New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-03-06
aovcnt providing the receiver is properly unidentified
| for the costs OF suits.
FREIGHrS TO SEABObRD CITIES.

REPORT or THE MASSACHUSETTS, N"'i''i'"'
THg OLD COMPETITION AND WHAT HAS bhhN
DONE TO DO AWAY WITH r-fLCCIUAiioNS
AND WHAT TIE FIGURES SHOW.
The tenth annual report of the Board OF
Railroad Commissioners Of Massachusetts, the mem
h.rs ~ which ale Charles Francis Adams,
ir A. d. Briggs and T. ". Kinsey contains Interesting
facts and discussion relative 20 the competition winch
has been maintained among the seaOoaru ci"o'
for the control Of portions OF the eApoi' '
ness In the first place, it is shown tha' uie euon
impression that Boston has occupied ar
tageous pusltlOn as compared with hal'lhi"re an"
Philadelphia owing TO there being no independent INC
IN the West which was controlled in the exclusive inter-
est Of the State is only partially true Each year t"o
ratio of receipts and exports for the seaboaru ces
compared with the gross receipts ana eApoie' '"'
within very narrow limits, while What an! Pai' may
gain through exceptional circumstances ia ono year
lost in another. Statistics show that While
the total receipts for the past ten years
have nearly doubled, the proportion OF inc
whole which went TO each city has remained
nearly the same In the case OF Boston, between loo'
and 1878 it never fell below per cent or rose above IA
per cent The largest fluctuations, says the report were
in the case Of NewYOrk, which fell OH rom % per
cent In 1869 to As per cent in 1876 but Only ~"uiu
appear subsequently to its ground during tne
lat wear what New-York temporarily lost, Baltimore
and Phadc phla appear 20 have gained but Philadei
pha which had 1913 per cent IN 1869 In 1878 had ony
1872 while Baltimore had increased from liz III loo' W
per cent in 1873 The report further notes III TINS
connection, that while Baltimore, PhlladelpDia ana
Boston have each about doubled their proportions at
the expense OF NewYork and Montreal tho tehurncy
now IA for New York rapidly to recover Its lost ground
As consequence OF tins excessive competition
e business Ia done in way WHICH haruy
admits OF Improvement and which IS felt' probaDiy
moro disastrousy in the wheatproduc'nR countries
OF Europe than anywhere else" meanwhile u 10
of MagSa
chusets are concerned the matter of through business
bpgh one of some direct aud of far indirect cou
mercal consequence, has Certainly attracted more
attention than 1t deserves for II touches only remOte
the vast and very complicated manufacturing huuseS
in which the entire deyel ,pment OF the State has taken
shape during last forty and further that so
far az It touches them at all II has not been 70 assist
Referring TO the decision OF the arbitrator III Juy'
1875 the report remarks that al Westbound business
mas since been conducted in accordance with IT, ana
that compaints on the part OF New-YOrk merchants
that lower rates were made at Boston on western ship
Inents than at Eew-YOrk have ceased, while UNIFORM
raes from ali tho seaboard cities have since been main
tanned The ultimate effect Of this 80 Tar as can now be
seen Is simply to eliminate business methods the
IN known quantity Of railroad discrimination, SO that
now as between the cities Of the scabOard the question
is simply as which. taking all things l1to cohsldtr@
wages, Intelligence. enterprise ntrol o. pant ana
habits Of induslry-cdu most cheaply aud conveniently
upou ucfu1tions rates OF carnage or the temper OF
personal relations Of two freight agents
Aeaiust this Arrangement the commissioners say
they have heard no complaints. aud admit that In
this respect they have been disappointed. The one
really dangerous thing about all such combinations is
the secrecy under which they are conducted" For
il they were more exposed 10 publicity, mo
abuse connected with them would long continue On
this point the laws OF Massachusetts, are explicit and
the movers Of the commissioners ample. On the appl
Gallon OF any persons considering themselves aggrieyed
or their eopardizrd public hearing would be
given BY the Board and the details OF this OF any
similar contract entered into between railroad
corporations scrutiulzed. This has been repeat
edly done 10y the commissioners and always
they have reason to believe Urn GA results.
The action OF the meeting NrwNOrk last DECEMBER
by which the duration oil tue combination was eA'eheu
for period OF five years, ana the commissioners were
cmpo1errd 70 revise the sting onmcnt on me
COMPLAINT Of party to the combinations has under
circumstances, an Importance winch cannot ven
ments and business combinations among the railroads
work OF subOrdinates. I'm way Themselves
interested, saws the report In the ownership
ntendents or freight agents. were chiefly remarkable
Tor the qualify Kno"n as sln.l .e,s, ".cn VIII
them versed usually on a low cunning. As rue
their highest ambition Wis To get theT share oi the
business and ~ doing they were quite mdinerent
about destroying It's value Inc pI9mlSt ol I"iu"lu
agent I'D matter OF was looked upon % about on
ptr with the statement of Jock iu horse trade
This meeting oi lat d eember holds out promises OF
how III be iulIticd remains yer 10 Dt
But N it SHAH result m q toHip itlF
and hearty cooperation. the railway -ystrm 81 tine coun-
Try would he On the verge Of very stea change Tor
undoub ed Il would the power Of those repre-
seus the trunk 70 convert at any time tue rcs-
ent Ncw-Yor, apportonment system mo iaHtodu
Clearinghouse basis which would admit o
indefinite expansion. maj such an Oigahl-
would prove of great value IN tue dcNeopm hl
of the general business Interests OF the country, the
members OF Board entertain no doubt But Tor some
reason not apparent % Toe pubic. the representa- YES
Of the trunk lines are evidently not prepared FOR THIS
dec Until they are prepared Tor H. ana
-bow disposition To adopt 1t uuTeserycdly, there
would seem to be no reason for suppOsug mat their
combination Is more than mere smell, Temporarily
held together by lively recollection OF the cost aud
results OF recent conflicts aud by the personal Inlu
once and CharaclcI ~ Unr lndu."