Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-02-16
SERIOUS CONSIDERATIONS.
IS THERE POVERTY, SUFFERING. RUIb
BECAUSE OF RAILROADS?
Another Letter that Should be Seriously
Considered = ime to Pause and
Refect-some Statistics.

|
Railroads, fled with the Railro Commission OIL
Monday at San Francisco. Every thoughtful mar
should read.
San FRAScisco, February Z, 1888
Honorable Beard Railroad Commissioners, San
| Francisco Gentlemen; Since our communication
t3 you of day before yesterday some things have
occurred to US which We beg you will permit US tc
present in this
In the administration Of your high office there are
many things to be considered However Jealous
you may be to arrive at early decision your zeal
| should be well informed and enlightened The
gravity of the situation obges to appeal to you
for justice You are the judyes, jury and exeeu
| TONERS And am sure not deceived in our
faith that you will do nothing that will harm ouI
properties. We will demand nothing which will not
be in full accord with the rights guar inteed by the
| Constitution The rates as fixed by our company
are the results of much labor after serious consd
GRAFTON, and thorough conviction that no higher
rate was charged than necessary to meet the re-
quirements OF the company.
TRUE PROPOSITIONS
These propositions are Eot Inspired by personal in
terest The writer has no property rights in any Of
these railroad corporations Ee is here to develop
the interest OF the country and to bring about fair
returns upon the property he represents And the
welfare OF the country through which the roads
will, in the future as in the past, alike with their
| owners, have full consideration.
AS proof of this, look at the internal prosperity
| enjoyed since the advent OF the roads, All indus
tries are encouraged, and prosperity beyond any
precedent. The measures adopted by our people IN
| their policy, and the results achieved, must be OBJ
vious to every candid mind, and it ,an hardly be
| denied that the ends sought have been attained
(frst) to meet necessary expenses the requirements
| of the General Government under the Thurman
Act" small interest on the capital cmployed and
(second) to reduce the rates fom time to time by
| our own volilion.
REDUCTIONS.
/ bova frCr fba bioI,, 81
lowed by law to the average Of two and sixteen
hundredths GIG cents per ton per mile on freight
and three and six hundredths g 0G cents per mile
for passengers for the whole system for the year
| 1881. And we are confident that it will be below
these figures for 1882.
| We would ask your candid consideration to com.
parson of these rates with the rates charged by the
| roads of New South Wales as per their last report
| Q8S0), which are four and sixty four hundredths
46i cents per to1 per mile On freight or more than
double that charged by Central Pacific and leased
lines and but fortyfour hundredths (4i-IO0) cents
| per mile less passengers than was raid by the
people Of California. What better or further proof
| is wanted of the wisdom OF the policy of com.
| panies? And what better evidence of lust and
reasonable rates can be offeredshan this fact?
THE ROADS OF NEW SOUTH WALES,
Aggregating nearly 1000 miles, are owned by the
people and operated for their benefit, and from
which they receive nothing in return but the service
performed in the transportation of passengers and
property, while ON the other hand the Central Pa
eifc Railroad Company is quiref by law to carry
free OF charge (over certain sections OF its lnesl
officers in charge OF eonvcts and unatics articles
intended for exhibition at the State Fair, etc. 1t
not only performs service equally as valuable as
the roads of New South Wales, but it pays back to
the State a large amt unit of money in the way of
taxes, harbor dues, etc The amount paid by the
Central Pacific Railroad and leased lines for tolls
upon its own property and harbor dues, for the
year 1881, was S43 000 The total amount of assess
ment OF taxes nearly 100000 for the State of
California, to which must be added the amount dis
bursed for labor, fuel, material and supplies very
large amount of which finds its way back to the
people OF California, and which would probably
equal the amount received for the entire service
within the State.
SEARCH AND LEARN.
five do not possess your full confidence, we invite
you to make searching inquiry into these affairs,
in support OF what we tell you, and you will as
honorable gentlemen admit that our position is not
only tenabe but that it, and our acts are Just to ALL
During the official term Of your immediate prede-
cessors we made many and most important reduc-
tions in our rates Substantially by their report)
which are not seeming y fully understood or APP
preciated. We call your especial attention to these
matters, and would urge upon you the fact that we
have placed to the credit Of the farmers of this State
many millions Of dollars by chespening rates from
their farms to the consumers of their breadstefs in
EUROPE all C4Wnlcn are matters OF record with the
Chamber of Commerce and Board OF Trade in this
city.
Further, we have done very much to develop and
enrich the State, which referred to at length in
my communication day before yesterday.
GREAT REDUCTIONS.
Your predecessors were absolved from further re-
ductions in the eyes of fair-minded men, by the
great reductions made by our company during their
term of office; and should the four years OF the
future be as prosperous and enc )uraging as the
past, We promise corresponding concessions In our
rates. But with dry year in prospect and all the
attendant circumstances, the company cannot, in
justice to itself, at this time, further reduce it's
rates and in making this appeal to your honorable
Board, We do so in full confidence that you in Your
wisdom will do even-handed justice to this property
and though it be the property of corporation.
To adjust the rates fairly alike to the roads and the
people, as best to be borne, and to develop the bust.
ness Of the roads, is no easy task. Since the road
was completed, nearly fourteen Q4) years ago this
work of reduction has been constant and it has de-
monstrated to men of experience the impossibility
of equitable and fair adjustment of a tariff
without thorough knowledge Of matters entering
into and forming important factors relating thereto
respectfully commend to your attention the able
discussion and testimony of Messrs. Adams Fink,
Blanchard and Atkinson, whose opinions, by reason
of the profound study given this intricate subject
should have the highest value. Shall the life study
OF those men of acknowledged ability be ont.
weighed in the balance by the few days considera-
tion you gentlemen have given this question?
SOME POINTED QUESTIONS.
Are our rates such that thoughtful men contem-
plate them with deep concern as a menace to the
welfare of the State?
Is there much poverty and suffering?
In what direction is the development of the State
being discouraged?
In what difficulties is the country involved, from
which you are called upon to extrcate it in such
haste?
Is the State in perilous condition? Is there any
sagnaton of business Is not the reverse the fact
From all parts Of this State assurances OF high
state of prosperity are given.
THERE IS PROFITABLE EMPLOYMENT
For all who are willing to work. Wages for all
labor, both skilled and unskiled, are higher than
for such employments east of the Rocky mountains
As an evidence of this general prosperity Irefer to
the coin reserves belonging to the psopie, and de-
posted in the banks Of the State.
On January l, 1888, there was standing TO the
credit of depositors in the savings banks over S55
100000, and in the commercial banks July /, 1882
over S35 600 000-an aggregate of over 800 900 nOO
This sum ls sufficient, with the present compare
lively low prices Of material aud labor to more than
duplicate all the miles of road operated by this
company during the year 1882, excluding portions
OF the heavy work on the mountain sections.
BALANCE SHEET.
Your attention is also called to the balance sheet
VI eiAS AIM t'ESuSts VI 1907, now DCIOfe
you. The aggregate dividends declared, if applied
to the capital employed of the Central Pacific Rail-
road and leased lines, would amount to but frac-
tion over per cent No thoughtfl or reasonable
man will say that is too much. Amy reductions in
rates will necsssar y bring this surplus down, and
jeop1rdze our ability to meet interest and other ex
penses. Some Of these roads already built were
constructed at the price Of many Efforts across
country where there was no pathway marked out
They were built far in advance of settlement and at
many great sacrifices. They have all been reironed
and many Of them relad with steel, having worn
out, in many places, already two sets of rails They
have all been relaid with ties for second or third
time. And yet We have but a sparse population to
support them as compared with roads Of the East.
APPEAL FOR JUSTICE.
In view of these considerations, would further
appeal to you for justice and protection.
Some of the measures you are proposing would
operate restraining orders and force us to build
up barriers, high and wide, to protect property
that has done so much to make this great common
wealth rich aud prosperous.
In conclusion, gentlemen, | take the liberty Of
appending TO this, and thereby incorporating into
this paper, an article, just handed me, from the
Chicago Times Of January 81, 1888. The article is
SO candid and argumentatiYe and so exhaustive of
the subject of public control cf railroads that we
might safely rest our whole case upon its convincing
force. We might also safely challenge successful |