The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-01-27
is; England, 81 cents, and Germany

England, the ROADS having q neaVy 1um-
Der traffic average from 3 to cents per
mile; while in the West, the average on
leading roads for $50 miles exceeds
cents per ton per mile. This adverse
showing extends to rates on grain and
-four.
Nor is tie comparison of passenger
rates more favorable. Connecticut av-
erages A. cents per mile Maine, 4 to
cents fourteen Pennsylvania roads aver
age 81 cents Michigan, 81 cents /: Min
nesota, to cents while, in the Up
per Peninsuias, the rate is cents and
in Colorado, 10 cents per mile.
Throughout England, the average is
4 cents while upon the best routes
from London to Brighton and London
to Dover-the through rate exceeds
and cents per mile. In France, the
average is A. to cents, and in Austria,
5 cents.
The low rates enforced in Wisconsin
cannot be justified. No railroad in tire
State is in position to earn dividend,
while two only from their earnings meet
current expenses and interest on bonds,
and they enabled to do so only on ac-
count of their operations in other States
Thus the people of Wisconsin receive
cheap transportation at the expense OF
others. This is shown by applying the
average Potter Law rates to the entire
freight movement of the Northwestern
and st. Paul companies for their last
reported fiscal years. The former would
then have closed the year with a deficit
of 81 ,O76, 602, 63 and the latter with
deficit of 81 $40, 500. SO.
Nor are the companies will whose
rates comparisons have been made ex-
cessiyely remunerative. Massachusetts
and Pennsylvania each fall below an
average of per cent. dvidened; Maine
and Connecticut average 81 each; while
in the West, Ohio does not average
per cent and only two roads in Indiana,
four in Illinois, and four leased lines In
Iowa, pay any dividends whatever. OF
the remainder, the majority are in the
hand of Receivers
The question as to whether charges
are unjust, depends not upon what
price the company carries for others,
but upon whether the charges IN them
selves are excessive or not. Complaints
are often based on the mistaken belief
that it always costs less to carry freight
short than longer distance, whereas
distance has little to do with the cost
of carriage Cars earn money only
when they are in motion, and earn it as
long as they are in motion, which fact
enables companies to earn larges net
profits on long business at less than
half the rate which is barely remunera-
tive on short hauls. The expense of
loading and handling freight is the same,
whether it be destined 10 or 100 miles.
In proportion as road is enabled to
compete for through businessmen
though taken at low rates-to that extent
it is enabled the cheaper to do its local
business.
Uniform rates are also unjust, because
the cost of operations is not the same
upon each road, OF any two roads.
During the year ending December 81,
1874, the expenses, per mile run, varied
on the Milwaukee & st. Paul ny, from
S1.17 Oh the La Crosse Division, to 81
40 ON the Prairie du Chen Divison' and
ST. 46 on the Northern Division.
The character of the road should be
considered. For every GRACE of 20 feet to
the mile, the work required to overcome
it, if equivalent to that expended on two
miles of level road.
It is also essential to know the proba-
BILE amount of freight to be carried. A
large, regular business can be done
ness. The Wisconsin companies have
comparatively small tonnage, yet they
are now obliged to carry it at q lower
rate than the Pennsylvania or the New
York Central, one of which frequently
has 129 trains day, and the other Is
miles of freight trains daily. The
transportation of such vast quantities
enables those companies to earn larger
net earnings per mile that are the gross
earnings of any two Wisconsin lines.
Freight movement is largely in one
direction, During 1874, the Milwaukee
& ST. Paul Ry., hauled 1852, 234 tons
eastward. The cars requisite to carry
this difference of 756, 913 tons were haul
ed westward empty. e., a double
trip was necessary to secure freight for
one trip. Yet the inequality of bust
ness demands as large equipment as
though it were constant.
In Ohio nine distinct tariffs of rates
have been prescribed, OF which the
State Railroad Commissioner, in his re-
port for 1870, said they were 'the most
fruitful source of complaint.
Illinois after several attempts to de-
fine what ought to be charged, devoly-
ed the task upon three Commissioners,
who prepared one schedule for all roads
in the State alike.
Iowa took the Illinois rates, reduced
them ten per cent. and applied them to
four trunk lines.
Minnesota, failing twice to establish
fixed rates, re-enacted the common
law.
Untaught by these failures, Wiscon-
sin likewise disregarded the cautious
action of other States.
In Massachusetts, the Common
wealth can assume control, only after
road has been in operation 20 years,
"By paying therefor the amount of CAPT
tai paid in, with a net profit thereon of
10 per cent from the time of payment
by the stockholders to the time of
purchase"
In England, if, after 81 years, any
new railway has made 10 per cent. for
years, Government may reduce the rates
charged but shall guarantee the Com
pany 10 per cent. for the next 81 years.
New York has followed the English
rule, by enacting that the rates of fare
or freight shall not, without the consent
of the corporation, be SO reduced, by
the Legislature, as to produce less than
ten per cent. per annum, on the capital
actually expended.
Maximum rates have been prescribed
in Pennsylvania; yet the companies
most restricted, are allowed to charge an
average of four cents per ton per mile.
In New Jersey, by general law, the
roads are authorized to charge ten cents
per ton per mile.
In Ohio, they are unlimited up to so
miles, beyond which they are authorized
to charge five cents per ton per mile.
The six leading railways of England
ere empowered to charge six cents per
ton per mile. OF these rates, parlia-
mentary committee said, "They are al
WAYS fixed so high that it becomes,