New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-04-20
RAILWAY RELATIONS.

FROM w. II. VANDERBILT.
A meeting of business men listened to an address
on railways by Simon sterne. at Steinwsy Hall last
evening Amongother suggestions for lessenng evils
in the present railway system Mr. Sterne advocated
the plan of State Commissioners. A committee OF
merchants was appointed to confer with railway
officials about improving New-York's facilities. Mr..
Vanderbilt has written letter denying that the
trunk lines are discriminating unjustly against this
city.
CHECKS FOR THE RAILROAD POWER.
MEETING OF NEw-YORK MFRCHANTs-A ADDRESS BY
SIMON sTERNE-k COMMITTEE APP0INTED TO
CONFER ABOUT IMPROVING NEw-YoRKs FAClLi-
TIES.
A meeting was held ut Steinway Hall last
night 10 consider the relations Of railways to pnDc ana
private interests Simon sernc IN accordance win Tie
request OF many prominent citizens delivered long
address. The hail nearly full ana tue nuh'oc'
Of llknown business men present was large AmonE
Them were Mayor Ety. 3. Il. sherman, Charles = Smith,
ronn p Townsend f. b. Thurbcr. Charles Watrous. AM
Irose Snow Darwin L. James, A. H. Miller f. r. Durkcf'
William IL. wiley. Jackson s. Schultz, 3 H. Waes'
Stephen Crowell. William A. Cole, p. Van NolkcnbuIs'
Harvey harrington, H. X Miller. John H. Kemp A. H.
Ward of the Erie Railroad, Andrew Pierce OF the ST.
Louis and San Francisco Railroad George W. Lane
Alderman Bennett, William LIBBY, John Taylor J"hh-
stou John II. Hall, and many others.
Mayor Ety. in introducing Mr.. Serne SAID that WIN
natural advantages unequalled by any city III the world
the trade o. NewY0rk had been diminishing for several
years past and vacant shops storehOu'es mann"c
tories and houses might in every street He al
ded: This afternoon had the curiosity TO count the
stores on broadway where the first story was to rent
On the five blocks between Astorplace and Houstonst
"a distance Of n quarter OF MILE found the number
was thirty nve OF which twenty'our are vacant and
the other eleven are be vacated on the LIST OF May
The same tale is told In other localities"
q apeiV ed Will
railway he said represents this country S60OOO)O-
600 of CAPITALS it represents I'm Ensland about $500
100000: In Germany, 81 ,OO0.000000; in France about
sl2OOOOOOOO. In 1880 there were only 70
miles Of railway in operation in the United
STATES In 1910 there were only ISIS; In 1850
q oo1. in 1860. 3O635; in 1876. 77,47O Fifty
wears ago the ocean, the lakes ana the naVlSaDie
rivers the mann avenues OF me commerce Oh tis
rouutry and II any proposition HAD Dcen mace 10 Tue
United to the various states TO place any OF al
of these facilities for INSTRUMENTATION INTO tue hahs
Of private corporation, or any private corporation
would have appeared rs prepOsier0us pr"postloE'
neIs of trade have still remained and opcn pract
rally mOnOpOlZe the carrying trade or me community
aeints ON the Atlantic seaports was by rail Aud MIR.
Eimmo the chief the Division of Internal Commerce,
tween the West and the East goes by rail- ,..,-,
Mr. serue said that the railroads exercised political
DOwer largely aud great extent the real Gov
erument two removes behind the 1uctuotlng temporal
Government represented 10y s.a;e ahG o.cero.
After comprehensive itNleWC brush IatlWdI nause
ent Mr. Setne said: Mere reduction Of transportation
ifits rivals get the same or greater reduction The
consumer of course is benefited but New-iOrk thrVes
hence we must look at is interests trader
aud dealer when we come to calculate profits.
The answer that Ia made, That BOSTON gels
H. freight carried cheaper TO the West because
its Grand Trunk line - GankrnGt concern oo
nunity 1t is not well that its highways should yiell
large profits 90 those who collect tolls thereon ana that
state control OF ownership must succeed the pres
ent system But DO fault could be found and no heavy
pressure would be felt by our community If the New
NOr
upon what represents s cost.
That the dyertng Of the trade OF New 1orK Is draw
ln general attention and the causes are 6esung to be
understood, is shown IN Ex-Governor srynonts speech
delivered about ten days ago at Albany IN "hlCh ne
saws that there IS ground Tor the iGaT lclt ~
from the city, 1t has lost much OF that WhlCu gave
wealth. large share OF the gram from the Wts!
which once sought It's port Is now sent TO rival
points, Railroads all tend to harm the city The ialI
In real estate due In part to causes which are ie all
lonbt il there is no check to the change gong it
viii stop it's growth aud break down it, wealth and
strength The railroads DO not give It the trade 1t had
When the waterway were the main routes. ..
The remedies, Mr. sterne suggested are minority rep,
oondhOders repre- senaton in the direction OF the roads
Wound secure fun and honest reports OF the condition
aud management OF railroad corporations In con
III the transporting monopoly OF this country has
become powerful for the control OF single STATE
Ind holds each in bondage, our Only remedy
may be, 10 10 railways. 10 wipe out state lines
10 enlarge by implication he meaning ana
tcope OF the wOTCs regulation OF commerce
m Inc Constitution Of the United states and 10 obtain
control great railways through National leglsla
hOn. That no danger can como from a con
irol such as we suggest, is indicated By the
success which has attended the very powerful
commission which appointed IN conserN-
alive England, aud which Las likewise attended
The commission which has been appointed by our sister
STATE Massachusetts. Inc Law which organized II forms
model Of the law now before the Legislature or our
State Massachusetts has been fortunate i'll securing the
services OF commissioners who thoroughly capable.
1he chairman, Charles Francis Adams. IT,, whose
nine Successive reports are repleie Win lhinlbd-
ton on the railway question: is now by railway
experts recognized peer and his suggestions have
philosophical breadth which the views OF such experts
are generally deficient IN The commission has secured
uniform system Of keeping the accounts of the Massa
chuSctts railways publicity OF anlrs ana reasonable
conformity to public interests IN ileir management
they have renedIed great many OF the evils which had
afflicted tins interest heretofore, ana nave disseminated
Information which, down TO its organization, had DecA
withheld from the public"
A COMMITTEE OF CONFERENCE APPOINTED.
AT the conclusion Of the address F. b. Thurber offered
series of resolutions setting forth that in justice 10
all interests it is important that the defects
and abuses in railway management IN this
State should be investigated by the Legislature,
in order that relations between the public and those
who manage control its highways Of trade should be
the Joint resolution for that purpose now
pending. The resolutions also called for a
Committee of fifteen persons to confer with the
representatives OF tue principal railroad lines, with
view TO improving facilities and utilizing NewYorks ad
The resolutions were adopted unanimously,
amid loud applause. and Mayor Ely an
r. b. Thuroer, George ". Lane. Charles s. Smith, Am
brose snow. William A. Cole j. r. Iownsend joan Gar
Dodge, W. 7. Booth, f. S. Janray, James NJ. Brown,
Darwin II. James.
DISCRIMINATION IN FREIGHT RATES.
William II. Vanderbilt has written the fol-
lowing letter on discrimination IN freight rates:
GEORGE WILSON Esq. Secretary Chamber of Commerce:
DEAR SIR: am in receipt OF the resolutions OF the
Chamber OF Commerce adopted on the Atm OF