Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1884-12-31
RAILWAY FREIGHT RATES.
JENNEY'S SCHEME FOR
THEIR ADJUSTMENT.
Individuals To Run Their Private Cars
III the Tracks for q Fair Con,ppMsa.
Dissemination 10 b. Promptly
and Easily Punished Etc.

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and Easily Punished ETC..
Nebrasks stat. Journal. Dec. II, 1884,
Prof. w. p. Jen"ey, Of Idaho,
well-k"own mining engineer, i, in
this city. A conversation with him
by Journal reporter led to his set.
ting forth ut some length u scheme
for adjusting and regulating freight
rates upon basis fair to the railroads
and fair to the people. The railroad
men," said the Professor, shave re.
duced this matter Of
FREIGHT1NG TO A SCIENCE.
They have their general agents, subor.
dinate to officials aud travelling inspec.
tors, oil engaged in obtaining and
furnishing to headquarters all posi-
biz information bearing upon the sub.
ject. They know in whs: every man
is dealing, how much raw material he
requires, whence he must obtain it,
the amount Of his product, its market
price and place and from all this
they determine what rate of freight h.
can afford to pay ON what they haul
for him. They do not estimate the
charge for that service OH the legiti
mate and proper cost OF it, but SIMPLY
determine how much of his profits
they can take without paralyzing his
business. They figure only upon the
basis that his management is good, his
debtors sound and his profits what
they show upon the face Of his nc
counts. The result OF this is that the
RAILROADS OWN THE COUNTRY
in . certain sense. 1t is said the
freight agent with one stroke of his
little pencil can outfigure the s,nartest
business man. So he can. The rail-
roads divide and allot the country
among themselves and tax men Us
they can stand it, rather than do
proper and legitimate transportation
business, charging for their services
reasonable profit upon the basis of
cost, capital invested aud other proper
considerations. AS an instance At
one time last year the freight charge
on ton OF ore from one place il
Idaho to s,nelter ut certain other
point was $25 u ton. The rate on
bullion to the same point was s35
ton. And this Notwithstanding bull.
lion is easier to handle and no more
expensive in any way to RAUL. The
net result WIS tax upon local smelt.
ers of $40 per ton Oh bullion. A
given ore holding 60 per cent Of lead
would be reduced in weight 40 per
cent, but the smelter was charged
nearl y as much for hauling the net
1000 pounds of lead as for the ton of
ore out of which il was extracted.
Similar determinations are complained
Of all over the country. Now, as to
THE REMEDY.
A national law should be passed tc
allow individuals, corporations, indie.
pendent transportation companies to
own their own cars. For reasons so
obvious that they need not be re-
counted, all remedial legislation
should be national. A sliding scale
Of charges should be provided Tor the
hauling OF these cars, which should he
made compulsory upon the railroad
companies. They should be required
to carry them exped'tiously and safe.
ly, with no discrimination on any &C.
count Whatever. The schedule of
charges should be- adjusted on a slid.
ing scale of 80 much per ton of car
weight, e,n,ty or loaded, per miIe-a
gwen maximum charge for all dis.
tances less than 100 miles; slightly
lower rate for distances greater than
100 and less than 200 miles = still
further reduction for hauls over 200
and less than 500; another lower rate
for hauls between 500 and 1000 miles.
and also another for hauls exceeding
1000 miles. The charges in all cases
must be the same and must never ex.
coed the maximum charge fixed BY
law. No account should he taken Of
the contents of the car, except to see
that they ar. not extra hazardous from
liability to fire or explosion. The rate
might be reduced ny agreement. but
not exceeded. This would do away
with cumbersome and arbitrary elias
s,fication OF freights, by which rates
are often u"j"stly increased. Every car
SHOULD RE INSPECTED
by government officer, who should
indicate its condition,d decide its fitness
for service, order repairs and fix the
ma xim"m Of weight to be put upon
it. The rates for the hauling Of cars
should be so prescribed by law as to
be fair compensation to tho railroads
for the work actually done, including
the Use OF switches and sidetracks and
storage room when idle. The sole
basis Of rates should be the actual
work done by the railroad company.
The effects would be widespread and
various. The railroad companies
wOuld find nleutv IF curS NJ %h.;, H.