Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-08-16

For the past fourteen years there has
been a constant growl Of certain class
Of persons and newspapers in California
about the extortionate rates Of freights
and fares on the overland railways, and
a large number Of these individuals were
farmers. Some OF these farmers we
have seen sell corn at 81 per GENITAL,
equal to $l.l2 per bushel while the
farmers in Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska
were selling as good corn at twelve
cents per bushel II low freights had
prevailed at that time our Los Angeles
farmers would have come in competition
with the eastern farmers, and would
have been obliged to sell their corn for
half the price which they then obtained.
In eggs, bacon, butter and oats similar
profit has been secured to the farmers OF
Los Angeles by the railway companies.
There is another feature about this
business that has been overlooked. The
high overland rates are not caused by
the California railways, but by the rail
ways that connect with them on the
other side of the Sierras. When the
Southern Pacific railway met the Atchi-
son, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad at
Deming, the President Of the Southern
Pacific railroad offered to pro rate
through to New York at reduction OF
about 80 per cent, but the other road
refused to reduce. and the Union Pacific
also refused to reduce the rates. The
secret lies 10 the fact that all these con
Meeting roads and feeders to the Central
and Southern Pacific railroads have
large quantity Of land to sell, and they
will give low rates Of fare to where their
possessions lie," aud no further.
Passengers are carried oftentimes from
Chicago to the railroad lands in the
valley Of the Platte for fifty cents,
distance Of 500 miles, but this side Of
the lands for sale by the railroad, the
same distance would cost $50.
The Atchison, Topeka 4 Santa Fe
railroad and other leading railways
all do the same thing. They offer special
Inducements to persons who come to
their lands, and sometimes give them
seed to sow on the same. but will
not offer any inducement to parties to
come beyond their lands. In this way
millions Of acres have been settled in the
valley Of the Platte, the arkansas and
other valleys where the valuable lands
Of the railways were situated. The
farmers of Los Angeles and the GROWERS
and the real estate sellers should know
these facts. The railways on the other
side of the Rockies are large land owners
and sellers, and so are competitors with
the real estate sellers in this vicinity,
and have special reasons for high fares
over the mountains, which keeps the
settler Of moderate means on the east
side OF the great backbone OF the contl-
nent. The Southern Pacific has now
broken this chain and established a
through line to New Orleans and to
Europe, 80 that emigrants from Europe
can come here at about the same price
a. by the other routes from New York.
To that company are all low fares due.
After this statement Of the case We hope
to hear no more real estate men cursing
California overland roads for the high
rates of fare. viii they reduce the price
Of real estate to settlers as the Southern
Pacific Railway have reduced fares
Concerning high fares, Gov. Stanford
can say:
Shake not thy CORY locks at me;
| Thou canst not say did IT,"