New-York tribune., 1877-07-11
RAILROAD TROUBLES.
WESTERN LINES AT WAR.

UNSUCCESSFUL CJSFERENCEs FOR -ECURiNG PEACE-
THE TRUNK LINES COMPACT wEAK-THER RICH
MOND RIVAL.
War has broken out again between the
Western railroads. bith East-bOuud and West-bound
freight About three ago several meetings were
held III tins city and subsequcntly1n the West, Win the
hope Of adjusting the differences between the Wabash
indianapolis ana Louis and other lines To the southwest
and after meetings it given out that truce had
been agreed to- and hereafter freight ratos were To
be the same by the fTerent Hardly had this
been settled, however before IL was discovered
that the Wabash Railway carrying large portion
St. LOUIS Texas and other Southwest height tit
had going before by way Of the Chicago Darlington
Quincy Railroad. Several years ago most OF TINS Dis
ness Yves done by the Wabash route. but during the
troubles Of that company the Chicago, Buriing
ton & Quincy succeeded in Civertlng the greater
part OF the traffic to itself. When II was d's-
covered that the business was gong TO the
the Wabash Railway was at once declared by the
Chicago Burlington & Quincy. and FOR several days
freight has been shipped over both roads at extremely
low rates. It is stated that the Chicago. Burlington
Quincy mas declared that it will retain the business II II
becomes necessary carry the freight AT nye cents
hundred pounds. The Wabash Company Is equally hrl'
The cutting in rates has extended to other compe'
ng ne and present the whole business IL IN an uh
settled condition, and much freight as can be obtained
is taken without any regard to schedule rates. Recent
shipments have been made between this city and Indian
apolls at twenty ccnts schedule rate was twenty
seven cents. An association known as the Mers Asso-
citation OF st. Louis Of which nearly all the miers IN that
part OF the country members has renewed is con
tracts which expired July for another year. without
any advance above the Old rates.
Another contest among the western roads has grown
cut Of the new apporuonment scheme OF the trunk lines
by hic! II is proposed diyide the westbOund freight
from this city among several lines according to gwen
percentages By tns arrangement ii mas Deeh clnleu
that some of the railroads west of ao, PltIsDurS ana
ParkerSburg-the western limit OF the compact between
the trunk ines-w receive their due proportions OF
the west-bound business In order to secure what they
have failed TO obtain otherwise they have begun To cut
rates several meetings have been held in this city dur
in bc st Two days by the Oii ias ~ some Of the lead
Ing rairoad- nclulmg the trunk lines. ana efforts nave
been made to patch up these 80 lar WITHOUT
success meeting OF the representatives Of the lead
ing railroads of the Northwest viii be held IN Clcago To-
dv for tb. purpose OF accom- pshiDg the same object
The officials OF the trunk lines have insisted for some
,,. with more than ordinary uniformity OF sentiment,
tnat they had great fn in the OF the apporIon.
r,ept scheme which il IL understood went into elect
Iuly TO- have doubt Of IT'S success, was the se-
reotyped assurance given by one OF THESE gen
tlemen to a TRIBUNE reporter yesterday When lh-
,pirv was made on the subject. However, when
asked how they proposed to divide the freight OF the
numerous sh ppers that each company would receive
its given percentage Of tonnage paying % cents
huudrpd hounds and similar proportion ~ the other
classes Of freight which pay 30 40 and up to % cents
hundred pounds to Chicago he frankly admitted that the
scheme was absurd and that II would De Impossible 10
give satisfaction the railroads and the shippers but
added that he thought that nothing should be said
ipst the plan tor the present. Already those who by
active persistent effort IN the past have built up good
usiuess among the merchants are complaining Of the
ruling that comprs them To glVe portion oi ILLS Du-
mes. to a less successful rlYu. 49,,
with the beginning OF tne present % month, ah9,Aer
~ snt OF the business Of the trunk lines II Is by way
~ fne o q Dominion Steamship me 10 Richmond Elr-
Railroad 10 Huntingt H. West virginia te terminus o
tne ne ON the ONO river Freight mere Is uanSeffeu
- tbe Cuespeake and Ohio pack ts controlled by the
railroad company aud forwarded 10 Cihcnn az, which IS
te genera. dist iDutnS p"At. Inse eCtiois "vtJ
nr-t ,tallsAed April l773 hut for the past year ana
: ,,lf nyyur ro tine depression IN rates, no Western
HIl, om t soI cred and that alone has been tlken
,yhIrh MS been offered rOm time 10 tne We are EOt
a. l, ,t,luered competing Win the trunk Ines,
10 ~ ~ Orr General Agent of the Chesapeake and
OnIu Ruroad III This city, hut now that rates nave
.rd payiug basis there Is no reason why We should
can Offer many advantages 20 shippers
II mtd that by route rcght Gan be landed IN
CINCINNATI alout tine same time as by the trunk lines,
in "i fIr 10 live days CINCINNATI, and SIX 10
,, thicaso and 81 LOUIS. Due allowance IL made Tor
.in~ iet, $ aud IL is claimed that rule less tine
III a., re,i,r.d In the time schedule, thrlysK hours
IL allowed by steamship To Richmond and twelve hours
i transfer al tnat point tory-tWo hours from Rich
,nf fn Uuutn nston "A distance OF 12O miles, six hours
p transfer TO tue RIVER boas, and twelve hours the
0ui1 Ilvcr from Huntington TO Cincinnati; thirty
bonrs rom Cincinnati to Chicago and ct. Louis.
Ne Carr stated 10 THE TRIBUNE reporter that the
rII-e would be very advantageous for certain kinds OF
fr.,gut excluding only Silks shawls and the highest
classes of goods winch very properly belonged To the fast
freignt ana exqress lines. As II was partly an ocean
rnufe Insurance would generally be necessary, and with
tbis class of freight wOud more than offset the cheap
p.ss of rates. Freight would De insured fuly up
ro value by special contract, and even with this adj
dtronaI expcnse the rates would he less than upon
Z q trunk lines, averaging about elO TO the ear.
I-non uninsured freight the difference would be
atr and avrr ge aOOnt twelve cent on mrs. class,
mn, n secunG seven third I'VE Oh fourth anu three
an .reri Mr. Carr stated that the amount or freight
Terelyed for this had greatly increased since the
tr ol the MONTH and many inquiries were being made
hv simmer. both the East and West Ihe route COM
;aped nuly small uelt OF country either side Of tne
Ohio River. between Hunting On anu Cincln-
nail but from that point connections could be-
made to any point in the west and south
pany leave tins port every other day
rnunectug al Richmond with the Chesapeake aud ONO
k,ir1aI Ths road 10 Is claimed wid soon be extended
la a dcep water point. probably "a lar as Hampton
Road- giving additional advantages. FROM lluhtlgtOh
a ri is now IN progress, which III AFFORD through con
uectou To Louisville which freight cGn be- landed AT
tna cry soon s d. can now De- sent 90 Cincinnati Though
Ioui.vilir Is % miles beyond Some prominent shippers
nave already Withdrawn their patronage frOm the trunk
hur. attracted by the rates offered on the iLchlnOud
route.
NETWORK UNIVERSITY CONVOCAIION.