New-York tribune., 1879-04-24
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
RAILWAY RATES AND MANAGEMENT.


RAILWAY RATES AND MANAGEMENT
A JOINT LETTER FROM PRESIDENT VANDERBILT
AND RECEIVER JEwETT IN ANSWER TO THE
CHARGES OF 1Hg CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
A Joint letter has been sent by President Wander
bilt, of the New-York Central and Hudson River
Railroad and Receiver Jewett, of the New-Iork.
Lake Erie and Western Railroad to the Assembly
Special Committee on Railroads, in answer to the
New-York Chamber of Commerce charges of abuses
in the management of railroads chartered by the
State. The address of the Chamber recited espe-
cially the grievances under which the trade OF the
city and State Is alleged to be suffering from the
management of these two great corporations, which
control and influence LAS miles of the total OF
55GJ miles of railway within the limits OF the
State After defining the proper scope of such an
inquiry the letter takes up the charges, Of which
the principal one is that the railroads control abso-
lutely the production and commerce of the whole
country, debating values to producers manutac-
turers merchants and consumers II Is alleged
that there Is too great difference between the
through and local rates on freight that west
bound freghts are carried cheaper for foreigners
than for citizens of this State and that there Is an
enormous difference in the rates charged on through
East and West bound traffic To this II is replied
that rates of freight are determined on true busi-
ness principles. 1t is ACKNOWLEDGED that there
should be a difference between the rate for a long
distance and a short one, THIS is a matter OF
opinion, aS is also the difference between East and
West bound freight. The charge that foreigners
can secure cheaper rates than citizens of this state
Is pronounced absolutely untrue The alegau0n III
re!crenccto inside express companies Is GGclaIe9
TO eyIuCo gross ignorance as 10 the ownership anu
management of such companies.
The sixth specification Is that rates are kept up
10 pay dividends on watcred stock. ConccrHlh2
this II Is SAID That tue cou1hItN gre ltutS @ntV ~
collect the full amount of rates which ucN are en-
titled under their charters on account ot the laws
Of trade aud the effect OF coAip.t!uoh' me opSIa-
tion of the system of pooling IL is said' involves
the question ut what constitutes proper colpItlHh'
and thiS system is q successful plan for preventing
railroad wars and securing uniformity and peIlna-
nancy In rates. The effect of laws against dincrH-
,,If,,, yc.nf Where me traffic j. III al respects
alike would be 10 send the freight of large pro-
duccrs and manufacturers To Boston ana Phhadei-
nina The large tonnage of through freight causes
the employment Of much labor, and II TINS was cur
of thc towns ana ciuts on tre I'es "f @ tuS i
would feel the less severely. The law OF trade VIII
answer the charges which nave peen made halSS
are said not To be controlled by the capital OF Iall-
road companies. D-N-1
is luiurcd. and that merchants of this city suher
loss bv the present method OF sending articles or
export foreign countries, are declared to be With
out foundation. New centres OF trade nave pceli
established. and there Is change M the neIhOd OF
distributing general merchandise. That the loss 10y
the j1bbmg trade - not due - DISCRIMINATION IN
favor Of Otucr cities Is shown 10y he lIcl ihnl luvI
iobbng interests have fallen OH III proportion 10
that OF TINS city.
CHEAP AND QUICK TRAINS IN NEW-JERSEY.
MEETING OF TIE RAPID TRANSIT CaMMIILE OF
NEw-JERsEY-THE OBJECT SOUGHT
The Rapid Transit Committee of New-JeIsey met
Yesterday at the Coal and Iron Exchange, Mayor
Yates. of Newark presiding. The Hon. William
Walter Phelps of EnglcwoCd, William Rvle, of Pat
erson. Mayor Hopper, Of jersey CITY, Amos Clark,
IT.. of Elizabeth c. A. Runkle, Of New-Providence,
William Il. Potts, of Plainfeld, and others were
present. Letters were read from several railroad
managers in regard to the objects of the meeting.
Receiver Lathrop. of the Central Railroad of New
jersey said that lie had referred the communication
from the committee TO Anthony Reckless, president
Of the New-York and Long Branch Road, who would
confer with President sloan and General Manager
Jackson.
Mr.. Jackson, General Manager of the Pennsyl-
vauia Company's lines in New-Jerscy wrote: d" We
shall give as low rates as will be Temuncrative TO
the company. and by frequent and quick trains Of
fer such inducements as viii encourage the growth
Of the places in the neighbOrhOod OF our lines III
New-JeTsev."
The committee had a general conversation about
the necessity for cheaper and more RAPID trains III
New-Jersey, aud more equitable adjustment OF
William Walter Phelps suggested that the atten-
iou of the railroad managers should be called to tho
necessity of meeting the wishes of the people vng
along the line of the roads. Tie thought that at least
two communication trains, with not too many cars,
similar to the Parliamentary trains in London shonld
be run morning and evening, TO accommodate labor
ing men and mechanics, and that the communication
rates should be adjusted that there should be no
distinction in the price paid for the same time bY
monthly and annual commuters. lie spoke OF the
new system adopted by the New ork, New-Hayen
and Hartford Company, by winch the monthly
charges TO annual commuters are decreased each
month. the charges of The hrst month Delng the
heaviest, thus equallzlng the rates.
Mr. R1ullc suggested that some arrangement
should be made 10 the trains and ferry TO-
cether. Now he claimed, the boats run on sepa-
rate timetable and frequently passengers by trains
in New-Jcrsey delayed al the ferry houses ten
Inlnutes Ii was TO the interest of the alrOads to
furnish every accommodation to the travelling pub
lie vino must have cheap and RAPID transit or they
Will remove TO New-lork, where there Is rapid tran
cit.
The matter was finally referred to a special COM
rnttee to draw up address to the railroad mana
gers and the public, embOdylng the views OF the
members of the committee. and recommending the
necessary action by the New-JeTscy railroad com
panies and tO report the subject back 20 the full
committee for action. The special committee is
composed of Mayor Yates. W. h. Potts and W. o.
Mcdowell
GENERAL STANLEY'S DEFENCE CLOSED.
MORE TESTIMONY ABOUT THE PosT-IRADERsHPs
AND THE BATTLE OP SHILOH
Among the persons present at the Stanley court
martial yesterday were ex-Secretary Belknap.
General Emerson Opdyke, General James A. Gar
field. Colonel Samuel :. Carpenter. Eastern passen-
ger agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad, ex-Gov-
ernor Palmer of Illinois. George X. Otis
Government NAL contractor. Colonel Thomas j.
Bush, of Kentucky, Colonel James II. Phmney and
Joseph Z. Wheelock, Of ThcSt Paul PoRcer-P Press.
Tue Hon. john 4. CObum was recalled and exam
jned i'm relation to the circumstances under which
General Hazen testified before the Military Com
Inittee of the House on po,ttradershIps. The wit
Eess understood that General Hazen wished to tes-
tifv I'm that topic lie had first learned of the