Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-03-06
WHEELING, w. VA, THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 6, 1879


force there are many interests which
must be practically blotted put.
The theory upon which special rates
arr granted is this;
Most business transactions, and all
business transactions OF magnitude are
affected by the fluctuations Ut the mar
kets, aud at times these fluctuations are
oi such extent as to make tho element
OF transportation an important factor in
the transaction. Therefore any tariff
which might be rigidly enforced would
at times seriously interfere, II not entirely
prevent the transaction OF business upon
a fair or remuneratiye basis, and To meet
this difficulty il is the custom OF all the
roads OF the country to give 10 parties
such special rates as from time to time
may be found necessary,
To illustrate the case ! will cite rev
eral instances on the line OF this road,
and have no doubt, as see there are
several present who have probably
grievances to present, that OppOrtuni-
ties will offer 10 fully elaborate this fea-
turo Of railway transportation.
We will take the gas Goals OF West
Virginia. These Goals find their
market in Baltimore and at other
points on or tributary to the coast.
They come in competition with
similar Goals from Pennsylvania, and ot
late years, since the export trade Of the
country has grown 81 disprop0rti0nsto
tO the import trade, with the New Castle
coal brought from l.iverpool and other
British ports as ballast. The foreign
Goals to very considerable extent
establish the market price, and this price
Is therefore in great measure liked by
the amount of tonnage coming 10 this
country for return cargOes OF grain, &c.
Therefore the coal operators are Obliged,
in making their contracts, to meet the
competition Of other coal fields as we'll
az the foreign competition, and III
order To enable them to do 80,
the Baltimore 4 Ohio Company must IN
advance place them in position 10
compete, as the freight charges are by
far the largest element oi value, and to
do this the managers Ot tho company
must be at liberty Ia vary the rates
from time Ia time as the uXigcnClcs al
the ease demand.
To Cito another instance, there are on
the limo oi the Baltimore n Ohlo Road
number Of blast furnaces IN operation.
These depend largely upon the com
pany iOI the transportation ul their raw
material as we'll as their manufactured
product The continued depression IN
the market has forced the owners and
operators Of these works from time tn
timo To apply to the company Tor
reduction in rates Had the company
not been in u position To meet these
demands, the effect would have been
to force the st1ppagc at the works, and
thus not only entail u severe loss on the
capitalists, but more severe loss Ia the
citizens Ol this State 10y throwing large
numbers of people out uf employment
at u time when you must all recognize
the difficulty uf their obtaining It else
where.
The member from Berkeley Mr
kitChcnl has Just called my attention
to the grain rates from the Eastern
Pan.IIandle to Baltimore, aud
asks ii they should not be- reduced
especially In view ul the rate which
prevails from Chicago, as the grain
from his section comes IN competition
with the western grain ~ Baltimore,
and he hus frankly stated IN answer to
my inquiry that II costs him on the
average ten Ceuts per bushel tO wagon
frOm his farm, ten miles distant from
his station on the road, which is more
Der hushel, as will be- seen by reference
To the new freight tariff, than the com
pauy charges him Ia haul his grain from
Murtinshurg to Baltimore, u distance Oi
one hundrrl miles.
By reference to the tariff OF the roads
named, IN tho comparative statement
forwarded YOU, II viii hc seen
that this company's rates from
lIarpcr's Ferry 10 Baltimore, compares
very iay0rably and | think thoc0mmIttec
will agree with me that 1t is as reason
able n rate rs could bc asked.
desire to call the attention ut the
gentleman from Berkeley tn the hrt
that the company not only gives this
low rate, hut IL practically brings the
market two hundred miles nearer Ia the
producers oi this section than II other
wise would he were IL not Tor the Tact
that the company meets the competitive
rates from Chicago, aud has thus sue
cecdcd in making Baltimore large
export market A few years agn,
bciorn Baltimore had assumed its
present proportions as an export mar
kct, there was difference between
the price OF grain quoted in Baltimore
and the Now York price Of about
equal to the ireightcharges between the
two cities, the New York market being
invariably the higher 10 tins extent
This dldennce has hcen done away
with, largely owing to the policy oi the
Baltimore and Ohio Company, and To-
day the farmer ut West Virginia finds II
nirkrl IN Baltimore for his grain, as ad-
yantagcous in price as any on the coast.
| could refer To many similar instances,
hut | will not dctaiu the Committee
longer, as think | have already re-
icru'd sufficiently tn the grounds iaken
hy the Company in assuming that there
II ao Just cause oi complaint, and ] now
invite it, members, and any gentleman
present, Who may desire a. do
~, to present any grievances or
determinations oi which his constitu'
cnts complain, and | will endcavur
frankly to discuss them. feeling conf
dent that In the majority ui cases, II not
IN all. will satisfy YOU that the policy
1T the company is based upon iair prln'
ciplvs and carried out in good faith.
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