Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-26
RAILROAD FARES.
MEETING OF THE NEW RAILROAD con-
MIssI cE-IHTEREsTIEG FACTS.
Statements Concerning the Principles Gov
erning The Cost OF. and Fares for
Carrying Passengers by Rail

Statements Concerning the Principles Gov
erning The Cost OF. and Fares for
Carrying Passengers by Rail
All the members OF the Board of Railroad Com
missioners were present at meeting held at the
Office Of the Beard in San Frar CISCO Moniay. c. J.
Carpenter presided.
The Secretary stated that in response to circulars
sent them from the Board the following railroad
companies have replied, stating tina: the questions
in the circular would receive their earliest attention.
yaca Valley and Clear Lake. Nevada county Mar
row Gauge, Southern Pacific and South Pacific Coast
Mr.. Foote said he thought another question ought
to be added to the questions Of the resolution as
follows:
No. 10. What smount of money do you pay as
rent for each of your leased lines Please state
the rent per mile, as well as the gross sum for each
line.
The Secretary added this, as instructed.
ADDRESS OF CREED RAYMOND.
Hon. Greed Raymond appeared In behalf OF the
Central Pacific Railroad and leased lines, to oppose
the resolution offered and under consideration by
tie Board, reducing the rates OF passenger trans
in the State to the maximum rate of three cents
per mile. This resolution, /. viii be remembered,
offered by Mr.. Foote at the first meeting of the
Board. Re stated at tina. time that his action in
part fuliilment OF pledges made by him to his
constituency prior to the election. Mr. Raymond
then read the following arguments in reply to the
circular mentioned:
Gentlemen In response to a communication from
you informing the Central Pacific Railroad Company
that one Of your honorable Board had introduced
resolution to establish the rates for transportation
of passengers the roads owned and leased by it
at three cents per mile for adults, and providing
that where the rates now less than thrse cents
per mile they shall not be increased, beg leave
to submit the following:
From the report OF the proceedings of your Board
it appears that the Commissioner who offered the
resolution did go under the impression that the
rates under the resolution would be the same as the
rates adopt in the State Of Georgia.
II the Commissioner who proposed the resolution
in question is mistaken as that fact and the
luton in truth would establish rates about 80 per
cent lower than the rates 10 Georgia, we assume
that he would not support the resolution for by his
own declaration he accepts the rate Of passenger
transportation established in Georgia proper
standard for rates in California.
| Whatever may be the opinion of the other men,
| bers Of your Honorable Board We regard it as i'm
| portant that the Commissioner, the author Of the
resolution should be convinced of his mistake. The
Railway Commission in Georgia has established, as
we are advised, uniform passenger rate of three,
four and five cents per MILE according to classified
ton of roads, which rates all the railroads of Geor-
gia according to Glass; permitted to charge and
we are further advised that the full rate allowed is
generally if not universally, taken by the railroad
companies OF that State.
IT Is A MATTER OF NoToRIETY,
And it is true, that upon the Central Pacific Rail-
road and the leased roads fares in many places
much less than three certs per mile, and on some
part OF the roads are less than onehai OF cent per
mile
1t is work of time, involving much labor to
Ascertain exactly the average rate of fare received
for any one year. The Commissioner who intro
duced the resolution in question stated it fact
that the average rates taken by the Central Pacific
Railroad Company and leased lines were much more
than three cents per mile. Poor's Manual, page
$685. states the average rate for the year 1881 to be
3C7 cents. A full examination. would prove which
of the two, or whether either is correct. But
assuming for the purpose of this statement that
the Commissioner is correct and that the average
rate would be much more than three cents per mile
Say three and one-half cents-and this assumption
is the strongest that be made against the
parry, it would follow that under the resolution
offered the average rate Of passenger fare on the
Central Pacific Railroad and its leased lines will not
be three cents, under the Ge0r ia rule, but will
exceed by very little, if any two cents per mile.
The resolution in question, instead of establishing
rates by the Georgia standard, would establish rates
about one-third lower. We feel confident that upon
thorough investigation your Honorable Board
would not consider the rates in Georgia fair stand
ard by which to regullte rates in California. The
state of Georgia contains about SIS Geo square miles,
with population OF 1880 Il is IN old settled
State, filed with manufacturing establishments, and
its settlement preceded the construction OF its rail-
roads. California is nearly
FOUR TINES THE EXTENT
OF Georgia, with only about haii its population,
with but few manufactu ing Establishments; and in
it the railroads were not only generally the pioneers
of its settlement but to day, for nearly third OF
their length, run through uninhabited deserts or
over one OF the highest ranges CT mountains the
continent Upon the higher portions Of the Sierra
the Central Pacific road is protected by enow sheds,
costly of erection and main tenance fully onethird
CT the Southern Pacific R1ilroal is operated in a
country subject to sand storms and c0ud-bursts.
Railroads in Georgia have neither Of these diff.
cuties to contend with, both of which add greatly
to the cost of operating railroads ia California and
render it difficult in advance to estimate profits.
These are some of the considerations which should
impel your honorable Board to act with great eau.
ton before adopting even the Georgia rates as the
| standard for California reads
Grave as are these objections graver ones still
ist great proportion of the expense OF operating
railroad is included in two items-the cost of the
fuel and the wages paid to the skilled mechanics,
operators and aborers i'll its service. If the railroad
companies of the State Of California to receive
for transportation lower rate OF compensation
than is allowed to the railroad companies OF Geor-
ga and are to operate their roads and perform their
obligations to the nation it inevitably follows that
the price Of fuel and labor must be reduced below
| the Georgia standard.
COMPARISONS.
The Georgia railroads use for fuel chiefly wood at
q cost OF 81 per cord. The California railroads pay
upon an average nearer S. per cor while coal costs
in California from three to four times per ton as
much as it does upon the Eastern ro ds. In the
ture Of things but little ii any reduction be
hoped for in the cost OF fuel and the reduction, if
made. must fall chiefly on the department of wages.
For the past fifteen years the prices paid by The
Central Pacific Railroad Company TO the skilled
chanic, operators and laborers in their employ
meut have been Eaintaised with but slight changes
The prices 50 paid and also the prices paid by the
railroad companies Of Georgia for similar services,
are shown by the table which follows:
.!TET.||||