The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-10-14

ticles OF prime necessity and products
Of the country, like bacon, flour, corn,
wheat, cattle, lumber coal, ETC., while
articles that Gun well afford higher
rate, like whisky and other liquors,
wines, etc, acids, woodenware ana ag-
ricultllral implements, dry goods, ma
chinery, oils, glass and articles packed
in glass, etc, would be carried Mt rates
considerably less than the worth of the
transportation; so that the effect would
be to reduce materially tie tonnage OF
the road, and from necessity increase
the rates on tonnage actually TRANSPORT
ted, aud of course, In many cases,
would prevent the producer from send
ing his surplus wheat, corn, cattle, ba-
con, etc, to market.
These articles are generally carried
at rate so low that If the entire tom
mage was charged for ut the same rate
IL would not pay the actual cost of do
ing the business, but railway managers
are forced to recognize the fact, that
unless the producers can sell their
surplus products they can not purchase,
except to Il limited extent, the dry
goods and other stores and supplies,
the transportation of which is neces-
sary to secure earnings to their roads.
The second and third points, that
railway companies shall graduate their
charges on n pro rata per mile basis,
and that they shall never charge II
greater amount for a less distance than
for greater, would work an actual dis
elimination against localities that
would be very Injurious to the COM
mercial interests of the State, and
would take away from the public the
great advantage of competitive lines of
railway. Take, for instance, the cot
ton business Of Dallas, under pro rata
per mile charge, not II bale of cotton
could be sent from that station to
Houston or Galveston, or via those
ports to New Orleans or New York.
The value of n bale of cotton in Dallas
is fixed by its value in Houston, Gal
weston, New York or New Orleans,
with the lowest freight charges from
Dallas deducted. The distance from
Dallas to Houston Is two hundred
and siXty-siX miles, and fifty miles adj
ditional to Galveston, with water
transportation to New Orleans and
New York; from Dallas to the east
boundary Of Texas is one hundred and
seventy miles, and from there twenty
four miles to Shreveport, with river
transportation from there to New Or
leans; from Dallas to Red River or
Denison is seventy-fve miles, and from
there it is six hundred and twenty
miles to St Louis, which is also cot
ton market, where the New York prices
govern, less the low Transportation
rates of the four trunk lines to the sea-
board. Without u greatly increas ed
tonnage, the Houston ana Texas Cen
trail railway company can not afford to
haul al OF its cotton business on the
basis of the rate ii is forced by compe-
tilion to accept for Dallas business, and
the only line that, under u pro rata
basis, can compete for the business, is
the Denison line, rs that has the short
est portion (seventy-live miles, of line
In Texas. Take another instance:
Marshall, on the Texas and Pacific
railway; it is situated lorty-hve miles
nom Shreveport (twenty-one miles
only IN Texas, and is two hundred
and sixty from Houston, and seventy
four miles from TeXarkana; on pro
rata per mile basis, which is, in fact, |
fixing on every bale of cotton an arbi. |
trary price, increasing with the length
oil haul in this State, not bale could |
he sent to Houston or to Galveston, as
tho SHORT twenty-one miles of fixed |
charge on the Shreveport line would
necessarily take the business that way.
do not think there Is II railway
company in this or any other country,
where n rigid pro rata tariff can be
put into practical operation, and | be.
lieve 1t to be impossible to work under !
such u tarilfunless full trains in both d.
l'ectio8S cdp pc 6ectTeT to the O0mpauy.
IT is safe TO say that 10 per cent Of lie
freight cars hauled in traina in this
state go one way empty, and 1t Is for
the purpose of securing freight for
these empty cars that specidt rates are
made, AS the cost of hauling loaded
ears is very little more than for haul
ing empties, and every ton of freight
that is SO secured that would not other,
wise be transported, and every dollar
Ut increased earnings so obtained, is
not only u benefit to the company, but
also to all other shippers.
The carrying of competitive freight.
has always been II great cause of com.
plant by shippers at near points, who
are charged higher rates, but the sinh.
lect has been 80 clearly stated by one
Of the ablest railway managers in this
country, Mr.. Albert Fink, Vice presi-
dent aud General Superintendent of
the Louisville and Nashville and
6reat Southern Railroad, in recent
exhaustive report on railway transpor.
tation, that | wish could be read bv
every shipper and traveller on n rail.
way, that take the liberty Of quoting
1t in this connection.
DETERMINATIONS necessarily have TO he
made, but II VIII also appear that 1t is NOT
me common carrierwho creates the same ar.
Ditrarily, hut the nature OF thlnus makes
them necessary, TO pursue unother o"nrse
Than that ndi0oted, would result TO the dis.
advantage OF all concerned, and henetit no
one. Were the low competitive freight TO be
the cost OF carrying other freiphts
would be increased. If the same rate was to
be c"arged TO all interior points as To the
competitive points, the railroads could not
Do operated at all. #"
"Dlllerent localities are more or less favor
I'd In regard to transportation facilities. eith
ir ny nature or the enterprise of man. IL
,an not o maintained that IL Is the duty OF
me common carrier to equaliHe these exist.
my Inequalities NJ his own expense, All
mat lsreqnired OF him il, not to cronte them
himself arbitrarily. He must treat all alike
hat are situated alike, but he can not be
bound to wipe out existing differences. lie
may be Obliged to carry freight at a lower
ate TO some localities than to others, but
ms IN itself does not constitute an injustice
~ Injury TO the shipper In II less favored lo.
iality, MS long ms the charges made are ren
'opaDle IN themselves, and alike TO all in the
,amo situation" - 80
DETERMINATIONS are the nece ssary result
protection against eXtortionate charges,
nuch more efficient than any artificial lev
slative device, To take away the right from
abroad proprietors to establish their tariffs
upon the recognized principles that guide nll
,ther commercial transactions, and substi-