Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-03-24
The Direreutial Rate discussion.

Way commission, winch Is 70 utCiuc Oh
the question Of differential or uniform
rates for the transportation Of freight
from the West to the Eastern seapoIts Of
New York, Baltimore and Philadelphia
As we have before stated, this commits
sion is the outgrowth of the recent rail
way war in the North, which, after it
had cost the railways therein engaged
800, 100000, brought them to g
realizing sense of the fact that
cutting each others Threats was
rather an expensive amusement, and that
It would be better to submit their differ
ences to arbitration, and abide by the
decision Of the arbitrator.
The claim made by Mr.. Vanderbilt,
snd which claim brought on the railway
war, was that, although Baltimore is
situated about three hundred miles nearer
70 the West than is New York, yet be
cause the great Western feeder for the
former city-the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad-had to pass through range
Of mountains before it reached the water,
heavy grades and short curves were ne
cessitated. This, he claimed, necessitated
additional expense in the operation OF
the road, 50 that the cost Of trans
porting grain and other freight
from the West over that road
was equal TO that Of bringing the
same freight into New York over his Mr..
Vanderbilt's) lines, which, though 300
miles longer. enjoyed the advantage OF
comparatively level grades. Hence ne
claimed that the New York Central
should be permitted to transport Western
freight into New York at uniform rates
with the Baltimore and Ohio and Penn
sylvsnia Central Roads, and this added
to the natural advantages which New
York enjoyed would secure her the bulk
Of the Western trade to the manifest in
jury Of her rivals.
This claim the merchants of Balti-
more especially contended against. They
were willing for New York to enjoy the
advantages to which she was naturally
entitled, but they were unwilling that
she should, by sophistry and artihce,
also deprive their city Of the natural
dvantages which were hers by reason
Of her being three hundred miles nearer
he West than was her big rival. When,
therefore, after the advisory commission
had been organized and proceeded to
Baltimore to hear the statement Of the
claims Of that city, it was shown that
Mr.. Vanderbilt had no justice what
ever on his side. True, the Baltimore
and Ohio passes over a high mountain,
and labors under the difficulties Of
heavy grades and sharp curves. Never
theless, its line trsverses rich coal fields,
which furnish cheap fuel for locomo-
tives, and enables the Baltimore and
Ohio to procure its coal for about ninety
cents a ton, while that used by the New
York Central costs about two dollars
per ton. Hence it is that so far from
the Central being able to be operated
cheaper than its more Southern rival, its
running expenses are actually more,
and even ON this ground alone rates of
Western freights for Baltimore should
be less than to New York.
1t seems to US that the Baltimc-
reans have made out an unanswera-
Die case on their side, and that,
as they have the double advantage over
New York of being nearer to the West,
aud of being able to run their great rail-
way feeder at less expense than Mr.. Van
derbilt can operate his, the decision Of
the commission should be in their favor.
This is question too in which Ssvan-
nah is consider ably interested. Senator
Brown, in his late speech before the
United States Senate in advocacy Of an
appropriation for our river and harbor,
made the point that this city, by means
of her railway connections. is one Of
the nearest Eastern seaports to the West,
ard that when our water facilities are
considered (aHd in computing distance
by water, we believe, four miles are
allowed for ev-ry mile of land trans
portation) it affords nearer means Of
communication between the West and
New York than is now afforded by
the Western railways leading to that
city. If the advisory commission,
therefore, decide that differential rates,
on q distance basis, shall
be established between the West and the
Atlantic seaboard, Savannah must come
in for her share of the benefits of such
decision, and these benefits will be that
she will become of still greater import
snce as shipping port, and will there
fore be able to present, more forcibly
than ever, her claim for a liberal and
satisfactory appropriation for the i'm
provement of her river and harbor The
decision of this commission, therefore,
will be watched with general interest,
and certainly, if equity is considered, it
must be adverse to the preposterous
claims of New York, which, though she
already possesses inesumsble advantages
over rival seaports of which she cannot
be deprived, wishes also to enjoy those
to which other ports are clearly entitled.