Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-11-20
Railroads and Freight Charges.

huiiiOuuS anu EIcISht NHuiStss
Messrs. Editors 1t is to be assumed that
every man, as well as every corporation, knows his
own business. Yet, in practice, it sometimes
seems that wilful ignorance dictates the policy of
human affairs as well with corporationsas with in
dividuals. The state OF Vermont produces certain
staples to go to supply the common wants OF the
country, such potatoes, apples, products of the
dairy, and wool. The Vermonters sometimes
raise hops; but the country does not need them,
and ought not to want them, so we do not count
them as a staple.
Now 1t is possible for the railroads to restrict
the market OF most of these products to the wants
of the large towns and villages in the state by
orbitant freight charges. So the farmer ceases To
produce them above his domestic wants, and the
railroads go to bankruptcy for the lack OF bust
ness. The compensations between the producers
and carriers are direct and immediate, though the
influence of high freights may annihiate indus
tries in the future that would otherwise produce
freights to sustain the traffic of the railways
In the great markets of New York city prices
are fixed by the competition OF nall the nutiUn.
Now II potatoes apples, butter are to be sent
to this market from Vermont they become subject
in their market value to this competition, and H.,
/
than the cost of production, the Vermont farmers
will cease to produce for this market, and the rail-
WAYS perforce of necessity, will cease to carry.
This matter has claimed my attention by bill
of freight of few barrels Of apples from Wind
sor, Vt. For such freight, have paid fifteen or
twenty years ago sirty cents barrel; since, the
freight has gone up such articles to ninety
cents but now the charges are dollar and ten
cents barrel. Allowing one dollar and half a
barrel for the apples and barrel packers, and deliv-
cred at the depot, found my apples cost me fifty
cents per barrel more than il | had gone to the
New York market and bought them. True, the saw
ing is but of little account when we seek products
from an old homestead. But no doubt economy
will hereafter prevent freighting apples or pota
toes from Vermont at the present freight charges
While barrel of flour is brought from Chicago tc
New York for fifty cents barrel, and at about
one dollar from st. Paul to Boston, II am rightly
advised, there is no reason why the charges from
any part of Vermont to New York should b,
more As general thing potatoes can be raised
with more certainty and less labor in Vernon
than any other crop; and what is more the crol
is larger and OF finer quality than in almost any
other section Of the country. II railroad freight
are kept at their present figure, the crop will no
be planted, because it cannot be marketed witt
profit.
Butter, II sent by express from Vermont to New
York. comes charged with freight at about three
cents pound, while a like freight from SaI
Francisco to New York would cost about fv,
cents pound, having been transported three
thousand miles The butter makers at Elgin
Illinois, freight their butter to New York Tor les
than dairymen in Vermont. Such discrimina
tons against the local productions of a country
through which railroad passes, are as blind a
they are Improbable. Low freghts stimulate
production, by giving the producers access to tn
markets OF the world For, of potatoes and apple
and butter and grain and flour brought to New
York market, all the better grades are shipped t
the South, and to the West Indies and other for
eign countries. Because the best grades OF vege
tables only, without decay on the voyage, and onl
such, will stand the expense of freight shipment
So it is seen your railroads have a common in
, terest with the people, that cannot be ignores
, without injury to both. JoHS NJ. SrEARSs.