The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-04-06
RAILROAD INVESTIGATION.
The Joint Committee of the Senate
and House of Representatives Get
Pull at the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad and Disclose Some Inter.
estipg Facts.

of the Senate and John A. Robinson, j.
&. johnson and Robert Lowe on the
part of the House of Delegates.
Charles Ii. Senseney, citizen Of
Wheeling and member of the firm of
Joseph Bell y Co., manufacturers OF
stoves, etc, after being duly sworn said:
We ship large quantity OF our manu-
features over the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad to almost aIl
points between Wheeling and Stanton,
Va. From Wheeling to Stanton, in
quantities of less than 5000 pounds, we
pay freight at the rate of 43 cents per
hundred, and upon goods exceeding
5000 pounds in our manifest, our rates
are much lower, and are as cheap as any
body could ask. The rates to Harrison
burg and Woodstock are the same.
Some four weeks ago the rates TO any
point on the Valley Railroad, this
side of Stanton, was SO cents
per one hundred pounds, but these rates
have recently been reduced to 43 cents
per one hundred pounds. To Martins
burg, Cumberland and Piedmont, the
rates are 43 cents per one hundred
pounds. Last fall the rates to keyser
were much higher than TO Piedmont,
consequently goods intended for Keyser
were first shipped to Piedmont and then
reshipped to Keyser. Goods intended
for Woodstock were shipped direct to
Stsunton for AZ cents per hundred pounds,
thence reshipped back to Woodstock q
distance of about seventy miles, at 26 cents
per hundred. If we had shipped direct
to Woodstock, the rates would have been
95 cents per hundred. By shipping to
Stsunton and reshipping to Woodstock,
we saved Z6 cents per hundred pounds.
On the Central Ohio railroad and
Pittsburgh, Wheeling and Kentucky
railroad, stoves are rated as thIrd class,
while on the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road they are rated as first class. We
do not complain so much of the rates on
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
in themselves, but we do COM
plain that manufactures in Ianes-
vile and other Western cities, by
reason Of the low rates conceded to them,
can throw their commodities into Clarks-
burg and other West Virginia towns for
less freight than we can. am informed
that at one time treights were carried
from Zsnesville, o.. to Clarksburg, at
less rates than they were carried from
Wheeling to Clarksburg, giving citizens
of other States advantages over citizens
of Wes. Virginia. Goods intend
ed for Sir Johns Run and
Handbook are first shipped by US to
Cumberland, and thence TO these sta
tions, thereby saving freights. The rates
from Wheeling to Zsnesville, Newark
and Columbus are 29 cents per hundred
pounds The distance to GAINESVILLE is
seventy-fve miles, and to Columbus one
hundred and thirty-tOur miles. From
here to Chicago u distance OF four hun
dred and fifty miles, the rates are 70
cents per hundred by the car load.
Joseph w. Gsllaher, citizen OF
Marshall county, after being duly sworn,
says: l am doing business as
merchant and also wholesale deal
er in meal and grain. l buy
my dry goods and groceries in New York,
Philadelphia and Baltimore. The most
of them 1 buy in Philadelphia. l have
my goods shipped to Wheeling over the
B. il o. K. r. and thence back TO
Moundsville. By shipping first to
Wheeling and then to Moundsvllle we
save about fifty per cent of what /! would
cost to ship direct to Moundsville.
The Company charge me about one cent
per hundred pounds for transferring my
freight from the cars that brings 1t TO
Wheeling TO the cars that take 1t to
Moundsville. The company claims this
for drayage, whereas the freight does not
leave the depot until after it is loaded in
the cars. Some years ago l shipped con-
siderable grain to Baltimore and points
along the road, out OF late years l have
shipped but very little over the b. " y.
east, and none to Baltimore over tins road.
/ now ship by the Cleveland and Pitts
burgh and Pennsylvania railroad TO
Philadelphia. My reason for dcing this
was on account OF the high rates OF
freight charged by the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad and the non-aCcommodat.
ing spirit manifested by said road. l
am President OF the OHIO Valley Iron
Works at Moundsville. We made sp-
pication to the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad to grant US the same rates OF
freight east and west as were granted the
manufacturers of Wheeling. THIS they
refused to do, and we have shipped
freight liron) to Wheeling, paying four
cents per hundred therefor, and shipped
it thence back through Moundsville to
points on the railroad east OF the ONO
river. We wero compelled to do this to
receive the low rates granted to Wheel
ing. The b. 81 o. Railroad Com
pany have granted special privileges
10 parties in Moundsville in shipping
ireights over which they will not grant
to others or the general public.
After examining the two witnesses,
the Committee then adjourned to meet
at Clarksburg next Tuesday the 9th in
stant.