Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-06-19
Some Facts about Railroad Freights for
Augusta Farmers.

Editor Vjndicator:
Please allow me space in your valuable
paper to call the attention OF the farmers of
this great county to one of the most oppressive
wrongs under which they now suffer-namely
| the un Just determinations in our railroad
| treghts.
| have before me a statement of rates charg
ed by the G. d o. Il. X. from Cincinnati, Ohio
10 Lynchburg. Richmond, Norfolk, Peters,
| burg and Roanoke, Va, 1917 cts per hundred
pounds from Chicago to all these points, the
rate is 1917 per hundred Now what do we
find in this State where we have no law to
protect us!
Staunton to WaYnesboro OF Basic City-a
distance of twelve miles, six cents per hun
dred lbs; from Buffalo Gap to Richmond-a
distance of 154 miles-15 cts. per hundred
against 161a from Cincinnati and Louisville,
ii distance of SO miles. Now to show the
inequality of rates and the power of the rail
roads TO levy contribution on local shippers;
the 5. " Il. X. in order to foster the interest
of Roanoke, charges cts per hundred Oh
grain and hay from Basic City to Roanoke-a
distance of nncty-slx miles-the same as the
G. q O. charges for twelve miles. Now |
think no power should be allowed railroad
corporations to make such unjust diScrlmlna-
tons, purely i'll the interest OF certain corpo-
rationS
When the S. V. r. r. was completed the G.
& O. r. r. raised its local rates from Staunton
to Waynesboro, and made it SO high as to pre-
vent shipping to Roanoke, and advanced it
for that very purpose, and all others do the
same thing to force business on their lines.
Now this is a tax without representation and
should be exposed and corrected by the repre-
sentatives of the people. The rate from
Staunton to Basic City should be three cents ts
tons of hay annually, which would amount to
saving of 81 800 to the shippers, which Is
that much taken from the farmer, which
amounts to that much tax paid annually Gy
) 81 moi
) same rate is charged on all other products
which makes it still greater
: The rate on hay and grain from Staunton
Va, to Danville, Va.-from point within
the e. & o. r. r. from Cincinnati, Ohio, and
/ Louisville, KY. to Danville, Va, is only 1874
per hundred lbs. Now here is case in point
where the Virginia farmer. pays. 1917 cts. pei
e hundred pounds to place his grain and hay a
! point within his own State, whilst the Ken
: lucky farmer, probably 200 miles off, pays
1 1877 Cts per hundred lbs. to get his produce
& into the same market, thereby favorlDg TIL
farmer of another State with the benefits o
our market, or rather giving the Kentuck.
: farmer one cent on every hundred pounds O
p produce more than the Virginia farmer gets
We have only referred to rates as charges
t by car load lots When we come to eXamln
! lates on less than car load lots, we find il
some articles the rates are double, for exam
S pie: The rates on cloverseed i'll less than ca
J., load lots from Toledo, Ohio, to Danvllle, va.
is 271l cents per hundred pounds; from Staul
II ton Va, to Danville, Va, in less than Ca
e load lots the rate is 40 cents per hundred
!, nearly twice as much as the Ohio farmer pays
IL Here is farmer in Virginia who pays - cts
10 per hundred pounds to get his seed shipped t
- his neighbor, while the Ohio farmer onl
pays 27}9 cts. TO ship to the same. marke
y Now to ship a car load of hay from Harrison
j. burg, Va, TO Suffolk, Va, would cost aboi
;a 30 cts; per hundred pounds, from otauhtoi
Is Va, to Martinsvllle Va, $50 cts. per HUI
20 dred pounds, and from Harrisonburg, to Ma
/: tinsville IA cts. per hundred pounds, again'
l. the Ohio rate of 1615 cts. per hundred pounds
le | ask will the farmers allow these things
;s go on without making some effort to stop l
10 | believe that when the farmers become awal
of these unjust determinations they will Ell
deavor to have a change.
There is only one way by which this can
done, and that's through your representative
~ There is clause i'll the demands of the ia
'e mers Alliance that favors Il Railroad Cor
mission, This plan has been tested in son
ed of the States. In the State OF Georgia tht
W have a Railroad Law which gives the Cor
missioner the right to fix the rates and not Il
railroads. This seems to be the idea held
the Farmers Alliance" that the governme
should control the railroads. | have Write
is much longer letter than intended, but til
M subject is of such magnitude that could Ii
"V have made it shorter
he Respectfully,
M H. j. WILLIAMS.
u Greenoille, May 20.