The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-27
THE RAILROAD TROUBLES.
AN EARLY SETTLEMENT PROBABLE.
Visit to the Freight Offices
in New York.
Grand Railroad Combinations
Projected.

4OJCSCONAs
Merchants are now naturally giving good deal
of attep ton the strife among the railroad COM
panies regarding freight and passengers. These
contentons however, it is believed will not affect
the merchants injuriously, for many reasons. The
stock of goods in the Interior oil the country is
SAID not to be large, and Western merchants Will
md In railroad competition their best chance for
favorable transportation OF spring purchases from
the great trade centres TO their doors. Rumors
are IN the air OF an
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF THE STRIFE,
and certainly the meeting OF the railway man
ayers in Philadelphia Is not without significance.
II is possible that such men as sydney Dillon and
Mr.. Jewett went TO the QUAKER City" TO consult
Mr. Scott on the Tehuan!epec Air Line TO the Pa
cfc ocean; but 1t is also reasonable to suppose
that the immense interests jeopardlzed by con.
tnuance oil the railway war would cause an intel
ligent e fort 10 be made to harmonze the troubles
A HERALD representative called yesterday on
the agent OF the Pennsylvania Railroad IN this city,
when that Official informed him that their line
was making no further reductions in freight and
had no Instructions from the home office so to do.
An inquiry from shipper at that moment, now
ever, disclosed the TACT that the Pennsylvania
Railroad were wiling 10 make their rates on grain
and fourth class freight from Chicago at thirty
was demurred at whispered conversation en-
sued, and accommodation was apparently
made The Pennsylvania Railroad claim that for
sending freight West rom this point their rates
are cheaper, although nominay higher, because
their line is all rail, and they call the
BALTIMORE AND OHIO A WATER LINE.
The steamers OF the latter company. so the
Pennsylvania agents clIim cannot carry hall the
freight offered, and it lies on their docks for
week awaiting transportation, while the carmen
have TO be paid for waiting until their trucks are
unoaded.
All these charges are on the other hand denied
by the Baltimore and ONO Railroad people. who
say they are sending forward freight to Chicago
and otner points with as much despatch as any OF
the rival lines and are doug paying business at
the reduced prices, while their rivals are losing
money In the meantime
THE CENTRAL AND ERIE ROADS
are, from the nature OF the case, being made par
ties TO the controversy ana are, II Is unders tOod
cutting under the rates established by the sara
toga compact, which is now nudity ID TACT as
1t will De seen, therefore, now important the
Philadelphia conference VIII be In view OF estab-
fishing an entente cO7dtate between the contend
ing roads. Ii this EFFORT should fail IL is believed
the ruinOus polcy-yiewed from u railroad stand
hitherto neutral A despatch rom Chicago yes.
terday stated that IL was contemplated to reduce
the passenger fares from that city to New York
to SIS, and the rale from Chicago TO BufIaio-or-
merly $l4-to SO. The man cause OF these reduc-
lions Is Inc continuance OF the rivalry between
the Grand Trunk and Great Western railways OF
Canada.
Meantime intrigues in the interest of one or the
other railway magnates are going on IN the Le.is-
iaures OF the different states. In the East we
have the spectacle OF the New Jersey Legislature
passing TO bill supposed to be IN the interest Of
President Garrett, which became law without
the Governors signature. This enabled the Balti-
more and OHIO Railroad to gain terminus In New
York by the purchase OF the
NEW JERSEY SOUTHERN RAILROAD.
AS soon as this was discovered Colonel Sc0tt's
ne
by some mysterious process only known TO modern
legislators, ana probably wiz not be resurrecIed:
and WISCONSIN making Potter" laws and granger
enactmeDts one day to repeal them the next. Ali
vices to AFFECT Wall street values OF stocks, as
much as TO protect the farmer or force railway
managers to an honest and economical admins
traton OF their mighty trusts.
one OF the most telling blows yet struck at the
agreement recently entered into By the local ROADS
la Illinois aud otGer western States whose lines
eaee W 20 pto sect and binds All
the roads that are parties to IL 10 fix ARBITRARY
rates Tor competing points which must be
reached over their lines, at the same time
abolishlng the pro rata arrangement which all
o. them have had with the trunk lines. Under
this arrangement the local lines have suffered
severely since the war, but thinking that 1t
would not be OF long duration they nave suffered
In quiet. Now they speak for themselves, and
their action will doubtless 60 lar toward checking
the reckless competition OF the trunk lines: The
by illustration. Take Peoria, H., as instance.
Under the pro rata system, when first class freight
from New YORK TO Chicago Is carried Tor IS cents
per 100 pounds, the rate TO Peoria Is 81 cents the
local line receiving only cents per 100 pounds
But on .he lst OF AprIl the local lines, aoollshlng
THE PRO RATA SYSTEM,
will charge 80 cents from Chicago TO Peoria, thus
making the cost from New York 10 the last named
place 81 05, instead OF 81 cents per 100 pounds.
This advance VIII be consistently adhered to on
all the local routes aud VIII materially AFFECT the
trade OF all the connecting trunk lines beyond
Chicago The managers OF local roads say that
the brunt OF all the reductions falls upon them
under the pro rata system, and hence the change
cago freight, since on all shipments beyond that
point the reduction Will have TO be borne by the
trunk lines themselves.
IL was said that az the meeting Of freight agents
IN the Erie building on Wednesday last there was
rather stormy scene. several OF the fast freight
lines oil the PennsylvaDia ROAD have been almost
IDLE since the adoption Of the seventy ve cent
tar1, having received positive orders 10 adhere to
the schedule while lines OF the Erie and the Gen.
Lral, 1t Is said, nave been In active competition
with the Baltimore and ONO. An ageat who
stands hgh in rhc Pennsylvania freight business
announced at the meeting that the trade OF DIS
road should De protected at any cos and warned
tinued TO cut the tarln the Pennsylvania lines
would 90 into the market on their own account
regardless OF schedules or compacts.
GRAND COMBINATION SCHEMES
still 20 forward. however: great lines are consoll-
dated, and Tum0fs Of important connections sti
continue, while ~ seems 20 be the ambition OF one
man controlling capita OF many millions and
supported ny capitalists Of vast resources 10 make
agrdnd consolidation Of lines across the conh-
nent ana by steamship connections pracucaliy
have belt line around the world.