,
sent M SIX OF its most prominent members to Al
bany 10 protest against the proposed action. With
the aid the association had rendered this PERM
cious measure hal been declsively defeated. Tho
Chamber had discovered the value OF tine co-opera-
ton OF this association, and would solicit II also in
the future.
Mr.. Ruggles' remarks were applauded. and the
President acknowledged the nattering sentiments
which they contained. The association he said,
hoped sincerely that the Chamber would cooper
ate with them also in the future Tor the advantage
OF the city ana state.
resolution passed appointing committee
OF three 10 confer with other leading commercials
bodies OF the city with a view 10 the attainment
OF cheap transportation.
long list OF new members was read and ap.
proved.
Mr.. John II. Kemp, OF the Committee on Claims
and Grievances, submitted report showing that
number OF grievances against railway companies
had been brought before them. lie recommended
that the funds OF the association be Increased
that the committee might be enabled 70 employ
regular counsel. The complaints OF merchants on
the score OF excessive transportation charges
were very frequent aud IL would require energy
and means 10 effect the desired reform. The
report was accepted.
Mr.. Thurbcr read \ lengthy report OF the COM
mittee on Railway Transportation, intended 70
show That the relief proposed In the report or the
United States Senate Committee on rransporta-
ton would not be adequate They did not claim
that there should be no water routes. but they did
claim that the experience OF the past lew years
had demonstrated that great improvements had
separation OF freight and passenger traffic would
mark a new era IN that kind OF transportation.
1--WE caim,N says the report, 'that a vast majority
OF the articles winch the nation consumes villa
always be carried by rail- and that the Time has
come tsS wsen the great mass OF the people Of the
not be further taxed to perpetuatc the detects and
abuses of our present railway system. OF course
managers oil railways VIII loudly dissent from this
view OF the question. aud their views win be sup
ported by many honored and respected merchants
whose railway interests overbalance their com.
mercial interests; but we think that the In
terest OF existing railways Will be pro-
perity Of our commerce, which When will surely surely
result rom the elimination or the defects OF our
It would have an opposite effect, it becomes a
question whether our entire producing, CONNER
servent to that Of t6esrailways The statistics;
OF the grain trade for the decade previous TO 1870
are largely IN ,avSr Of canal transportation and
favor OF that method. The conclusions arrived
at by the Senate committee are not surprising,
but for the reasons given IN this paper IL Is our
Judgment. as merchants whose business depends
largely upon transportation facilities, that any
system which VIII remedy the evils under which
the people now suffer must embrace more
exclusive freight railroads., with proper safeguards
we cannot wholly endorse the plan OF the
House Committee on Railways and Canals
and the seabord, as set forth in their recent re-
port. we are convinced that such a road properly
would be Of inestimabe benelit to the whole coun-
try; anu, with the Improvement OF the Mississippi
would have 4 practical and permanent soution OF
| the problem Of cheap transportation.
The Legislative Committee reported on the de.
feat OF the two bllls which they prepared, one to
STATE and tne oher ~ nsnre cnmnee a
ton OF the stockholding interest OF railway COR
poratlons in the Boards OF Direction BY a scheme
! of minority representation. Neither OF the bills
were reported by the Railway Committee Of the
Legislature. The following portion Of the report
is OF particular INTEREST,"
! During portion the time while the Legislature
sitting, your Committee the oppor-
y Of i IN pea a. and
the &c q h hs 5a on 90
% IN m e Sa 81 New YORK; e S H .d
standing yonr Committees endeavors and the public
S sSa % ] ssa sS:
At session. the Raroaa ss
Importance delayed Its passage i'll that chamber and
thus prevented its becoming law. And cxpcdi-
cnt IL supposed TO be to give those rapid
commissioners inN power to consider the Qurs
tor and make contracts which were intended on the
one nand TO protect the state aud city OF New York, ana
the other the corporations with which they propose
to deal, deemed cxpedicnt by the Legislature
without restraint without safeguard for the public in
ercst, to grant charter Ia Mr.. Gardiner and Others
giving them control OF the whole lront the city
may be transferred trunk lines to
the exclusion of Its rivals and will place New
York. Its commerce and its wealth. still
present. At the mercy and at the feet OF gigantic
nopoly None can deny that rapid transit tor passengers
and freight great necessity for the people and tho
commerce Of New York; and yet perhaps, IL would
been far better that we should, for year more,
Time to suffer the evils OF barbarous and
methods OF conveying persons and goods pared
with the facilities afforded in other large cities, rather
safeguards 10 protect the public interest obtain
control tor ever-taking future probabilities into
consider on-oi the most important in the
world. Communities. like Individuals may pay
much tor advantages and plea ures, and IL Is
tonablc. indeed, whether In passing the Gardner bill
of the properties and interests OF city New York
for the facilities OF rapid transportation for lis insbi-
tants. Your legislative committee respectfully submit
that they had but little II hope of exercising
very strong and immediate influence upon the Legisia-
ture during the past legislative session They were
trmed in their views thar the railway power in the
State of New York had already become sufficiently
that without active persistent and energetic
fare. creation public opinion ana making OF direct
political the question, no progress 10
hoped against the entrenchcd position OF our rail
ways in the Legislature.
Alter transacting some minor business the meet
ing adjourned.