Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-10-05
Yatlp amtslltee,,rsr.
LANCASTER, PA, October 5, 1889.
The Opening OF Tracks.


The Opening Of Tracks.
We have more than once had occasion
10 suspect that President George b.
Roberts does not have an intimate
knowledge Of the mode of management
of the Pennsylvania railroad by his
subordinAtes for what he writes about
its policy seems 10 be contradicted often
by its practice.
Reading his letter TO Mr. Reeves,
while journeying to Philadelphia, we
noted with particular interest his
declaration that "it has always been
the policy Of the Pennsylvania
railroad company to open its tracks to
all railroad companies which will In
return afford it equal facilities" Know
ing that the Pennsylvania railroad has
not In fact heretofore opened its tracks
in Lancaster to the Reading railroad
company, we determined TO call at its
Office to see whether such connection
could now he had or: If not, whether
the fault was with the Reading railroad.
We found that, under late arrange
ment, the Reading and Pennsylvania
companies give rates to shippers over
each others roads but we also found
that these rates are simply the sum OF
the local rates Of the two companies and
are worth little or nothing to the ship.
pem. We found, further that the two
roads opened their tracks" TO each
other at three points only, namely /:
Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Montgom-
cry; and that this opening of tracks W as
only convenience to the shipper and
was not accompanied by concession in
rates. For instance, sixth class freight
In carloads from Lancaster to Philadel-
phia, by either road, is charged six cents
per hundred pounds whereas If ship
ped by one road TO place in Philadel-
phia on the other road, the rate liz eleven
cents.
Manifestly no business can be profited
by an "opeDing of tracks" that costs
the shipper more than the cost Of haul
Ing In wagons; aud under the circum-
etances, we lost the lively interest we had
felt In securing the opening Of these
tracks to each other in this city by the
Reading and Pennsylvania roads. II
they propose to charge the shipper more
10 get on their tracks, after they are
opened, than the carriage would cost,
obviously they may as well keep them
closed 30 far ms the local business inter-
est is concerned.
But II certainly does not reflect well
upon the inagnamnity, good sense and
public spirit Of the management OF these
corporations that their tracks, which run
side by side through the town,
should not be open TO each other ;
aud II does not speak we'll for the
energy and wisdom Of the authorities Of
this city that this should be permitted
by 1t. The city has sufficient control of
the railroads TO secure from them a
proper consideration of it's interests, II
Its officers were wise and vigor-
Gus enough TO exercisei t. But
they are not of this kind and
the city is bound TO be behind in the
race Of industry until some one does
arise 10 lead 1t to the employment Of the
abundant resources II has, to secure fair
D.;atment from the railroads it deals
ssss4i 80 tenderly and that abuse It so
,xSFoesly.
Here<how is the chance for our city
councils. They have the published
declaration Of President Roberts, that
he is ready to open his road here to the
Reading. Let them ask him on what
terms let them know from him whether
he will open his tracks at price that
will enable our people to avail them
selves OF the concession and then
kt them them see whether Pres
dent Corbin will refuse the ac-
commodation which President Rob-
erts offers. He will not do It, in
view Of the particular importance TO his
road Of concord with the city.
DO our councils realize that there has
not been for years, If ever, any connec-
tion Of the Reading and Pennsylvania
railroads nearer to this city than Landis-
vile? And that now this connec-
ton Is cut of, and that Harrisburg
els the nearest point OF junction I?
DO they understand that the interests of
merchants and manufacturers demand
free communication with all sections of
the country ut the lowest rates of
freight and that the city with the
best aud cheapest facilities for such
interchange is sought for as the
seat OF manufacture? If they do realize
this, they must see the importance of
securing for Lancaster the opening 10
each other Of all of the railroad tracks
within the city limits and an agree
nlent by the railroads to charge a fair
and not hoggish rate Of freight, such
as that Of eleven cents by the Joint lines
to Philadelphia, when the charge by one
line is six cents.
The Philadelphia Record finds that
PRESIDENT Roberts is not posted as to
another matter concerning which he
made positive declaration in the same
letter to Mr.. Reeves. He said that no
terminal charge in Philadelphia was
made by the railroad whereas it ap-
pears that such charge in transporta.
tion In the city is made by creating a
constructive distance" between city
points whereby one mile actual distance
Is charged for a constructive distance
Of hve, ten, or twenty miles. II
~ clear that this is in effec,
terminal charge. The Record thinks
that President Roberts knows better .
we rather incline TO the opinion that he
Is either not posted by his subordinates
or that his letter was signed by him
without carefully reading its contents.
A Board Of Health.
A \