The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-01-17
A Letter From Eric olson.

"A AStIGr FROM ETC OlSOn.
The following, from Eric, is a well
come addition to our Railroad Lit
erature"-though we can assure him
the information given in our articles
has not been from the uninitiated. All
our statements are based upon either
actual contracts, book entries, or
sworn statements. In the latter
case some of them (Which are far be-
low our estimates) are not only
below reason, but below the truth.
This remark applies only to a pub
lished extract some weeks since which
we are anxious to have disputed by
our humorous friend, Mr.. Robinson.
When Mr.. r. disputes them we will
forward the charges Of perjury. to
the railway man who swore to what
certain things cost.
OF course there are sections of
grading even in this state, where
shale and conglomerate has abound
ed, that 1000 mile would not do
the grading. But we have made all
due allowance for these things. All
the legislative testim ony in the world
will not cOntrOvert actual contracts
nor published market prices. Steel
rails are now about one-third the
price once paid for iron rails. And
there are miles of main line laid with
iron, 500 lbs. to the rail-SO los, to
the yard! But in estimating a line
it is necessary to average up roads.
Eric says:
DEAR SIR:
1t is amusing to read your articles
on Railroads. / am afraid you will
drive Old Harry over the ropes,
the way you come up to the
scratch every round.
The question to you must be like
the study of astronomy and your
peep in the telescope gives us a
glimpse OF the truth every time, and
u guess at the balance. We will soon
know how the different members of
the universe are dancing in their Or
bits.
AS a matter of fact, the Railroad
managers are wolves in sleeps
clothing They are firmly establish
ed in the business of highway rob-
berry. They take from the country
people and give part of the booty
back in the shape OF special rates to
the city jobbers, for the privilege of
using the others. unmOlestcd. The
Mfllers, Bankers, Lawyers and 9th
ers are the plant tools of those high
way robbers The Millers get the
lions share Of the reductions. The
Bankers get their commissions and
are assured to be unmOlested in their
work to act as man eating tigers
as long as they Gun dominate in the
law making power and dictate
executive business. The lawyers are
the wolves who get part OF the
stock captpred'- They are being fed
constantly, to prevent them from
starving and wounding and eating
each other VIXEN they cant get the
farmers to fight SO as to eat them.
The Crossfiesl lawyer is the most
useful stiletto, which Railway
knights carry.
The entire SYSTEMS Of Railroads
shown in Minnesota reports for the
year ending jane 30th 1SSS, carried
50, 90S, O95 tons. of freight and received
$685. 81, O47. q, two dollars and three
cents for each tan carried.
Tons carried one mile vast, 2S1 ,037,-
046.
The freight trains rsrn Al, 447 $50
miles,. To the universal total those
figures do not tell much. but let us
see what we get out of them. They
tell us that the average haul Of
freight trains was f41 toms; average
length of haul 1870 miles; the charge
per mile of freight trains ran $50.
The Chicago ST. Paul & Kansas City
Ry Co. reporte& that it cost 81 cents
permile to rum it's freight trains the
N. P. found: $I.M and the NJ. & NJ.
piled up costs, to- 81 g per train mile
ran for all trains, both freight and
passenger trains.
= prefer to leave the Pullman
vampires alone and deal with cost
offreight trains only. Let us analyze
tshem and show the actual cost OF
RAINING train 100 miles which is adj
nsitted to be one days work. I may
tell your readers some facts, about
that at sOmefsaturc time if you de-
sire to show; it, Respectfully,
ERIC OLSON.
EDITOR GREAT WEST:
I The tanners Alliance in this part
of the State is not far ahead yet,