New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-26
RAILWAY INTERESTS.
RELATIONS OF THE RAILWAYS.

VIEWS OF ]. II. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. GREAT
CRASH.
General j. II. Devereux was called upon by
TRIBUNE reporter at the Windsor Hotel this week. IN
reply 10 question about the present relations betwecu
the trunk lines. he said; y,
90 The roads are now very friendly. The Wabash waS
OF few weeks ago has been amicaby settled and th4
roads are now cooperative basis Hero In tha
East as you know, the Immigrant tariff war has beee
brought 70 close the reason was that the Ene In.
formed the Pennsylvania road that unless restored tb4
immigrant rates, the Erie would cut rates rsclas4
business: This brought the Pennsyvania company an
TO the desired point, because they DO The
largest frstclass business, and could not a6ord
TO have travel diverted TO tho Erie How
long the present smicabe feeling will exist there nq
would be another cut" ;
"Are not the railroad wars somewhat personal r.
They certain extent. Real fancied wronga
are resented at the expense Of the stockholders"
"But to the benefit OF the public ip
Eot at all The public are not benefited In the end
by the uneven. changeabe rates. For instance mer1
sells goods to-day the basis OF certain rates ID
the West TO be delivered within thirty days Before the
time expires tho rates, and tne buyer or seeT
loses money. Then again. rates. after the war. are
oftentimes higher than they were before There.
s such sharp competition that road
cannot charge exorbltant rates IL ~
expects to get business. For instance take Chicago
seven year ~ Wueof $sVWf
competition with water gwen up long ago. 30, II,
the roads charge too mucb merchants send their bus
by water the difference In time not eQualling the
difference In expense Tonnage s heavy that the dif
ference Of the small Of mill per ton makes tho
difference OF dividend bankruptcy. On my road ~
makes something like 100000 difference while on the
NewYork Central do not hesitate to that beieve
makes the difference Of $2000O0o. Now this does not
seem possible know, but n is the fact nevertheless
81" that is the would 1t not pay TO build other
roads a.
There are many who seem to think It will. because
the railroads especially In the West literally being
duplicated-the many new enterprises not by any,
means new routes but almost alongside Of tha old ones
and the enormous of money that being spens
can only lead to one thing and that is great crash,
There Is much money TO invest tnat seeks TINS out
LET. we shall have repetition OF 1873 In very
short time. Is my belief"
In what condition are the railroads Of the United
5tatee ."
East Of the Mississippi they in very excellent
condition Their standard being raised all the time.
This Is natural Of events. because the bus
meas of the country has spread and changed so much
that 1t is necessary. When went Wesrs
soTie thirty odd years ago, ooio o,. WAS. was;
Of them sxsores hgn marked the water courses 0tne
State, while only one railroad In the slator
Ncw the roads are like checkerboard grdronlng tno
State every direction, while Ohio does not ralse
crumblng down. The tormer trade has all been trans
ferred TO the Northwest. Five years ago the country
through which the Northern Pacific runs was almost
and the Northwest only the granary OF the East
but of the Eastern and Western hemspheres Ine roso
was built Just In the right time" =,