Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-11-17
RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS.

RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS.
Passenger and Freight Bates Considered
and Action Taken.
Especial to the RBcoRD-USIoN.l
SAN Francisco. November 16sh.-The
Railroad Commissioners held a meeting at IL
A. N. to-day. All the members present.
A. J. Binney and N. D. Rideout Superin.
tendent and Director respectively of the
Marysville and Oroville Railroad, against
whom q complaint of overcharge has been
filed with the Board, appeared to explain.
Mr. Binney outlined the condition of the
railroad, saying its expenses were 81, 900 q
month. The road is 26I miles LONG, and the
annual net earnings about $685. per mile
The rate per mile of passenger fares was
seven cents. There was but one station be-
tween Marysville and Oroville, the fare
between these places being "a.
Mr. Foote asked if the company did not
have any round-trip system of tickets.
Mr. Binney said the company contemplated
| selling round-trip tickets TO San Francisco.
via the Central Pacific, reducing the fare on
the short road to 49, This would probably
not pay, as there was nothing to draw in.
creased travel from.
Mr. Rideout said the company also con-
templated reduction in local rates, but at
present the Superintendent was opposed to it
Oh the ground that the road could not stand
it. He was in favor, however, of the round
trip ticket system, which would probably be
adopted. He had interests in that section,
he said, greater than the railroad, and he did
not intend the road should be managed in
any other than the interest Of the public. Ii
it was big road, with connections, he said,
like some others, he might try to make all be
could out of it, A survey had been made to
Big Meadows, with the intention of extend.
ing the road. That could not be done if any
| reduction at all was made in the receipts OF
the company.
On motion OF Mr.. Foote. the complaint
was dismissed, with the understanding that
the round.trip experiment would be made.
Mr.. Humphreys offered the following order,
| which was on motion of Mr.. Foote, adopted
1t is hereby ordered that the Secretary be and he
is hereby directed to notify the South Pacific Coast
| North Pacific Coast San Francisco and North Pa.
| cific Vaca Valley and Clear Lake, Nevada County
Narrow Gauge, Visslia, Santa Cruz, Sonoma Valley
and the California Southern Railroad Companies TO
appear before the Board Of Railroad Commissioners
| and show cause on the third Friday of December,
why reductions should not be made on their roads
corresponding to those made on the Central and
Southern Pacific and their leased lines OF railroad.
MIR. Foote then brought up for adoption his
three cents mile passenger schedule. saying
the figures had been carefully prepared and
were correct. He said if the Board did not
! think uniform rate OF three cents advisable,
| he would consent to the segregation of any
particular division of the road.
Mr. Carpenter asked what roads. If any,
| would escape the effect of the reduction
made.
Mr.. Foete replied that the rate was now
below three cents between San Francisco and
Sacramento and San Jose. 1t would reduce
on every other line. MIR. Gray, of the Central
Pacific, had stated that the schedule would
reduce the income of the company $500, 900
year. 1t was his (Foote's) opinion that
there would be No reduction at all, as in
creased travel would at once make up the
difference. The loss at any rate would not
be more than 100000.
Some discussion ensued, during which it
came out that by combining the special rates
of the Central Pacific and the reductions of
the four.cent passenger schedule, the rate was
now below three cents mile. For instance,
| combining the company's rate to Sacramento
| and the Humphreys schedule rate from there
| to Red Bluff the fare is 50 Go. The distance
is over 300 miles-about three cents mile
Mr.. Foote said his experience in making
reductions and all his reading had tended to
show that reduced rates stimulated travel,
Mr.. Humphreys said he did not consider
the adoption of the four-cent schedule final,
but before he voted for another reduction he
wanted to see the result of the last one. He
proposed going slow in the matter. Reports
to him from the interior showed that reduc-
lions made by his schedule had been ma
terial.
Mr.. Foote sail while reductions had been
made they wer; not satisfactory. He was
satisfied his schedule was not unjust to the
railroads.
Mr.. Carpenter said he believed the princi-
pie of the four. cent schedule was the proper
one-that is, that the railroads should be
allowed higher rates on sparsely travelled
roads than in those where the traffic is
greater. If the Board reduced rates on lines
beyond Sacramento. and San Jose, where the
rate was now less than three cent?, reduc-
ton in proportion to that made on the sparse
ly travelled line should be made in the three
cent line. This principle he said, ran
through the whole transportation business.
Mr.. Foote interposed TO remark that it
was rough on people remotely situated from
the city.
Mr. Carpenter replied that the same remark
might be applied to everything. No man
paid another mans expenses because he was
not so sdvantsgeously situated. The fact
that all these lines were owned by one cor
porstion had been instanced to rebut this ar
gument, but he could see that that fact af-
forded the main argument. Because the
Central Pacific owned o system of roads was
no reason why it should be compelled to
serve people on mountain and desert the same
as those in the thickly settled valleys. That
principle did not apply to any other business,
and it was not right that it should be made
to apply to che railroad business.
Foote reDivinp to Carnanter aaid the
principle should be applied to the Central Pa.
ci6c, because it was subsidized line. Some
of its feeders were not subsidized, but were
constructed for the benefit of the main line.
not for the benefit of the people. Three cents
was liberal allowance for the Central Pa.
cifc. The schedule was to stop agitation and
save the corporation money now expended in
influencing public sentiment.
Carpenter thought the Board might
unite on some portions of the three per- cent
schedule. He would not consent to further
reductions on the Plscerville road. At some
future tine he might vote for the schedule,
but the four. cent rate had not yet fair trial
and he wanted to wait awhile before chang
ing it.
Foote insisted on vote, and the schedule
was defeated.
Foote offered an order reducing rates on
incoming grain in carload lots, straight or
ulleut ~ PSF ConV. On 1888 LuAu CARLOAD lOJs
on green fruits, less than carload lots from
first to third class; reducing the rate on live
stock of all kinds 20 per cent, where the
same is now shipped at special contract rates;
on beans, potatoes, hsxseed. alfalfa, hops,
onions and mustard seed, 20 per cent; on
wood, coal, lumber, shingles, laths, brick,
cement, lime and ores, 20 per cent. All re.
auctions to apply to carloads as we'll as less
than carload rates. The order also provided
for service on the Central! Pacific of a waiver
in case they preferred to make their own
schedules, when sufficient time would be
granted to make them,
After some discussion the order was laid
over, and the Board adj burned to the 21st of
December.
The Robinson case was postponed until the
next meeting of the Board as neither plain.
tiff nor defendant were present.
There is good deal of illusion about the
rise of the Nile. 1t seems to be thought