New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-12
THE RAILROADS AND TRADE.

THE TERMINAL FACILITIES OF THE PORT INSPECTED
STOCK YARDS. ELEVATORS AND OIL WORKS
The FREIGHT CARRIED BY THE ERIE RAILWAY
IN ONE YEAR.
The Assembly Railroad Investigation Committee
inspected yesterday afternoon the terminal facil-
ties of the several railroads which pour freight from
the West into this port. Much of the freight re-
mains in this city, but the main proportion OF 1t Is
at once shipped to Europe II was in regard to the
ease and expense of transferring freight from the
cars to the ships that the committee was chiefly
curious ; it having been charged that Philadelphia
and Baltimore offered far greater facilities in this
respect than New-YOrk, and therefore were drawing
trade away In the morning further testimony was
taken relative to the business OF the Erie Railway.
WHAT TIE COMMITTEE SAW AND HEARD.
The tour Of inspection was made on the
William Fletcher. which started from the foot OF Harf
sOnst. at l p m. There present on It's deck As
semblymen Hepburn, Hustled, Baker, Terry Low,
NOyes, Dugud. l. Hayes and Travis, and the follow
ing railroad Chauncey NJ. Depew. counsel OF the
New-York Central Albert Fink, Railroad Commits
soDer; George r. Blanchard vcepresdent Of the Erie
Railway; H. Mex TwOmDy. Manager Of the New-York
Central elevators John b. butcher, Manager OF tho
stock yards of the NewYOrk Central; j. NJ. TOucey.
superintendent Of the Hudson River Division OF the
New-YOrk Central Railroad: H. r. Little, Auditor OF the
Manager of the NewYOrk Central. The Fletcher first
steamed up the river the elevators Of the
New-YOIk Central at the foot OF West Sixtyffth-st
Along the river front the committee saw some terminal
facilities in the shape OF piers covered with railroad
cars from which freight loaded directly into the
vessels There was such collection Of Of the New
York Central about elevator at the foot OF Thirty
fOurth-st.
STOCK YARDS AND ELEVATORS
Arrivin at IN IN
specton was first made of the immense stock-yards
the OF the elevators Some recently erected stock
yards were observed and the committee informed
that these be used quarantnng animals bought
IN the vicinity of NewYork This done under orders Of
General Patrick. who has been engaged in stamping
out the cattle this state for six months past
The abattoir OF the Union Stock Yard Company
then visited 1t is enormous building. In one part
building the committee shown refrigerator
for preserving from taiut the carcasses OF cattle
intended for shipment TO Europe. There
were stored in the refrigerator at the time the
carcasses Of 32l cattle, Gas sides The committee
walked through the refrigerator and found that
the carcasses frozen solid sweetsmeling and
were indeed in excellent condition for shipment.
The refrigerator was kept cool by cylinders OF iron filled
with salt aud Ice. The atmosphere within found by
the committee to be that of cold Winter day. Simon
sterne, the counsel for the Chamber OF Commerce,
who had accompanied the committee, first thought OF
feeling upon mis- face cold wind like that Of
mdwiuter coming from Within he rereated and said be
thought insidious attempt was being made 20 kill
him. tour Of inspection made through the abat-
tor herd If fine ShOrt-hOrns being behed in part
of the building The chief elevator then visited and
carefully inspected. From Its large bins grain
pouring into several ships moored alongside Ships
be loaded on three sides of the elevator
ERIE OIL DOCKS.
From the elevators the Fletcher steamed the
Hudson Weehawken. There all the apparatus OF the
Erie Railway for shipping oil inspected. The works
cover several acres The committee were shown how
the oil il pumped from the petroleum cars into large
tanks and from the tanks Into barrels. The coOperng
and testing barrels very interesting process.
After the barrels full Of oil they again Inspected,
and the hoops are riyetel. \ large Rng of men
employed at this last task Of riyetng the hoops At the
conclusion Of their swift abOrs the barrels rolled
toward an inclined plane, which passed what first
looked like endless chain. But the chain at intervals
had gigantic claws which seized the barrels and
rcd them alOft I'LL they reached higher stage Along
This stage for long distance the barrels would
f Sndh Pgr into ne river they we're not permitted to stop
rolling however, for upon reaching the pier they
again pushed by gang OF men upon sort OF railway,
ard were kept rolling I'll they reached the vessels side
where they were 10 be pushed. All these operations
were done with great activity. Sometimes many
5000 barrels of oil day are shipped from these works
The Fletcher afterward steamed to Harsimus Cove,
where the committee were shown the Preparations Of
the Erie Railway 10 build there two large elevators and
Fletcher steamed along the entire waterfront OF jersey
CITY The committee were shown the terminal
New,Jersey Central. The Fletcher thence departed
for Williamsburg, where the committee saw the
load ears at their wharyes intended for the Erie Rail
way. The Atlantic Docks, Brooklyn were last Of all
back to this city.
TESTIMONY OF r. c. Villas.
The committee examined in the morning r. c. Villas
the general freight agent of the Erie Railway regarding
the railroads past business Mr. Villas gave informa-
ton at the start certain important contracts,
corning which he was asked ut u previous meeting OF
the committee. lie exhibited u contract with the
National stock Yard Company. dated February l. 1876
and contract with John r. Mcpherson, dated January
2s. 1876, aud now I'm existence. Senator Mcpherson
leases ock yards of the Erie Railway and charges
cattle dealers with caring for their stock Mr. Villas also
presented a tabuated statement showing that during
the wear 1913 the Erie Railway Company paid $685.
40 66 rebates OIL He also had statement showing
mat the following rebates and OycrCa for Oh trans
ported granted to the following from June l. s76
to June 1. lS79; w. II DGane 1915 20 standard
Acme OH Company S36.9l3 80; Durant on Company,
S5.l54 10 Charles Pratt * 60, So,3Ol "a star on
Company Sl60 IS; STANDARD on company, S40,O6l 80;
Vacuum on Company, 1924 81. Altogether during
that time rebates ana oyercharg amounting to SlO2-
NJ. stencil would like to call the attention of the
committee the lact that the report of the receiver
tows tuat the STANDARD OIL Company alone granted
rebates drawbacks amounting to SlOl,3O1 o.
what Is the cause Of the diScle2any between the state
ment OF Mr.. Villas just now ana that OF Mr. Jcwett
Mr. Blluchard-I think, Mr.. Chairman, that 1t Is due
10 the fact that Mr. Villas states the Eres proportion Of
the draw backs aud rebates while Mir Jewett stated the
whole amount collected By the Erie, but much OF 1t
owned by other railroads.
MIR Villas then said that he would furnish vouchers
showing the whole cunt OF Oyerclarges and rebates
lie oferward presented statement showing that the
Great Western Dispatch Company received rebates ana
oyerrbarges from June l. 1877 to June l. 1872 amount
ing TO sci i43 IS; and Eastman AleItOn and MOrrs
tne eyeners cattle at Chicago, received from June
l. 1870 TO April |, 1879, when their contract
called The sum of S2Gl lOl % for their services seu-
oor Mcpherson received for yardage Of sheep and hogs
during 1875 the OF S59,9OS 81. A contract with
the Car Trust Company exhibited, showing that
the company had contracted TO furnish 5000 cars Tor
the use the Erie Most OF these cars now the
road Mr. Villas stated that he could give the
fnrlf raes for Is77 ISIS and 1879 from CHICAGO 70