The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-05-19


rival lines over which is trade Is compelled N pass
discrlminated against Il has been and now Is by
such rival lines, ist any wonder thatithns not been
The Maryland coal intended for shipment upon
I the canal can only reach the canal a Cumberland
| By the Cumberland aud pennsylvania and the Nal.
um0ro and Ohio railroads.
4 The bitumlnous coal OF Pennsylvania can only
/ reach the canal az Cumberland over the Pittsbug
aud COnnellsyic and baltimore and Ohio rnilruads
I The baltimore and ohio railroad Company controls
both the Pitisburg and COnnosville and Cumberland
and Penneyganla railroads
e certainly viii not be denied that the Baltimore
and ONO Railroad Company does discriminate
| against the coal passing over the lines under is
control which Is intended for shipment by canal.
Prior to the adoption BY the Legislature In 1870
OF the act relating 10 the Cumberland and Penney
yGnla railroad, the charge from Piedmont via that
road to the canal basin at Cumberland was v6 cents
per ton, while the pro rt1 rate for coal by the Bal
| more aud Ohio road from Piedmont to Cumberland
when the coal was intended for continuous shipment
over the line OF the Baltimore and Ohio railroad.
| was only % cents per ton Discrimination. Ms mark.
ed and oppressive and Is made on the route 10
Cumberland Via the Pittsburs and Connellsyile
Tho alterations complained OF by you In The char.
| ter of the Cumberland and Pennsylvania road have
only reduced the rate Of transportation from Pied
mont 10 the canal basin 10 "a cents per ton against
the charge Of ~ cents per ton over your road 20
Cumberland, thus still securing To you an enormous
advantage In the trade.
Had the canal company possessed monopoly OF
| the com trade % the extent which the Washington
Branch possessed of the travel To Washington II
would doubtless have been most profitable invest.
ment To the state.
bul Notwithstanding All the determinations
against The canal and ~ want Of facilities at both
ends, have succeeded In the past eight years In
largely increasing is trade, and In paying out Of is
net revenues 81 O00O account OF is indebtedness
These payments If continued at the same rate per
annum will enable the canal company ~ make a
fair return 10 the people Of the state within very
short time.
The increase In the trade and revenue ofthc canal
with all the discrimination against 1t only demon
sTates the immense value the canal would prove 10
every interest In the State II IL extended 10 the
city Of baltimore aud furnished with proper oonnec
lions with the coal fields II Is true that the original
plans submitted by those in favor OF the cOnstrue
ton Of the ca nal contemplated Its extension To the
city Of Baltimore. The failure 30 carry out the
original plan was no fault Of the canal company,
The state had appropriated halfa million dollars
10 aid IN tbn execution Of such purpose; other sub
Hcrptons were made for that object baltimore city
Mus expected 10 subscribe literally to the enterprise
Before this was done the current public feeling in
baltimore turned strongly In favor of granting aid
~ the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. Only In this
way The completion of the canal to baltimore was
defeated
No further efforts were made to revive the project
until within the past four % yean. In that lime
charter has been obtained fnT the caral 20 long ago
projected and the city OF Baltimore has been author
lied TO subscribe TO the work.
II Is Of vital importance to the city of Baltimore
and the state 10 aid In the construction Of this work
The desired canal will be only twenty seven miles IN
length. II would give the city direct water cOmmu-
state, and would enable the canal To deliver asa
IN the citizens Of Baltimore at the lowest possible
rate Of freight and would prevent that discrimina
ton which Is certainly now made against them
You are well aware that your published rates Of
charges on ton OF coal from Cumberland 10 Locust
Point shipping whnrves Is 81 6l ton Of pounds
On this rate drawback Is allowed Of ~ cents ton
on all coal ~ be shipped by vessels barges from
the city of Baltimore, making your rate from Cum.
bertrand To Locust Point shipping wharyes 81 q ton
on all coal so shipped from the city OF Baltimore.
Your rate 20 the consumers in the city OF Balti-
more Is slSI ton For street delivery ut private
! yards or switches 30 cents ton Is added to this
charge, which makes adherence against the citizens
of Baltimore OF % cents net ton Again, take your
rates on gas coal, which as announced are $3.50 per
ton from points on the PittsbuTg division 10 Bst.
more. II the same coal is taken 10 Locust Point
wharves and shipped from thence % points east Of
| Cape Cod, you allow drawback Of $40 a ton. In
other words your company changes the people Of
Baltimore - cents per ton more for Cumberland coal
than you do a citizen Of Boston who sends his vessel
| To your wharyes ut Locust Point
The gas companies Of baltimore pay sl.4O more a
ton for coal delivered to them in Baltimore than is
paid by the Gas companies OF Bangor Maine for the
same coal delivered % them at Baltimore
So great has been this discrimination against the
city Of baltimore that in 1874 coal was shipped from
/ the mines on the rittsburg Division TO Cumberland
transferred 20 canal boats thence carried lSi miles
by canal, transferred To vessels at Georgetown taken
down the Potomac river and up the Chesapeake bay
~ Baltimore gus companies at lower rate than your
company would carry II by its roads from the same
mines. II is true that as soon II was known that
the canal company were delivering gus coal at Baltl
more your company So increased il changes from
the mines To Cumberland as to prevent us from con
tinuing to supply the city Of Baltimore with cheap
II the canal was completed to Baltimore this dis.
examination could no longer exist the rule OF this
company Is 70 charge no higher rate 10 one shipper
! than To another
! We do not now discriminate against either the
| citizens OF Georgetown or Alexandria In Virginia.
Hour terminus was at Baltimore not only would We
deliver to the people Of Baltimore coal az the lowest
cost but our extension would be certain guarantee
| ~ every farmer and merchant Of Western MARYLAND
| that his products aud merchandise would reach or
be delivered irom the city Of Baltimore at the
rate Ct bnshel or ton per mile Is charged our
most favored customers aud the Just complaint
would no longer exist that II costs the producers and
merchants Of this state nearly or quite as much 10
obtain transportation for the products Of the western
counties OF this state 10 the city OF Baltimore and
for their return merchandise as Is charged the pro.
Queer or merchant OF Ohio Indiana or Illinois, for
the transportation 10 the city of baltimore OF the
produce o. those remote states and of their return
merchandise.
The reduction in freight now paid by citizens Of
10 the city Of baltimore. would amount ~ more In
ten years than the whole cost Of canal connecting
baltimore with the Chesapeake and Ohio canal.
When this work is constructed the city OF Baltimore
and the state viii have the full advantage a. was
originally intended, Of both the great state works
which were - long ago set on foot by this State.
You call attention TO the fact that the canal com.
pany has Increased its coal tonnage during the last
eight years while the tonnage OF the Baltimore and
ONO railroad has decreased. Our increase Is the
natural result Of putting our line In such condition
as 10 make u an outlet as satisfactory and cheaper
| road.
We have retained the confidence Of all our Gus.
| toners by charging uniform rate The charges for
canal transportation should be lower than the rates
! by railroad.
This difference In rates for the same service has
same difference exists between the charges Of the
Erie canal and OF the Eric Midway and the Central
| and Hudson River Railroads
! In Pennsylvania the State system OF canals Is
owned and controlled by the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company The Intelligence Of its management can
! not be questioned That company finds that iron,
coal aud other minerals be transported at lower
| rates by canal than by railroad.
The Philadelphia and Reading road also operates
] two canals, finding 1t more profitable 10 use them
than their railroads for the transportation OF bulky
articles Why, then, when our means Of Transports
naa mt ..l.a
transportation OF bulky freights complain that we
have in $50 retained tonnage OF 682 40 tons by
open and flir competition We do not deprive your
| company Of anything which belongs TO ii II we can
90 a business reasonably profitable at a lower rate
than your company will do IT, and do save to the
community the amount which rates enable II to
economist. We do not compel your company To NJ
duce the number Of your skilled and valued work.
| men or the compensation Of your laborers. We in
wife you on the contrary To share with trade IN
part of which we are entitled and which Is large
enough 70 secure the solid prosperity Of both
panies II Il Is managed with n due regard 10 the
| interest of both companies
| twas not supposed that the reduced revenue of
your company would be attributed to the fact that
I the canal has retained portion of Its trade. In
1911 the coal tonnage was 40 $50 tons. or 27 $40 tons
greater than II was In ls6. Yet your road prosper.
! ed, your skilled wOrkmen were employed. and your
! To them.
The truth is that the depression I'm all branches OF
/ industry has greatly reduced the business Of the
country and curtailed the receipts Of all lines OF
transportation, while the struggle which has been
going on between the great trunk railways lines Of
/ the country has impaired their resources. These
contests; and not the rates upon the canal, have
required your company 10 reduce its expenditures
| The mechanic and the labOrcr. unhappily. always
Tst experience the evil results Of mistaken policy
The rates upon the canal, adopted in view Of the
I crisis which was seen 10 be approaching. aud the
close economy Of its management enabled our com.
pany to continue in employment all the force need
cd for its working and repair until the hostile action
Of your company forced upon the canal company
the necessity OF further rctrenchmcnt and prevented
/ us nom making further payments on account Of