New-York tribune., 1876-05-04
THE R1ILROID ISSUE.

TIE NKw-YoRK CENTRAIs RLPLY' TO MEssRs.
SCOTT, JrwErr, AND KISG-ALLrGED RAD FAITH
or sOMU OF THE PARTIES TO THE AGREEMENT
OF MARCH ..
Railroad men are not hopeful of speedy adjust
meat OF the differences between the NewYoTk Cen
tral aud the other trunk lines concerning freighs
from the West, and it is believed by many that "A
sharp contest viii be begun at an early day on all
classes Of trallic including wcs-bound ireights and
passenger business. THE TRIBUNE yesterday printed
fine letter sent TO the President and Yicc-rcsdeut o.
tie Ncw-York Central. April ~ by Mes'rs. Scott,
Jewett, and King of the Pennsylvania, Eric, and
Baltimore and Ohio lines. They proposed that the
Central should allow to the Grand Trunk route GER
tam differences castbouHd traffic 10 competitive
points ia New England, which declared to bo
less than those before existing IL stated that if
this concession should bc mado tho Grand Trunk
would then become one Of the Eastern trunk lines,
and all difficulties could jc adjusted. The following
reply was sent TO this letter by W. II. Vanderbilt:
NEw-YoRE GENITAL AND HuD-oN RIVER Il. r.. Co,}
NEw-ioHR, April -, 1875.
GLNrIEMEN: Your letter ~ the 27th addressed 90 C..
Vanderbilt, President. and Vim. II. Vanderbilt. Vice
President has been received and duly considered THIS
ComuaEy has arrangements with all the competitive
roads Tor vest-hound business which understand 70
bo satisfactory 20 al parties Interested 80 long good
faith j. maintained these arrangements viii enable us ali
to receive fair compensation for ransportation and we
are nos only willing, but GnXiouJ, that they shall con
tiBue IN force.
ON March . 1876 We entered into an agreement with
the Baltimore and Ohio aud other roads You represent
ia regard to cal ,iDund traffic and hoped ant believed
tha we had by 1t satisfactorily settled the dincrcnces o.
tlc Western roads and cquitIby distributed the business
OF the country the great routes To the seaboaId 1t
was In this spirit aud 90 accomplish these results that
the agreement was entered into lii well kro~n, how
al. stf.l ~ f4a
contracting parties did issue the notices TO ts agents.
requiring them comply with it, provisions until about
a mouth after IL signed. Thif company protest d
through its ViccPresdent against This injustice and bad
faith
An almost total loss OF business followed, and we were
finally compelled 70 give notice OF withdrawal from rn
agreement which had been faithfully kept by us ana con
san.ly violated by oihers This GcDn does not neccs
sarly affect any arrangements which and have
been in force between the parties and we should greatly
deplorc any action Of the other companies which would
bring upon railroad interests controversies pju
Gcia to their stockholders. our withdrawal from tho
agreement Of March . simply places the West
ern roads on east-bound business In the same
position we wcst-bOund and we refuse to
exact from them any longer compliance with our
dctation. We cannot for moment admit that ms
action on our p cndaBgers the railroad teress oi
the country and II from spirit of vindctiyoness Tor
what we have done our competitors throw the trans
poraton the country into disorder by NJ
eral reduction Of rates, the responsibility must rest en-
tirely with them. The special OF The Grand Trunk
referred to Ia your communication Is onIy one, ana
by no means the important branch of this subject
and il chaos il TO follow declnaiion to allow differ
ence on 10 Der cent OF the bound business, sg
gesed by your letter the would seem hardly sul
ci,nt TO Justify such a result. Your, very truly,
va. II. VASDERBuT, NcePrest.
10 Thos A. Scott Prest Penn. r. T., and II. j. Jewet,
Roc'r Erie Railway Company.