Smyrna times., 1877-07-18

| charter car system Will save inc railroad
companies 40 per cent of their expenses.
But the fact is that the chief saving is in
the reduction of the number of cars en-
ployed in peach business. Under the new
system we think it necessary for the P,
w. & B. Railroad Company to build only
| GO or 70 new cars this year to meet the
wants Of the traffic. Under the charter
system we must have built many more
than GO or 70 to provide for having large
number standing idle on the side tracks, as
in 1875. If the charter system were con-
tinued, this company would not have con-
sented to present rates. The evils of the
charter system were never fully developed
before 1875, when many of our cars were
run but one trip during the season.
Fourth-Rest assured that no thought
of "coercion" was for moment entertained
by the railroad companies in respect to
peach grower, commission merchant, or
consumer, as you seem to think. We
simply try to make it for the interest of all
parties to let the basket go with the fruit.
If the inducement offered by us be not
enough, think shall favor offering more
another year. The explanation given by
railroad men to the committee of peach
growers upon this point, when at this
office, was, think, satisfactory to them.
Fifth think what l have written
above as to clause No. 2 renders comment
on most of No. superiluous. But l must
regret that you believe that our charges
are too high. Those prices have been re-
duccd one-half within few years. On
account Of low charges, or some other
reason unknown to me, the railroad service
has been increased from less than 1,G0O
car loads in 1864 to more than 5000 car
loads in 1875. And under these circum-
stances you will not, think, cavil at my
own belief that the railroad companies
have done all that should have been ex-
pcctcd of them in promoting the interests
of the grower.
Very respectfully yours,
ISAAC HINCKLEY, President.
THE GROWERS REPLY TO THIS.
To Isacc Hinch{cy, Esq, President ct p.
W. e. B. Il. R:-SIR Your favor of the
2nd instant, in reply to open letter adopted
: in convention June ODD, was duly received
The expression and apparent tone is cour
, teous and considered, but we, as men ;
g little desperate, think your reply evasive o
| our points, and not serious enough il
t weight of reason, under the present un
9 precedentcd trying circumstances Tc
t preserve rerspicuity we will follow you
J and our division of the subject. /. In re
y sponse to our appeal for a reduction 0
+ freight rates, in accordance with til,
5 "times." :
You make an argument about corn rate
l which you compare with peach rate
S arbitrarily by car loads. Sir, the Almight,
has created a standard, and none but a iev
n miserable Delaware peach growers will
n question the authority as not being hghe
& than a railroad president, which is il
e universal use, and we think it disingenuou
p for you to ignore it. English spcakin,
;, people call it gravity"
Q Doubtless, had your Master of Trans
|, portation' been communicative, he coul,
'e have informed you that car load of corr
:, is 2l,0O0 lbs, while you impose upon u
4. restriction for fruit of 10000 ibs., an,
C for no good or sufficient reason we believ
st but that there are more than $85 to tn
n railroad in that way. So your rate on cor
d is to New York liz cents per hundred
@ On peaches, $S5 per car, 53b cents. Sa
% in round numbers 500 per cent. greater
. We insist upon making the calculatio
y $50 per car, as your proposed rate with OH
'r cent for return of emptes is full equivs
le lent. Your road is laid from Delmar t
New York, upon almost a natural bee
~ Its cost of construction was perhaps nc
er one-half that Of your "reduced rates
m Western lines. You have not a grad
oil worthy the name of one yard when you tur
10 wheel. Enumerate that one of yot
"a locomotives in freight moving power, pra
oil tically, is equal to two used on the Bait
ra more d Ohio. Can you not "enumerate
nc these as your advantagesP You use I'll
III ordinary corn car for peaches, not near
Is good as freight cars, fitted with air bralz
en- and with maximum capacity of 34,OC
Sc pounds, in use by the cheap lines.
ly Your ventilators, doors and shelving a
nd all that you can justly claim as chargeab
d. strictly to the peach and berry trade. A
'O, to hauling corn at the convenience of IL
lss railroad, we assert that if you had as muc
zo' corn to transport as you have fruits,
To- could be done so conveniently or it wou
en- pile up at this end. Do not complain th
he a big business is not so convenient as a lit
a one.
an 2. You are not in accord with yo
be record as given by our committee, nor wi
Ter your brother officials, nor with your su
ad ordinates, if you mean to imply that 4
1t determinations in freight were not intend
as a patentadjustible device to regula
INT prices. Considering our Western adviC
es, we think the reduction small "tub to [
len peach-growing whale" Do not stultify t
grower by theorizing that he intends