The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-04-18
THE CLARION.
RAILROAD TRANSPORTATION.
Report of Committee on Transports
ton to the American Agricultur-
al Association, at their meet
ing in New York, Febru-
airy 1st, 1882.

a
disadvantage should not forget that the
fundamental principle of our institu-
tions is "the greatest good for the great
est number" We should not forget
that by means of cheap through trans
portation the Great West has been en-
ablcd to send abroad those immense
quantities of produce which, turning
the balance Of trade in our favor, have
brought prosperity to every part of our
country. II is not claimed that rail
road officials or managers are entirely /
free from the faiiings common to hui
manity. We cannot expect perfection /
in this world What we should c0nsid- |
or is this; do the advantages which the |
railroads confer upon the whole country |
outweigh the evils which it is claimed /
they inhict upon certain localities? The
moment the subject is viewed in this
common-sense light, the question is set |
tied. AS for the real evils connected |
with the railroad management, we may
rest assured that competition and an
enlightened sclf-ntcrest striving for pub !
lie patronage will remedy all griey-
anCes.
While deprecating inconsidcrat action
on the part Of State or General Govern
ment, this Convention does not by any
means admit that the railroads are above
the Iato rs TO rates of transportation. 1t
Is the Judgment OF this Convention that
diflerental rates on the same articles of
freight, when offered in carload lots, are
unjust against the real interests of the
people and the railroads themselves.
That until all railroads are possessed of
equal facilities for transportation, and
have an equal amount of business to
transact, and are managed with equal
abilities, that any arbitrary tariff inn
posed per mile will injuro instead of
bencfting those sections which now feel
aggrieved. That any such regulating of
tariffs by State or National Authority,
would be entirely imperative a. to the
great trunk lines, or else bankrupt nine
tenths of the smaller lines in which the
mass of the farmers have a far greater
interest than in the main arteries of
transportation. Many other conditions
besides mere distance enter into and
have an important bearing uron the
cost OF transportation, and which must
necessarily influence transportation
charges.
Farmers in the Fast should not for
get that cheap bread means ability to
purchase other articles Of comfort and
luxury which their proximity to the
great mass OF consumers and a high sys-
TEN of farming will enable them to sun
ply without fear of competition from
the West
There were in operation in. the.United
states January LIST, 1881, 91,778 miles of
railroads. The area fexeludng Alas,...(
OF the United States is 1904 1899 square
miles, or one mile Of railroad to each 80
square mil Of territ y. II we deduct
from ting total area about 100000
square miles which are considered as UNI
fit for cultivation, we have one mile of
railroad to each p square miles. The
fitted States has one mile Of railroad to
each $40 inhabitants.
Let us consider the railroad facilities
of Virginia, North Carolina and Ten
nessce--three States which possess a
larger amount of mineral and forestal
wealth than any other three States Of
the Union, also agricultural resources
second to mono. They have area and
railroad mileage as folows:- Virginia
has 1876 miles of railways in operation,
with an area Of 1882 square miles or
one mile OF railway to tgcnty-0ae square
miles OF territory-one mile of railway
to o2S inhabitants North Carolina has
an area Of 5O,7O4 square miles, with but
lazy miles of railway, or one mile of
railway to thirty-sour miles of territory,
and one mile to each 934 inhabitants.
Tennessee has $4,000 square miles of ter
rltory, with but 1924 miles of railway,
viz: one mile to each 25 miles of terri
tory, and to 8i5 inhabitants.
large portion of the State of Mas
sachusetts is mountainous and sterile,
and IS unfit even for grazing, and there
lore has no use for railroads, nor contri-
butes in any considerable degree to
their support. On the other hand the
mountains of Virginia, North Carolina
and Tennessee, are rich and fertile, es.
peclally upon their north sides, and are
covered with magnificent forests of the
most valuable timber to their very sum-
mlts' This agricultural fertility and
1orestal wealth, Incompatible as it is to
the natural recources of New England.
Is OF slight Importance TO the vast stores
OF IRON, coal, copper, lead, zinc and
other valuable minerals which lie wait
ing the developing hands of enterprise
and industry; they in turn are anxious
ly waiting for the building of railroads
which shall furnish cheap transporta.
ton for these inexhaustible stores Of
latent wealth--unlimited water mower i
waiting to be utilized.
Virginia, from her proximity to the
sea, from her geographical position. nos.
sessing in Hampton Roads, Norfolk. tho
James and York rivers, the only first
class harbors on the Atlantic coast south
OF New York. (These harbors must, for
ali time, be the chief points of embarka-
ton Tor the productions of the States
west and south Of Virginia. The natu.
raj outlet for all Tennessee and fo,
North Carolina is through Hampton
Roads.)
On account Of these advantages, which
are briefly noted above, it follows that
Virginia requires for The DEVELOPMENT
OF her resources and the vast through
traffic which must come, railroad mile.
age far in excess of that. required by
Massachusetts,. TO provide Virginia
with railroad mileage equal to that az
Mag9anh unntto x.,o,,l IA .n,.t,..a ~ 4, ., !,