, 1875-03-15
RAILROAD NEWS.

OUi6EL.
RAILROAD NEWS.
ROBBERY uNnER THE POTTER LAW.
To he Editor q The Chicago Tribute:
CHICAGO, Marcl, ia few months ago tie
Supreme Court Of Nlsconsln rendered decision
III tho caao Of Ackloy 81. Thu Chicago, Nti1wa,-
kce Il St. Paul Nsway Company, which ought
to 1,nyo wider publication than 1t Will receive
through tho ordinary channels. II the statc
Legislatures CAR pass laws which not only NIL
thorize, but loEalzo, stealing In tue broadesk
scnBe OF tho term. then the pooplo who live lr-
der theso luws should shape their courao accord
ugly.
Tho facts In tho case wcro thcge: Acklcy raa
iusnbcr. .doalor. living Al Oconomowoc, and
mado purchaees Of lumber at 0ahkoah. station
on tho Chicago l. Northwestern Road. ThiH
lumber rms shippod In the cars Of tho latter
Company to 0conomowoc, Htatlon On tho Mill
whuleo 4 ST. Paul Hoad ~ miles from Oahkosh.
The Northwestern noad cronsos tho milwaukee,
h s.. Paul at Wntersown. distant co miles from
Oshkosh, and IA from Ocono,nowoc. On arrival
Of the lumber at Wa.ertowu Il was takon By tho
Milwaukee L 1t. Paul Company aud carried to
Ocouomowoc to tho ownor.
Tho ratio Of freight fixed by the Potter law Ia
as followa: por carload for the afot 25 miles.
IS: for tho second 25 tnilcs, -; for tho third
WAS carried OH tho Northwestern lailroad 60
znilee, which entitled it To charga cid par car.
Tho Milwaukee Il st. Paul Istta3 raid tho North
wchtern Ratlsona that susn, lad tool! the lumber
to Oconomowoc. Upon arrival, Ackley rendered
tho ailHauEee j. St. Paul Company s15 per car,
sud demanded the lumber. uo took tho position
ttat 1t WIS but u miles from Oshkosh to 0cono-
tnowoc, aud Ior tint distanco the charges could
ks.k That @rr@Yn
tho Potter Law It made no difference that tho
transportation was effected by two distinct cor
/ porat1nB.
Tho Company refused to deliver the lumber
Wasestown to oconomowoc. Kekley then
brought rcpleyin suit, aud tho Supreme Court
of Wisconsin, decided ''that he vas entitled to
tie lumber ritlout psying tho sitlwankee I g.
9's sea1 % Sut 5 a 9 9Sn,ss ss
that It mado no ditIe. enco how many companiea
wore engaged IN the work."
II this Ii not legal stoaltng what 10 It? II tho
milwaukee, d St. Paul 1foal can. in this manner,
bo compelled to carry freight for nothing, what
ia It but taking their property and aprropratinR
It without any equivalent II shond uso plain
language and characterize this transaction in tho
tsrns t deserves should Say that tho stato Of
efosssf s4a fsasd eonneeted Sih 'tt tp tn tniae'
and that ia. TINT the law impcseB upon tbe sli.
~auzoo L It. Paul Railway Company pcnaits
equal 10 threo t,noa tho amount OF Tho Whnlo
| fseight o1acted BY it Tor demanding snl Tccaiy~
| ing fair coHapeusatlon Tor It's own lnbor. That
| tho State Which not ouIy toerntcR and sanctions
| such frauds upon it1 railway corporations. but
giyes them the effect Of positive laws; eau ek1ec:
either homo or foreign capital to bo invciaod
! within its borders, ia boyoud comprehension
and 10 long hB those laws continue iu ex,steIco.
every capitalist. at homo Or abroad, should be
! warned Of tho dangers which await bis iuvest-
! r1hnfh In tho EtAtN Of W{EnpnH5t.
0EoR0E a. SnuFEIDr, in.
THE CHICAGO 4 ILLINOIS RIVER RAILROAD
| 70 Tie Editor " THE Caicaca TFtbtr.e:
| UulcAoo. March 1a.-In your columns, a few
daya ago. appeared aa article IN reference to the
Chicago 4 1l1inola Myer Railroad, which, al.
though doubt1csR intended 10 bo strictly correct,
contained soma statomentH that must Layo bcou
based On uu:ollRblo information.
This road has not boan sold to tho Chicago l. Al.
ton Company, but has besn leased to thkt corpora,
! ton, aud on terms Of tbs most favorable char.
acter to tho owners Of tho now road. and to tLt
interests Of tho region through which 1t passes
1ts stockholders not only continue to own It, bul
| Will recotTo q stated and equitable portion
Of Its earnings during tho continuance o1
tho lease, and such assistance ant
protection for It's extensive coal and TOWNSHIP
interoata in the Wilmington coal fields. a. place
It At onoo among the very foremost Of our grea1
enterprises Of thts nature. In fact. 1t wns the
Development OF this coal lntasoat tlat tpduccG
the building Of tho road. end not desire TO OPP
complicated by the Lease Of tho road to tue Chi
CARO- Alton Company. and low tho best ensr.
gtes Of the parties who built It will bo dovoted
to opening the Immense ooal. .bsds west snd
sou!h q 15elawood, .nd to building up sht
The statement that 1hta new rokd, like a,
othar young Wastern lines, has boon 1aborpu
under constant financial embsrsaasmanta." il
fsr from correct. It has promptly met oycEy
obligation, has novcr allowed dollar Of its pa.
per to 20 to proteat, went ahead with the work
on its Jlne, III tue face OF tho psuiu, 40 long n
she weathor would permit. and will. "a soon ~
the frost ia out of Tho ground. fnssi tho road
southern termlnua Of tho division leasod te the
nofo des'sabie eonsninma!lon slsn iii could
shs chtcaeo y Illinois ntrsr Company have
Tho leasc to tho ChlcaPo Il Alton Company
MAS made in tue interest Of. and 10 the mutual
sst'afaction Of bot!, tho partlea concerned. Tlete
va 10 compot!tiop, Ao "Rebb1ing up moth
oonaummas!on Of the contract. 1t Ia , eool
thlnR fer tho Chicago l. Alton Company, ~
equally good shlpg. for tue Chicago ! 1llsuola
Nlsor Cumpan5. sud IN eseEv respect IN the III
teress Of tue people along the lInn Of tho now
about Chicago.
Tbs magnitude of tho coAl interest nov being
developed BY The Chicago 4 Illinois lsi.of Com;
pany " not yet Understood by tue publio. hut
tame and the auccsaa Il il ause to bring tic
entdsprlse Wtl very soon give II The psominence
thar all capitalists who hAVe examined It aIFeAdl
freely concola to It.,
Amoat all the grading from tho Mazop Rive,
70 stfeator 1as already boet, done. and the Eallt
will DO laid In tho sarfy pp.tnK.
| srocxuoLpEa.