Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-12-13
Aancaster 3ntelligenrer.
A Railroad Rivalry.

EvElJING DEC. ID. 1880,
A Railroad Rivalry.
Railroad rivalry is good thing for
the people, whatever it may be for the
stockholders, and the efforts of the
Reading and the Pennsylvania railroads
to enter each others territory in this
state is one which the public view with
unmixed satisfaction. The Reading
company, notwithstanding its crippled
financial condition, has been the most
active in this work of invasion, under
the energetic direction of its restless
president. 1t now reaches out on two sides
Of the state by an arrangement sometime
since made with Mr.. Vanderbilt, who
became large owner Of the stock year
or SO ago and used his power to continue
Mr.. Gowen in the presidency of the
road, from which he was about being
ousted in the interest of the Pennsylvania
railroad. However selfish Mr.. Wander
bilt's motives may have been, he did a
good thing to the state of Pennsylvania
in preventing the practical absorption of
the Reading by the Pennsylvania road,
which is greater than any other single
material benefit that could have been
wished for the state. It would have
been a great calamity If the rivalry be-
tween the two great railway companies
of the state had been stopped; that
rivalry now is about to give us several
additional main avenues of traffic
through the state, besides other outlets
to its trade of more local Importance.
The connection between the Reading
railroad at Williamsport and the New
York systems of roads is being made
through the Pine Creek valley. The
earnest effort, which the Pennsylvania
road made some years ago to get the
state aid for the building of the Pine
Creek road, will be remembered, and
how narrowly and amid what excite
ment it was defeated. That raid was the
last of the great assaults made 10y the
Pennsylvania railroad on the treasury of
the state. Perhaps it would have been
better for it if it had, built this road
then out of its own resources, and
occupied the ground which its rival
now seizes. Vanderbilt's convention
with the Reading carries him to the
other side of Williamsport in a new rail-
road and corporation, of which William
A. Wallace is the official head, that pen
crates into the Clearfeld coal region,
where the interested parties have pur-
chased large body of coal land, and
which they propose to aid the Pennsylva-
mia railroad in its present monopolizing
business of opening to the outside world.
There is ample business here for two
roads at a good profit in the traffic at
rates much less than those now imposed
upon our manufacturing industries.
Coal, which the miners sell at about a
dollar ton. the railroad charges two and
a-half dollars ton to carry to Philadel.
phia, or fifty dollars for each car of
twenty tons capacity. That is an unfair
impost upon manufacture, most mani
festly.
Mr.. Vanderbilt's arrangement with
the Heading provides for its extension
from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh and the
West. A new line of railroad is to be
built through the southern tier of coun-
ties to join one under the control of
Vanderbilt, already built as far east
as Mckeespor:. At Pittsburgh the con-
nection will he by the Pittsburgh &
Lake Erie with the Lake Shore road.
Animated by these warlike invasions the
Pennsylvania railroad moves on its lines
to Reading and the Schuylkill valley,
whose people complain Of the Reading
railroad monopoly, and who will well
come its rival with open arms. 1t is a
good thing for the state. 1t ensures the
people fair rates Of transportation and
protects the commonwealth against the
blighting powers of great monopoly.
The Legislature should act so as to
make it forever impossible that this
rivalry should cease; to do which it only
needs to see that the provisions of the
constitution are enforced.