Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-02-17
SAT DOWN ON THE hub"
Boston Not Entitled to as Low Railway
Rates as New York-The Reasons.

| Boston Not Entitled to Low Railway
| Rates as New York-The Reasons.
WASHINGTON CITY, Feb. II The inter.
| state commerce commission Thursday an
nounced an opinion in the case of the com
plant by the Boston chamber of commerce
| against the Lake Shore & Michigan South
| ern Railroad company the New York Gem
| trail G. Hudson River Railroad company and
| the Boston g. Albany Railroad company,
| forming a through line and making through
| rates from Chicago and other western points
to Boston, for charging higher rates on mer-
chandise from the west intended for local
consumption at Boston than are charged on
similar shipments over the lines of the Lake
Shore & Michigan Southern and the New
York Central g. Hudson River roads to New
York city and higher than the export rates
| through Boston to foreign countries and to
| points on the coast of Maine east of Port
| land, which are equal with the New York
| rates, and also higher than the west bound
| rates from Boston, which are also the same
| as New York rates
| The export rates to Boston, the commission
| says, are not equal with New York because
| the conditions of transportation are alike, but
| In Difference to the laws of trade and the in
| terests of commerce., with the view to put
| Boston on equality with the various sea-
| board cities, New York, Philadelphia Balti-
more, Portland and Montreal in respect to
| the foreign trade, upon which the railroad
| rates from the interior are regarded as part
of the general through rate to foreign mar
kets The differences between the Boston
local rates have existed for many years, and
have been maintained on the ground that the
difference in the conditions of transportation
justify higher charge to Boston proper
toned to the value of the service The cost
of service to Boston is on account of the break
ing-up and re-arranging of trains at Albany;
the heavier grades of the Boston a. Albany
road, requiring smaller trains, more
engines. train hands, and fuel and the
somewhat longer detention of cars
in New England for unloading and re-
loading to go west The very much greater
volume of business from the west to New
York warranting lower rates on account of
the larger aggregate earnings Of the roads;
the competition of various other lines of rail-
roads at New York, all carrying at the same
rates; the great volume Of traffic over the
lakes, Erie canal and Hudson river to New
York, carried at materially lower rates than
by the rail lines, and the extraordinary geo.
graphical and commercial advantages of New
York, arising from its unrivalled harbor,
It's superior train service, and the COMPETE
tion of rival carriers to that port are ele-
ments that enter into and determine the
rates to that city, and therefore it is both
natural and reasonable that upon just prin-
ciples Of transportation Boston is not of right
entitled to equal rates with New York
The commission therefore decides that tho
difference between the Boston local rates and
the New York rates has not been shown to
be unjust or unreasonable, and dismisses the
complaint.
In the case of W. II. Heard, colored, who
was forced to ride in an inferior car on the
Georgia railway although holding first
class ticket the commission decided against
the road. II it is necessary, it is decided, to
separate whites and blacks, the accommoda.
tons must be equal for all paying the same
fare