The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-04-06
THE FREIGHT QUESTION IN NEW
YORK LEGISLATURE.
Hearing Before Railroad Committee.
THE SLATE INTERESTS.
statements of n.1S. Marcy and
Hon. PlttnW. hyde.

There are several bills now pending be
fore the New York legislature for the regu-
lation of railroad freight charges in the
state of New York, two of which were IN
troduced by Hon. Z. E. Davis of White
hall. One, which has aroused great oppo-
sition, is for the purpose of regulating the
local tariff on freights, making the charges
pro rata. The fight in this instance is on
the charges OF the Delaware and Hudson
Canal Company, and redress for real or
imagined wrongs Is sought fly Mr.. Davis
himself, the father of the bill, and the
slate and marble dealers of Washington
county At recent session of the railroad
committee quite heated discussion tool,
place between Assemblyman Davis, who
was urging the passage of the bill, Smith
NJ. Weed, member of the committee, and
Chauncey NJ. Depew of New YORK. Mr..
Davis, in the course of his remarks, charged
that the Delaware and Hudson canal COM
pany, through their freight agent, Mr..
Marcy, had refused in several instances to
carry coal other than that mined by the
company, using no very complimentary
terms when speaking of Mr.. Marcy. AT a
subsequent meeting the latter gentleman
was present and contradicted the state
ments of Mr.. Davis, who at the time was
absent The committee deemed it advs-
able to look into the matter and according
ly another hearing was given the friends
and opponents of the bill, who assembled
in full force in the committee rooms, at
Albany, Wednesday afternoon last.
At the very commencement of the exami-
nation Mr.. Davis accused the committee of
unfairness in allowing Mr.. Marcy's testi-
mony to be taken during his absence. Mr.
Weed said that it had been perfectly well
understood that witnesses were to be ex-
amined. and that it was Mr.. Davis's own
fault that he was not present 'You made"
said Mr. Weed, certain statements about
the carrying of coal, and Mr. Marcy was
called to refute them"
Mr.. Davis said that the company would not
carry coal from Troy to Whitehall and other
points, except at such high rates that 1t would
Mr.. Weed: You said nothing about the freight
| tariff. You said that they absolutely refused to
II. 5. MARCY's STATEMENT.
II. S. Marcy, general freight agent of the Del
aware and Hudson canal company, was called
and questioned by Mr.. Davis
q. Have you been in the habit OF taking
coal from any and all persons who desired TO
ship?
A. Every boat load of coal that comes to the
dock at Green Island waits Its turn and Is un-
| loaded In regular order, without making any
Discrimination as to who shipped it,
Q. What Is the charge from Troy to Ballston :?
A. One dollar and sixty cents per gross ton.
q. To Saratoga, GanSe 0Jrt and other places?
A. 1t Is 10 Saratoga; we have no rates
Tor the other places, as not much coal Is taken
Q. Are you positive that you never refused to
take coal from shippers other than the COM
pany
g; Have you ever had applications to ship
Wllkesbarre coal from Troy to Saratoga?
A. Not when II was stated that 1t was wilkes
| barre cal
q. Have you ever had application to take
Scranton coal &?
| A. Not as Scranton coal.
q. TO your knowledge have you ever shipped
Scranton coal TO any of those points previously
!, do not know that we have, or have not.
take any such coal &? -"'''""" g"
A. never did anything OF the kind, nor any
| feet from Headquarters
q. What is the rate per ton from Whitehall to
| Farhayen?
A. sl.2O.
Q: Have you ever refused to ship Scranton
coal IRON Whitehall TO any adjacent points,
a. 40 SIR we never refused to take freight.
n Have you always taken coal offered You at
| Whitehall?
| A. Yes.
O. or course then you never refused 10 ship
| Delaware and Hudson coal?
| a. never refused 10 ship any.
SLATE INTERESTS.
| The charges from all the quarries to Schenec.
| tady IS uniform, being 500 per ton TO Rutland
IL Is si;25 TO Buffalo, by local freight, 1t is $3.50
Is one cent ton per mile ; from Schenectady TO
rutland, we charge 800 per ton for freight we
charge The same price to Boston, for that IS our
share out OF the through freight to any Boston
point, and Rutland is called a Boston point
Would be ten cents bIpdred to 20 mutland
ty-five cents; we get about $3.50 car, and
have to pay $265 carriage can make a rate
be for load OF slate 5000 car and We would
get $3.50 out of that the freight IRON IIydeyillo
10 schenectady Is $40 a ton; have been
and Hudson canal company have had control OF
the roads about three Years.
Question by Mr. Davis DO YOU know of ey
cry shipment on the road
a. Not In every instance.
az; Coal may have been refused them at
Whitehall, may II not
4. The agent might have taken that responsi-
DIZZY, ana not know 1t. but he never had any
Mr. Weed-Do you know ANYTHING about tho
prices OF coal -?
A. No sir. would like to state In this con.
nection that an application was made 10 me
some time ago to give special rate for coal
from Troy TO Whitehall refused and that
lhreW them on the regular rates, and we being
ir presented.
Davis ;,You are getting down on my theory In
relation TO common carriers
Weed There Is no doubt about thst the law
makes them so. '-N '"''
Davis Railroad companies want but little
law. They nave too much already,
Marcy The rates on slate have bnan txyica
reduced within my knowledge. Originally, they
~ YER 70 ssoU r 70 scheneetsd now they are but
ROADS tor STATE at the Pennsylvania quarries.
HON. PITT W. HYDE's STATEMENT.
Hon. Pitt W. Hyde of Hydeville appeared be-
fore the committee In reference to the tariff on
slate. He was questioned and answered as
follows:
am president OF a mutual protection -associ- |
alton, composed OF representatives OF over nine |
~ dinereht quarry firms along the line OF the |
delaware ana Hudson canal cOmpany's roads |
we represent capital stock OF about IS, 900 UOO |
anu we shipped last year $1,000 tons or slate. |
we seek western market, but are compelled |
pay such high freights TO Schenectady that we |
cannot compete successfully with PennsyIya- |
MIA quarries In the western cities we wish 10
extend our business but the charges OF the Del |
aware and Hudson company amount TO almost |
prohibition. From Schenectady TO western
per ton, but the price from the quarrles TO
schenectady is three cents and a quarter. What
we complain OF Is the Irregular local freights |
we pay for instance thirty cents barrel Tor
nour from Schenectady to Hydeville, and /
know or Instances when the same freight has
only cost twenty cents to Rutland. AT a recent
meeting or our association we appointed COM |
mittee 10 confer with Mr. Dickson In relation
10 regulating pro rata for us Unfortunately |
on the day appointed for the Interview, l was
detained by railroad accident and did NOT
see Mr. Marcy. Mr.. Dickson told me 10 make a
and submit 1t In writing, which /
ala, TO which he replied that he did not think
that tne tarin OF $40 TO Schenectady, and 81. 25
TO Rutland was excessive. We wanted a uni
form rate OF two and one-half cents a ton per
mile. IN relation 10 coal we can not afford TO
ship our own coal for we cannot do so as chean-
"a q "a mn ~ tufll talt,