The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-25
The Railroad War.

The Railroad War.
From time TO time, since the beginning
of the fierce struggle for Western traffic.
which has now lasted so long between the
great trunk railroads. the public have been
RECALLED with rumors Of peace. assurances
of settlement, and highly colorcd descrip-
tions Of imaginary conversations between
the great railway magnatos, supposed 10
have taken place nj conferences held in
this city. Very many of these reports
were made out Of the whole cloth. with
view simply and purely of furtherng Ger
tain stock johhing operations. or all these
reports. the most Improbable was the one
purporting to cmanate from Baltimore.
but actually originating IN Wall street, to
the effect that Mr.. WILLIAM IL. WANDER
BlLT, Nice-pre.ilent OF the New York
Central h 81 rccedcd from his policy Of
equal rates on all competitive business
from Western centres to the Atlantic sea-
board, and that he had proposed II settle
ment of the railroad war To President
GARRETT on a hnsis of dnerential rates in
favor Of Baltimore ANA Philadelphia as
against New York. This absurd rumor
circulated freely in Wall street during the
greater part OF business hours on Welnes-
day. When brought to Mr. VANDERBIIr's
notice he gave It the most emphatic de-
uiaL Meouume hnwey,r. II had not been
without effect on the street. and those
who carefully study the fluctuations of
| Lake shore stock require no key 10 under
| stand from whence II started aud who prof
tied 10y this Iumor which had been so i'll
gcniously made To travel from Wall street
a IlUlfImprp and frDul Hlltino hlpl a
Wall street.
Since the last conference between the
representatives, Of the Il fillmore ana Ohio.
the p nusvvanl the Erie and the New
York Central Railroads, it has been no
secret among well-uformed railroad men,
that the Baltimore aud Ohio aud the Penn
svlvnnl Railroads concede TO the New
York Central the right Of making equal
rates from Western centres TO the three
ports Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New
York on AL through traili which j. 10
any degree competitive. Mr.. NAHDERHiLT
n his par l. willing - allow fixed. n
variable lfcrcucc on thruu.h freight dcs-
tined for local u-e IN the cities of Baiti-
more aud Philadelphia GARRETT aud
Scu1r held out for a sort of Sliding scale OF
difference, adjusted IN accordance with
the respective distances OF tbs tour great
Western centres from Bl'timore. This
| Mr.. NANDrRnILr would not conc'dc; ii
,avored too much OF the mileage basis
against which in every manner, shape. or
| form, he had set his face. II Will thus be
seen that the points yet to be adjusted
are indeed trfiiug We are clad 10 under
stand that the Erie aud the New York
| f,tlI Ia,
| this question Of equal rates.
| Mr. GARRETT's views and hopes con-
| corning IA settlement may be gathered
| from his uttelances at the regular annual
meeting of the stockholders of the Bllti-
| mOrc and OHIO Railroad Company held at
Baltimore on the 20th inst. As usual at
| the monthly meetings of tho board, he
mounted the rostrum aud made his custom
AIRY speech. After glowinglv depicting one
by one the immense geographical advan-
tages of Baltimore, after dwelling with
| more than usual length and elOquence on
the opening OF the Baltimore, Pittsburgh
and Chicago Railway, or the Chicago ex-
tension, winch Is now au old familiar story,
| he says: " II is hoped that such reasonable
and cqu table rates VIII he adopted IN the
| futuTs as VIII foster alike all Interests con-
ucctcd with the railway system and the
| general interests of the country If t.is
means anything, II means that Mr.. q ar
| RETT wants 10 be let down ~ easy a. posi-
BILE. To be sure he winds up with some
| fine phrases about resisting on broad and
strong grounds artificial means TO ignort,
distances. Practically, ne we understand,
| he is himself willing to ignore distances
ON all through competitive business at
least so far as the New York Central and
Eric are concerned. In fact, he has pretty
| well made mp his mind that rates cannot
be raised, If he olings TO the "miloagc
bass
| when Mr.. GARRETT shortly after the
opening OF his Chicago branch, proclaim
ed himself the great rrdeemcr OF the
ngrloutu al and transportation interests
OF TINS country, announced that Baltimore
was about to s"iHc tho commercial sceptre
II the nation, aud hxcd grain rates from
mcago t0 Bllum re ~ - cents per lGl
pounds, while the then current rates from
Chicago 10 New York were about i5 To 90
cents per 100 pounds, whci had been
brought down gradually from the Old
rates of ~ to ~ cents, without assistance
from Mr.. GARRETT. New York trembed
] in her SHOES, and Baltimore was wild with