St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-10-10
President Roberts Talks OF
Lessons He Learned in
Railroading.
He Is Impressed With the
Terminal Freight Charges
in Vogue.
Handling, Billing and Load
ing Merchandise Charged
For.
A Uniform Rate Per Ton Per
Mile Not the Proper
System.

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 9.-The Railway
World today prints an interview with
President Roberts, of the Pennsylvania
railroad, who recently returned from a
tour through Great Britain, III which he
talks of the lessons English railroads
taught him. President Roberts was
particularly impressed with the system
of terminal freight charges in vogue on
the railroads throughout Great Britain,
and told how such plan, if introduced
in this country. would go very far to
allay the oft-repeated criticism of sup
posed discrimination in freight charges
as between long and short hauls.
''The principal underlying the matter
of terminal freight charges on the rail-
roads of Great Britain" said he, lis
fully recognized by parliament. Rail-
roads in that country are permitted by
act of parliament, to chargs for handl-
ing, billing and loading merchandise IN
cars, and that charge is
Generally Uniform
whether the freight is to be carried
long or short distance; thus they
recognize that the length of haul has no
connection with terminal expenses.
1.-The reasons why the long haul should
command a less rate prOportionately
than the short haul are apparent to
every one familiar with railroading.
There are three principal items of cost
which enter into the transportation of
merchandise. First. there is the labor
and expense attending the loading and
unloading of merchandise at the ter
minal stations. This expense, you I'M
derstand. is the same for either long
or a short haul, and the local traffic
should bear the same charge for this
service as the through traffic.
''Second comes the consideration in
the use of cars, of motive power and
locomotives. The detention of equip
ment used in local traffics bears very
much greater proportion to the service
that can be compensated for by their
delay on through traffic.
"Third, the question presents itself
as to the cost of the hauling of the cars
when loaded, which is about the same
on local and
Through Traffic,
except for the detention in starting and
stopping the trains. 1t would therefore,
seem plain 10 me that the system charg-
which is what the American public
seem to demand. is not the proper sys-
tenn either for the shipper or the trans
portatlon company. unless such a syS.
tenn be accompanied with the proper
adjustment of charging for the use of
terminals"
In speaking further of the reciprocal
arrangement, he said the railways were
the highways of the country, and the
public rightly demand proper facilities
The railW avs ought to be required to
charge such compensation as would en-
able them to properly fulfill the de-
mands. 1t is equally the duty of the
government, if it says that the railroads
shall not charge too high rate, to say
they shall not charge too low rate.
He said the value of every ticket should
be plainly stamped on its face, and no
one be permitted to traffic in 1t. In
the event of its not being used. the COM
panies should be compelled to redeem
them at their face value, If presented
within a reasonable time.