The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-07-24
Rates allowed by Railroad
Companies per 100 pounds.

N@AAo p" Ou oy 1ASLl
Companies per 100 pounds.
ARTICLES. E=|##gE==z||g#=y; +
Bacon tS sx 12s Is oai , oc !, On
Flour I'll 10 AZ IoI 90 ~
Grain 81 O. IA 1si aoj .,
Cotton III 1ot o. 9nl o.i "a
a very large reduction in the
charges made by railroads, for
freights and passengers, has
been made since the organiza-
ton Of the commission in this
state. To show this reduction I
state that in 1879 the charge
made for the transportation Of
passengers was five cents per
mile, whilst the rate now charg-
ed is three cents per mile, and
to show it in freights L submit
the following table of rates in
1879 and in 1890, taking the
Savannah division of the Cen
trail Railroad as an example.
This Immense reduction in
charges for freight and passen-
gers has been accomplished
without injury to the railroads.
They have prospered, whilst
the people have been benefited.
The market value of the
stocks of our most important
railroads has been steadily in
creased.
This is shown by the follow
ing comparative statement Of
the prices at which the stocks
of the Central railroad and of
the Georgia Railroad and Bank
ing company, the two most ex-
teLsive railroad systems in this
state i'll 1879, were selling in
1879 and are selling now:
Selling at in 1879. Scllineat in 1890.
Georgia Il. Il. stock, IS POI
Central Il. r. stock, 10 121
Not only have the charges of
railroads been reduced, and the
value Of their properties en-
hanced; but there has been an
immense increase in their
mileage since 1879. The records
Of this Office show that for the
first year previous to the esta-
bliShment Of the commission in
1879, there were built in this
state less than one hundred
miles of railroad, showing an
annual average Of about twenty
miles, and since 1879 to tie
present time there have been
built in Georgia two thousand
miles of railroad, making an
average Of two hundred miles
per annum.
The sentiment of the people
Of Georgia toward a railroad
commission can be determined
by the following facts: All
candidates for the Office of gov
ernor in the past eight years;
the members Of the present
legislature, without q known
exception; the present canGi-
dades for governor; the candi-
dates for congress aud for the
legislature at this time, who
have been ANNOUNCED, have
been and are in favor Of a rail
road commission. In addition,
| may state tha; the press of
the state and Farmers Alliance
favor 8, railroad commission,
and that many organizations of
the Alliance approved an in
crease of the powers of the
existing commission.
The establishment of q rail
road commission, with the pro-
per powers to maEe joint rates
for all connecting roads in your
state would certainly result, in
my judgment, in the building
of more roads from trunk lines
into sections that otherwise
will never have the benefit of a
railroad. This would follow,
because the railroad commits
sion, by the making and enforc-
ing of joint rate over the two
roads (ths new and the trunk
line) to the commercial centers
Of your state would be a guaran-
tee against the exercise of un-
friendly hindrpnces, and the
establishment Of such arbitrary
rates by the trunk lines as TO
head off and crush out the new
road and thereby making its
construction impracticable.
With such a joint rate, how
ever, thu road would b. able to
reach your commercial cities
with their shipments over the
trunk line upon such just and
reasonable temr as to insure THEN
construction and make them
paying roads. In the absence
of such a regulation the new
roads would be forced to build
long and extensive through
lines to reach the Commercial
thoroughfares, at a cost so great
in many instances. as to entirely
defeat their construction. With
out such power vested some
where to overcome the arbitrary
rule of trunk lines, they ma
entirely prevent, by the means
above alluded to, the buildins
of roads in large sections O