Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-02-06
Distance n

lhese nRures speak for themselves and
need no comment. Weston ia tha
terminal station OF the New York branch
of the Philadelphia & Reading railroad.
Chester and Thurlow have to pay 10
cents per ton above the Philadelphia rate
and although no nearer the mines, they
have rate g cents lower than VIII
mington. The Trenton manufacturers
compete directly with Wilmington yet
they get their coal at the fiat Philadel.
phia rate. The Pennsylvania railroad in
order to bring Lehigh coal to Philadel-
phia, haulH it over the Belvidere divi-
zion which runs through New Jersey and
the coal must pass through Trenton in
order to reach Philadelphia. AS the
Interstate Commerce law prohibits any
railroad from charging more to an inter
vening point on tue line than it does to
more distant point, Trenton necessarily
reGps the advantage. The Philadelphia Il
Reading railroad, in order to compete
with the Pennsylvania at that point must
also haul its coal there for the same rate
Under the rulings Of the railroad com
panies in their Interpretation of the In
teistate Commerce Law, it would seem to
be misfortune for Wilmington that she
is located in Delaware. The granger ele-
lnent OF the west, which was chiefly in
strumental in having the law passed,
thought that the railroad companies
would compete for the business OF cities
in neighboring states, but instead they
simply combine and tiI rate to which
they adhere firmly. This city does not
reap the advantage which Trenton does III
having the coal pass through its limit,
before reaching its destination, but even
though the lower rate is o necessity in
Trenton that is no reason why il should
have an advantage over Wilmington,
which is Is miles nearer TO the mines
The rates should be based via the short
line mileage and the Wilmington &
Northern railroad happens to place vii
mIngton nearer to the mines than the
roundabout way via Philadelphia, and
why the railroads should discriminate
against Wilmington on anthracite coal
aud not on bituminous coal is question
past finding out.
BY every rule OF transaoting railroad
business, this city should have the
same rate on anthracite GOAL as Phila
ielpkia. Wilmington ia what is known
as Philadelphia rate point on all
business sent to the trunk line terri.
tory. 10 the interior Of Pennsylvania
aud New YORK, the rate on business il
Philadelphia, From Trenton to the
trunk llue territory III the vest, the New
York rate is applied and that is six cents
per 100 pounds higher than the Philadei.
phia rate on first and second classics and
two cents higher on third, fourth, NTH
and sixth classes. Wilmington indus
tries consume probably il the neighbof.
heod of 200, 900 tons Of coal annually
and a reduction Of the freight rats 10 just
figures would not only result in a saving
OF several thousands OF dollars in cash 10
those industries but would give them ere
additional benefit in q close competition
for business.
The railroads have been Bsked to re.
move this unjust rate and treat " lining.
ton as fairly as they do peighboriIa
cities which hRppsn to be located ia
another state, but their replies have been
eyasive and unsatisfactory. Tho Phila.
delphia Il Reading railroad says that il
il lowered the rate on anthracite coal to
Wilmington 15 cents il would post likely
have to reduce the rate to Philadelphia
by the same amount and thus tho Rame
condition of affairs wonid prevail. This,
however, is hardly likely, ss 1t is q we'll
known fact that instead of being willing
to reduce the anthracite coal rate TO Phil
Ndeiphlh, the RAILROADS are constantly In
sisting that the present rate is too low,
and the tendency with them is to in
crease rather than to decrease the PhiIa-
delphia rate.
Said a prominent merchant who feels
the effects of the discrimination and
kicks against It'll "Ihere is not state
IN the Union that feels the effects OF the
Interstate law SO dissstrously as does our
own little Delaware State and think en-
phatically that the law should be re-
pealed rs We could transact our business
much more satisfactorily in the old way
than under this law, except with raw
materials from outside Of State.n
"How does it Affect us ~
Sin the freight rates on coal princi-
pally, but in all lines of manufacturing
business relatively. In the first place we
,ave rate on bituminous coal Of 80 per
ION from the Georges Greek region to
Wilmington and points la Delaware must
pay about SO per ton after il passes New
I CASTLE. The same rate rules from the
Olearfield region. There are no exoep-
| Aans to those rates in the State Of Della