Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-02-28

mile, reduction from 1865 from All
cents. The amount of freight carried by
the road in 1870 for one mile was 1871 1923.
173 tons at 2.S2 cents per ton. In 1882
943 $50, 1853 tons We're carried at a rate of
1.47 cents per ton, the reduction being
from natural causes, and though the rate
WAS so much lower last year than in
1870 the company did much better In
1870 the passenger rate was five cents per
mile. and in 1882 but fraction over two
cents per mile, while as shown above
there had been reduction of about IS
per cent. With such an exhibit he could
state control in order to force the c0mpa
ny to adopt lower rates.
The fact was. the company of its own
accord had and was reducing rates as
fast as it could with safety and faster than
the interest Of the stockholders warrant
ed. Your railroad commissioner admits
this great reduction, but still he asks for
more. The past year, he said, had been
the most profitable it had ever enjoyed.
1t would be conceded he thought, that
railroads should be allowed fair interest
upon their investments. They also ought
to have a reserve fund to renew the road
as it wore out and fund TOR repairs.
Last year the road received total from
Minnesota of 81, 501 1874 IS. The compa
ny has l,O5S miles of road in the state.
The passenger tariff is 2. &c per mile. The
gross earnings per mile of road were
81, 431O9. The operating expenses of the
road were So, 794, or 81 per cent. Of the
earnings. on a capitalization of $50, 200
per mile, certainly a reasonable estimate,
this paid not to exceed per cent. without
laying aside anything for repairs, etc. We
submit that these figures show that we
have not received more than we We're en-
titled to, In 1881 we spent in Minnesota
in permanent improvements 81, 154 ,913,
and in 1882, 1882, 1eS, over and above
operating expenses. The mere cost of the
a road In the one item of rolling stock
the company has spent in the last three
years nearly $lOOOO,O0 Mr. Cary then
read extracts from the tariff rates of the
Southern Minnesota road showing the re-
duction made as the haul heightened.
When we meet competition points we
have to take what we can get. Take for
instance Minneapolis and St. Paul. You
have road to Duluth. If we get any bus
ness here, we have to compete with this
shorter Duluth route to the lakes. If COM
PEELED to make the same rates along the
whole line, the simple result would
be that we would have to give up the
St. Paul and Minneapolis business. The
man at Austin has no such position or
advantage, and if we give the Austin man
fair rate he has no just cause of COM
plant.
In answer to the complaint of dlscrimi-
nation, Mr.. Cary said none was shown to
individuals of like positions. But discrimi-
nation is made for good cause. Take, tor
instance, a man who starts at some point
a large manufacturing establishment. He
says to the company: All my product
will find market over your line. as the
material employed will be brought into
use. Such men were given special rates.
as by doing it the company assisted in
building up an important industry to the
benefit of all the people Of the section, and
at the same time assisted in creating bust
ness for the road.