Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-04
A RAILROAD COETROvE RsY.
The Alleged Baltimore & Ohio De-
tentions in Philadelphia.
Light on the Subject Through an
Independent Paper.

Independent Paper.
Telegraph correspondence, news
specials and some newspapers from
the east have been burdened with
statements of alleged intentional de-
tentions of Baltimore & Ohio trains
while passing through the yards ofthe
Pennsylvania railroad, in Philadel-
phia. Anything that affects the gene
raj transportation movements Of the
country is a matter of interest to the
public at large, and when a contro-
versy arises between two such gigantic
corporations as these, requiring the
Intervention of the courts and enlist
ing the press, it commands general
attention. Even at this distance from
the scene the issues have a bearing
upon our local commerce to some ex-
tent and are understood by certain
classes.
We find in a late number Of the
Philadelphia Press an article
on the subject which appears to be
very fair and to clearly define
the true status of the difficulty.
AS it cannot possibly be condensed
without destroying its continuity and
effect we reproduce it entire. The ar
ticle is as follows:
There has been an animated discus
sion by some Of our contemporaries of
the circumstances connected with the
alleged failure or neglect of Pennsyl-
vania railroad company to promptly
move passenger trains belonging to the
Baltimore and Ohio through the
Pennsylvania railroad yard in west
Pennsylvania. Some of the points
connected with this controversy are Of
considerable local interest, and they
have also a bearing upon the general
transportation movements of the coun-
try. The exact nature Of the occur
rences complained of as instructions
to trains are undergoing an elaborate
legal investigation before an exami-
ner appointed by the United States
circuit court; and the general charac-
ter of the testimony adduced may be
briefly summed up in the statement
that on the one side it is alleged that
trains have been unnecessarily de-
tanned for periods ranging from less
than half an hour to more than AN
hour, while on the part Of the Penn
s~ylvania railroad companyit is claimed
that in no instance have the deten
tiOns been greater than we're necessary
to insure the safety of the passengers
carried, and at the same time to con-
tinue the appropriate application of
the yard through which these
trains must pass to the accom-
mediation Of the enormous freight
business conducted there. On the
one hand representatives of the Bal
timore and Ohio, Philadelphia and!
Readingand Central railroad Of Ncw1
Jersey assert that there have been I'M
due and unnecessary detentions of
passenger trains belonging to the new
through route between New York and
Washington, while representatives of
the Pennsylvania railroad company
reply hat they have given all the or
ders requisite for a faithful obedience
to the decree issued by Judge McKen-
nan commanding hat these trains
should be transported over the line Of
the Pennsylvania railroad with proper
diligence, and that these orders have
been obeyed as faithfully as was con-
sistent with due regard for the bust
ness which the passenger train move
ments conflict.
The pivotal point of dispute is
whether the Pennsylvania railroad
company shall subject a vast volume
of freight traffic, manipulated in its
own yards, and intended for the sup
ply OF the pressing necessities in Phil
adelphia and many other points, to
great delays, arrangements and disad-
yantages for the purpose Of giving
special accommodations, for which it
receives no adequate compensation, to
a rival line. To do exactly what is
desired by the Baltimore and Ohio
and Bound Brook lines, the Penusyl-
vania railroad would be compelled to
abaLdon, to a great extent the adyan-
tageous use Of many facilities it mas
established at great expense for the
accommodation of its passenger and
freight business, and even after such
self-abnegatiOn was carried to extreme
lengths, it would still be obliged to
make very material changes in the
mechanical construction Of the por
tons of its line where most Of the i'm
puted delays have secured, before the
expectations of the Baltimore and
Ohio and Bound. Brook lines could be
fully realized.
There is probably no place on this
continent where more numerous and
inevitable distractions to the rapid
passage Of an express passenger train
are more certain to occur than on the
portion Of the line of the Pennsyl-
yania railroad company Immediately
north of its system Of tracks leading
by the connecting railway to New
York, which has suddenly been
pressed into use under the late deci-