The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-02-06
RAILROAD CHARGES.
DlsonInsA:lIoss
A. Deaaed and Paal,lled By Proposed
Law to be submIt.sd TO the House of
Delegates To-day-rks Rllrs PreyIs.
ions Argued Before the Committee.

The nature Of the provision Of o substi.
tnte proposed by Nh. Gilkeson for House
Bill No. rs has already been indicated in
the Isrr1IaEScER. The original bill was
introduced by Mr.. Post, and is called "a
Bill 10 prohibit unjust determinations by
railroad companies" Mr.. Gilkeson sub
mitted the substitute 10 the Committee on
Railroads, which yesterday had the mat
ter under consideration.
SIR. Gilkeson's bill makes unjust dis.
elimination" . misdemeanor, punishable
by q fine not to exceed 5000 for each
offence. The bill further provides that no
railroad company shall charge one ship
per or receiver OF freight more money for
the same service than is charged another
shipper or receiver, nor shall any railroad
company allow any shipper or receiver Of
freight any rebate or drawback OF any
kind. It shall also be unlawful for any
railroad company 10 charge mole for car
rying passengers or Transporting freight
shorter distance than is charged for the
same carriage or transportion greater
distance which includes the shorter. Any
company violating any of the provisions
OF this act by its agent, officer or employe,
shall be deemed guilty of unjust discrimi-
nation and fined In the sum named.
THE OBJECT OF TIE BILL.
Tie main object aimed at by Messrs.
Post and Gilkeson Is to put stop to dis
eliminating rates on cattle shipped east, oil
which their constituents complain loudly.
II is charged that II costs more TO ship cat
tie TO Baltimore from the railroad points
most accessible TO the people OF the South
Branch country than It does to ship from
points further west, and also that higher
charge is made on live stock shipped east
from Clarksburg than from Pafkersburg.
Aside from this the bill aims at the gem
cral practice OF discrimination Ia railroad
charges, OF which there has been consid-
cradle complaint for years past. The bill
introduced by 1fr. Post was originally
written by Hon. E. W. Wilson, when
Speaker Of the House, and presented in
tho House, but did not pass. Mr.. Post
again proposed IT at the presentsession.
The bill and Mr.. Gilkeson's substitute
we're argued before the House Committee
on Railroads yesterday afternoon. Col.
Ben Wilson, Mr.. GiIkeson, Mr.. Post and
Col White advocating the substitute, and
~. ". Sinclair opposing it.
The arguments In favor OF the bill were
mainly illustrations showing tho alleged
unjust and oppressive policy ofrailroads
| in special cases. Col. Wilson made a strong
argument aud an earnest appeal for relief.
Nh. siScLAIR's POINTS.
Sfr. Sinclair opposed the bill on behalf
OF the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Com
pany. He claimed that II this bill were
10 pass II would work gross injustice TO
this company. For instance, large coal
operator at distance from the railroad
goes to the expense OF constructing a
branch road TO his mine, and in considera-
ton Of his large shipments in the course Of
year the company gives him better rates
than q smaller operator on the line Of the
road. II this is prohibited, the large OPP
orator is forced out Of the market, owing
to the greater expense he Is at
to reach shipping facilities. The
case OF the Lomore Iron Company
was instanced. This company could not
exist ifit were not for the favorable ship
pingrates obtained from thecompany. The
furnace OF The company takes coal from
Fayette county and iron ore from other
points on the road. II the company Is
compelled to charge the Lomore Iron
Works the same rates charged for small
local shipments, or rice reraa, the iron; com
pany cannot longer exist. The same re-
marks, Mr.. Sinclair said, applied to other
large iron works, and to coal and lumber
operations as well.
The Committee could not agree upon
any recommendation in regard to the bill.
A motion was made 10 recommend the
adoption OF the substitute, but was lost by
a vote OF 8 to 8. The Committee then
agreed to report the bill back without
recommendation rs to It's passage.