The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1881-07-27
The Railroad and the Farmer.

Edward Atkinson, of Massachu-
setts, in the Journal of the Amerl-
can Agricultural Association, has
an able article on the above subject.
Mr.. Atkinson has evidently studied
the subject very carefully and sys-
tematically. He has taken the
trouble to ascertain from the most
reliable sources the facts upon
which he bases his arguments, and
he backs up all his statements with
statistics. His article, in its gene
raj scope, is vindication OF the
great railroad corporations OF the
country from the oft.repeated charge
CT extortion; to show that these So
called "monopolies" upon which SO
much abuse has been heaped are
the great benefactors of mankind;
and to point out the dangers and
the mischief that will follow from
the attempt of legislatures to regu-
late and control the railroads.
To obviate all ground for sus-
pecting self interest, Mr.. Atkinson
says, 1.-The writer has no connection
with and hardly any interest in any
railroad: his sole purpose in the
preparation of this paper has been
to clear away the rubbish that OBJ
scures a most important public
question"
Taking the past sixteen years, he
eives the number of miles of rail-
road each year, the grain crop for
the same period, and the freight
charges each year, showing that
while the miles of railroads have
| nearly trebled the freight charges
have been reduced by over so per
cent. In 1865 there were 33,9US
miles of railroads in the country !;
| in 1880 there were S6,497. In the
| samo time the grain crop Of the
country has Increased from l,l27,-
| 499,lS7 tons in 1865 to 2,44S,O79,-
| ISL in 1850. The increase in other
products and articles of manufac-
ture, we suppose, has been in about
the same proportion. From Mr..
Atkinsons figures it is very clear
that instead of encouraging railroad
legislation and an "anti-monopoly"
spirit, the public has great reason
to be grateful to these corporations
and to wish them the largest liberty
in regulating their own affairs and
in forming as many combinations
as they please. The Lake Shore &
Michigan Southern R. R. hauled in
1869 574,O35,571 tons to each mile,
at the charge of $3.50 per ton per
mile; in 1879 this same corporation
| moved 1.733.423,440 at the charge
of 81 certs-an increase in amount
of freight of POP per cent, and a
decrease in charge of 575 per cent. ;
the earnings increased for the same
time 22I per cent. On the Boston
& Albany road from 1869 to 1879
the increase in traffic was los per
| cent, while the charges decreased
54a per cent, and the earnings Z
per cent. Between 1872 and 1879
the traffic on the Pennsylvania r.
r. increased so per cent, the charge
decreased 43 Per cent, and the
earnings increased 8 per cent. We
will take another example, and the
most conspicuous one that be gives.
| The New York Central & Hudson
River r. R., controls the lines from
Chicago to Boston, and operates
about 1000 milestone of the big
cest railroad combinations in the
country. If any railroad comblna-
ton could Cypress the farmer and
extort heavy freight charges this
| could. But the figures show that
so far from raising freight rates on
the combined lines it has lowered
them. In 1869 the several roads
representing this combination, or
s:syndicate" moved $50, ,362,S4G tons
to each mile, at an average charge
of S2.3S per ton in 1879 this COM
bination moved 2,295, ,S27:3S7 tons:
at a charge of 79 cents-an increase
in traffic of 2S9 per cent, and q
decrease in charge Of 81 per cent
the earnings for the same period
increased 30 per cent.
Mr.. Atkinson, who seems to be
thoroughly poste,;, says that a
steady reduction in freight has fol-
lowed the consolidation of railroads.
Speaking of these reductions, he
says: THE same changes have oc,
CURED in substantially the same
degree upon the Pennsylvania Gen.