Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1879-03-05
CIVIL ENGINEER" ON RAILROADS
AGAIN.


sylvania, whose officers had made sworn re-
ports of the charge and cost of freight and
passenger transport on their respective roads
in 1869. 1t will be seen that the cost OF
transport varied from 86-100 of cent to l
cent per ton per mile for COAL and 96-1OO OF
cent for freight, to 2 cents per ton for freight
which was the highest. The charges run for
freight from 72-100 to L 41-10O cents per
ton per mile, and for coal from / to cents.
1t was said in the Chronicle that these fares
and freights would appear comparatively rea-
sonable to us, yet there was great complaint
in the East over them, and that they were
continually and considerably reduced from
1870 to 1876. AS proof of the complaints read
the following In July, 1870, New York
journal of engineering, ETC., said: "The ne
cessity of cheap transit, both for passengers
and merchandise, is daily becoming more
pressing, and unfortunately, just as this ne
cessity becomes more apparent, so do the cor
ruption and the arrogance of our railroad
companies increase, Indeed, to such an
tent does venality exist among the personnel
of our great railroad corporations, that the
public tacitly entertain the opinion that the
fact that man is a prominent railroad dl-
rector is prima fdcte evidence against his char
scter. Nor will this conclusion be deemed so
very illogical if we consider fully the ground
upon which it is based A man is in general
chosen to a position because he is fitted to
perform the work required of him in connec-
ton with it, The history of railroads in this
country would lead to the conclusion that the
willingness and ability to corrupt our legls-
lators bribe our judges, and cheat generally,
are essential qualifications for railroad dl-
rector, and it is fair to presume that those
who have chosen the men who form our
boards of railroad directors not only knew
What was wanted but were able to secure it.
What has the history of the New York Cen
trail been but the history of legislative cor
vania Central boasted that they oerned the
Legislature of that State, having bought
them and paid for them2 And has not the
overpowering influence of certain railroad
corporations rendered our sister State of
New Jersey by-word and reproach, taking
away not only her good name but her entire
name, and substituting therefor that of the
State of Camden and Amboy"
The writer then expresses the opinion that
the next question to be met will be one based
not on Democracy against Republicanism, or
Catholic against Protestant, or foreigner
against native, but of the people at large
against the powerful corporations,
Now what was the result? Hon. H S.
Mason, in his speech at the Carson Opera
House, is reported in the Carson Tribune of
February 4th to have said: "In Connecticut
j, in Massachusetts, A., Pennsylvania ),
Ohio 6ff aud in the great State of New York
with its teemiu5 millions only 81 cents per
ton per mile is paid for freight. The average
per ton per mile in all these States is cents.
The New York Central charges but l 44-1OO
cents per ton per mile, the Albany 38-1OO,
and the great Illinois Central u.
From an editorial i'll the Tribune of the |
same date we get the same figures as for the |
years 1874 and 1873, with Maine put in at 4 |
cents | am afraid Mason and the TriIune |
have lost or buried their little Ratchet. From
4 bushel of proof take the following Now,
Mr.. Editor, turn to page three of Poor's
Railroad Manual of the Railroads of the
United States and read "This increase (of
freight earnings) is wholly due to the great re-
1uction in the rates of transportation. This
'eduction has been steadily going on for the
asst five years In MISUNDERSTANDING
presents fair average for all New England
he reduction has been from 8 II cents per
on per mile in 1871 to 2.04 per ton per mile in
-S76. In Ohio, which also presents fair
.verage for the Western States, the reduction
las been from 1,S2 cents per ton per mile in
81 to LIP per ton per mile in 1876. In
Jew York, which fairly represents the Middle
states, the earnings per ton per mile have de- {
reased from LIT cents in 1871 to 10 cents
n 1876" Note, these are all g-eenback prices.
Yet with this enormous reduction in the
ates of transportation, the railroads have
ielded for 1876 net return of over per
emit. on the capital invested )" and the open .
~ sentence of his manual is as follows
Though the past year has been one of great
OPPRESSION in the railway, and in all the other
interests of the country, the aggregate results
their operations have been fairly satisfac-
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