The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1875-12-09
The Superior Times.
SUPERIOR, THURSDAY, DEC. 9, 1875.
Cheap Freight Transportation.

lcan society OF civil Engineers,
Mr.. VIM. Z. Sherwin discussed the
subject of cheap freight transporta-
ton, not at all from the "Granger"
standpoint, and with the express
statement that the then existing
rates were unreasonably low, but
making manylnterestlng statements,
as will be seen by the following
extract:
What IS popularity called "cheap
freight transportation" has little
reference to any scientific consider
alton of the subj it means carry
lng so many tons Of freifiht SO
manymiles for SO many dollars, with
out much regard as to whether
such is one economically or well /:
but | hold that the public is as
much interested in transportation
beng well, as i'll its being cheapIy,
done. To accomplish this,
the rate paid fer transport
tation must be an equivalent for the
services rendered; If less than this
the carrier cannot afford to conduct
the business, and we may take it for
granted he will not, for any length
OF time. Still, spasmodic reductions
OF rates, such as are now frequent
the result of what is commonly
termed ''rairoad wars"-may cou-
ii ne. 1t is doubtful whether these
''wars" benefit either the producer or
the consumer. They unsettle
values. make it impossible for par
ties doing business which requires
capital and time, to achieve salts
factory results or to calculate as to
the cost of their products. They
may have to pay to day % cents,
and next wee k 100 cents, per 100
los. for transportating the SAME
material. This unsettling of values
renders business to a certain extent
speculative, uncertain and hazar-
dous, and consequent allowance
must be made in fixing prices
Many of us know that producers
get little benefit from these low
rates, nor do consumers get more
ali parties excepting: perhaps,
spectators and middle-men}
would be better served by rates
uniform at least for seasons, if not
for years, that would be remunera-
tive to carriers and induce them TO
transact their business In business
like way, and to seek constantly to
improve it and give better satlstac-
ton to shippers.
The remarks before made by me
referring to the immediate branch
of the subject then under considera-
ton, viz. transportation of cereal
products OF the West to tide water,
were partially in reply to, and a
criticism upon, remarks Of other
members to the effect that water
transportation only could relieve
the country from high freight rates.
| sought to show, what was not
generally known, and has been
disputed by railroad men, that the
cereal products Of the West could
be, and had been, transported from
Chicago to Underwater for seven
mills per ton per mile. will recIte
some facts which justify me III say
ing that the statement made at
Louisville may be considered as
proven.
In the report of the Pittsburgh,
Cincinnati & st. Louis Railway
Company for 1874, the average
cost per mile of all the traffic is
given at 0 9l4 cents, a fraction over
8 mills upon an average haul of l39
miles, or y per cent of the length
Of the road 1913 miles. 1t must be
apparent that the cost of through
treight-a great deal OF which
needs no handling, switching or
transferring between the terIuiEi bv
the company-could not have ex-
ceeded seven-tenths that, or mills
per ton per mile.
In the reports of the Lake Shore
and Michigan Southern Railway
Company for 1872. it is stated that
on an average haul of 2OS miles
on a liue $40 miles long, the cost for
freight traffic was o.92 cents; for