The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1874-02-05
Cheap Transportation Con.
yenliOn.


The National Cheap Transporta-
ton Conven ion met on the 14th in
Washington, Joshua Quincy in the
chair. Mr.. Quincy, in his address,
advocated Legislative res trictions on
Railroads in matters of freights, ETC.;
also, the construction of great nation
al water lines.
Delegates were present from Is
States, including many members of
Congress.
On the 18th, the majority report
of the Committee on Railroads was
adopted. 1t declares that relief
must come from legislation, by which
our system of Railroads. can be reg
ulated and improved, and by COM
petition, which will completely carry
out reforms which such legislation
must inaugurate. It recommends a
National law providing for a Bureau
of Commerce and Transportation,
&c, and that the members of the
Association shall endeayor to obtain
the passage of certain laws in their
respective States, including q law
requiring all Railroad Companies to
transport the cars of other Compa-
nies, or of individuals, for Just and
impartial compensation and with the
same dispatch as cars belonging ex-
clusively to said Roads, &c. 1t calls
for legislation, making it a penal
ofense for a public officer to accept
or use free pass of any Railroad
Company, and prohibiting Railway
Companies from granting passes to
other than employees; and denounces
granting of lands or subsidies in any
form It also recommends that
Railroads and Canals be constructed |
by the National Government, the
manner of constructing railways to
be by contract to the lowest bidder;
when constructed, they should be
used for the transportation of Gov
ernment property, and when not re-
quired for government use all citizens
to have the right to place cars and
locomotives thereon, and to operate
the same, subject to regulations to be
provided by the government, they
paying toll therefor sufficient to
maintain the roadway.
Senator Window addressed the
Convention, and said the Committee
of the Senate, of which he is the |
Chairman, had been employed in
in gathering much information. He
could not now speak as to what the
report would be, but had no doubt
it would be satisfactory, and express
ed the opinion that it would be ready
to present to the Senate about the
first of February.
Resolutions were adopted that tie
Convention ask of Congress, as a
means of relief to the country, the
enlargement of the Erie Canal and
Lake route; the enlargement and ex-
tension of the Illinois & Michigan
Canal to the Mississippi River at
Rock Island, together with the COM
pletiOn of the work on the Illinois
River; the improvement of the Mis-
sissippi River and the Tennessee
River route, the latter known as the
Atlantic & Great Western Canal; the
extension of the Chesapeake & Ohio
Canal from Cumberland, Md, to
some point on the Ohio River, and
the control of the water line through
Virginia.
Standing Committees were appoint
ed, and to them plans for reports on
chelp transportation were referred,
with instructions to present the re-
suits of their consideration of the
several papers to Senator Window.
Josiah Quincy was elected Presi
dent, with Vice-President from each
State, and R. H. Ferguson as Sec
retary.
The next session viii be held IN
the tune to be fixed by
the Executive Committee.