Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-03-01
MIR. w. NJ. SAGE.

OF THE ROCK ISLAND ROAD, BEFORE THE
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON RAILROADS.
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Com
mittec: 1t is so late tonight will not de-
tain you over very few minutes. The Off
GERS of the Iowa roads before you were very
much gratified indeed TO be present while
the operatives and employees spoke before
you in the manly and respectful manner
they did and trust you gentlemen will ac-
cept their appeal in the spirit it was offered
TO you. | will say while we are officers of
the roads, we do not claim to be OF different
flesh ana blood from these men. The most
of us had just about the pay they have
when we commenced our railroad career,
and if Providence has been on our side and
given us some ability to rise, we still have
n warm feeling for them, and we hope
there will never be legislation passed in
Iowa which will drive these men from the
State.
The company represent is building roads
in the States and Territories farther west
than here, and if a time comes when they
must leave this State we will be very glad to
have them there, for there are no better men,
or citizens i'll your State.
There are one or two misunderstanding
which | would like 10 explain. One was in
regard to remark made by one of the en-
ployes about the thousand mile ticket
wish TO explain that the thousand mile ticket
is just as open to the farmer rs it is to the
travelling men, What these gentlemen wish
TO show is that the travelling man is engaged
in business which is actually developed by
his travelling. But the farmers business is
not improved by travelling, but by staying at
home and industriously working his farm.
The travelling men have no exclusive priyi-
lege. The farmer can buy these tickets as
well as anybody else.
Another remark. The gentlemen repre-
senting the Central of Iowa stated that his
road suffered very much. There are reasons
why the north and south roads should feel
the effect of the Legislature fixing the rates,
more disastrously than the east and west
roads. My friend, Mr. Ives, has spoken to
you of this. The Chicago & Northwestern,
and Chicago, Milwaukee X st. Paul, and the
Rock Island, and the Chicago, Burlington Il
Quincy, all go from Chicago to Council
Bluffs. They must all make the same rate
there. The distances from Chicago vary
through Iowa, but they must all have the
same rates on the line drawn north and
south. The Northwestern at Ames, and the
Rock Island at Des Moines, and the c., b.
d Q. at Osceola, have the same rates.
The unfortunate position of the
Central of Iowa is that the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy crosses 1t at Ottumwa
or Abba. She meets the Rock Island at
Oskaloosa and Grinnell. She meets the
Northwestern at Marshalltown. the Illinois
Central at Ackley, and the Milwaukee at
Mason City, and there ere other functions
with the Northwestern and Milwaukee.
These roads in crossing the State make the
same rates from Chicago to all these points.
The rate from Chicago to Mason City is
about the same as from Chicago to Oskaloo-
sa. You can see, therefore, that her terri
tory is not protected like ours. The dis
lance increases north and SOUTH but she
finds the same Chicago rates as she goes
north. When we make rates at the com
mercial centers on the Mississippi river,
which are Burlington, Keokuk, Davenport,
Clinton and Dubuque, these commercial
centers in Iowa have the same rates to points
west of them on a line drawn north and
south in the State. The consequence is that
the Central of Iowa could never adhere to
any tariff based upon such mileage rates as
you gentlemen could legislate. That prin-
ciple has been recognized in the State OF
Illinois. 1t has been found that the rates on
the trunk lines from the seabeard to the
Mississippi river points from Quincy up t.
Dubuque are the same from New York, and
the railroads that start at Chicago are Obliged
to make the same rates to these points. The
distance from Chicago to Clinton is 13S
miles, and to Quincy 264 miles. The Com
missioners of Illinois recognize the fac
that we must charge the same rate.
from Chicago whether to Clinton or to Quin
cy. 1t is commercial necessity. The shor
distance makes the rate, and the roads hav
ing the long distances must make the samC
rate to these commercial centers, otherwise
these commercial centers could not compete
for the business. The only commissioner
in the United States who actually name rate
are the Illinois commissioners, and they hav,
named higher tariff on 264 miles than tn,
commercial tariff. / think Mr.. Ripley cOulC
tell you what that is. What Is the old tariff
hir. Ripley, Chicago to Quincy?
Mr. Ripley: Fifty-three cents, think
Mr. Sage: 1t is now forty cents by TIL
commercial tariff. He charges the same a
the lS1 to Rock Island or the 1873 miles t,
Clinton TO enable Quincy TO compete witt
the towns north on the Mississippi river anC
south at ST. Louis. He charges forty cents
The commissioners know that. There are
great many roads in the southern part o
Illinois that would be ruined
they followed the rates of the grea
trunk lines. 1t was said after the grange
law was abolished; get rid Of all idea tina
mileage only be taken into account in max
ing tariff between commercial centers. Yol
appointed commission to confer with us q
to the equity Of the rates between CONNER
cial centers as well as mileage rates. hav
had many business interviews with the diff