Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-02-05
FRIDAY MORNING, FEB. 5, 1892
RAILWAY COMMISSIONS DO NOT
STOP RAILWAY BUILDING,


RAILWAY COMMISSIONS DO NOT
STOP RAILWAY BUILDING.
The faintest spark of reason must lead
the opponents Of Railway Commission
with power to control rates, to admit that
railroad builders would not and do not go
on for years investing millions in building
at loss in States whose laws are destruc-
tive Of the success of such roads. We all,
opponents and advocates, agree on that.
The only question remaining then, is wheth-
Ell commissions controlling rates are de-
structive of the prosperity of railroads.
The only answer to this is the experience
of other States. We have prepared list,
AZ nearly accurate as we can make it, of
two groupes of States OF thirteen each-the
number thirteen being selected because that
will include all the States that have Rail-
way Commissions controlling rates. We
have tried to give in the first groupe as near
the date as possible at which they had Com
missions controlling rates. It is work of
some difficulty and some uncertainty, this
matter of dates; for some of the States
adopted COmmiSSiO some time before
they yielded to the necessity Of the situa-
ton and gave them in addition to their 9TH
CT powers, that of controlling rates, and
the date of the adoption of the latter is not
easy to ascertain. But we think the years
we give will be found in the main correct.
The figures we give Of the amount of rail
road existing in each State at the years
named, we get from 'Poor1s Manual of
Railroads - for 1891, a recognized authority.
Tested by the Interstate Commerce figures
it has many inaccuracies but it is quite cor
rect enough for the purpose in hand. The
first groupe Of States number thirteen and
include every State that has Commits
sion controlling rates, and We ask the aten-
ton of the impartial reader to the increase
year by year shown in the number of miles
existing at the dates given. Here is the
group of
STATES WHERE COMMISSIONS CONTROL
RATES.
Alabama, law passed in 1886 with an ex-
listing railroad mileage in 1885 of 2,275
miles; 1897, 2.602 miles; 1888, 1885 miles;
1889, 3,141 miles; 1890, 3,422 miles.
Arkansas, law passed in 1887 with exist
ing mileage of 1868 miles; 1888, 2,O45 miles;
1889, ?, 143 miles; 1890, 2.2l3 miles.
California, law passed in 1880 with an
existing mileage Of 2,195 miles; 1885. 3,O45
miles; 1857, 1861 miles; 1888, 4,121 miles;
1889, 1905 miles; 1890, 1896 miles.
Florida, law passed in 1889 with existing
mileage of 2,377 miles; 1890, 2,4S9 miles.
Georgia, law passed in 1882 with an ex-
listing mileage in 1880 of 2, 459 miles; 1855,
5, 116 miles: 1887, 3, 1913 miles; 1888, 1919
miles; 1889, 1893 miles; 1890, 1862 miles.
Iowa, law passed in 1888 with existing
mileage Of 1854 miles; 1889, s,44O miles;
1890, SAG miles. This is evidently al error
as the Inter State Commerce Commission
official statistics give Iowa an increas of 35
miles in 1890 over 1888.
Illinois, law passed in 1889 with existing
mileage of 1852 miles: 1890, 10, 129 miles.
Kansas, law passed in 1888 with existing
mileage in 1880 of 3.400 miles; 1885. 1920
miles; 1887, s,l94 miles; 1888. 1874 miles;
1889, $50 miles; 1890, $500 miles.
Minnesota, law passed in 1887 with eX
listing mileage of 5,O62 miles; 1888, 1915
miles; 1889. $40 miles; 1890, 5,545 miles.
Missouri, law passed in 1887 with exist
ing mileage Of 500 miles; 1888, $500 miles:
1899, 5,97s miles; 1850. CLIP miles.
Mississippi, law passed in 1881 with ex
listing mileage in 1880 of l ,127 miles: 1885,
l ,92O miles; 1887, ,l59 miles; 1888, $3.50
mics; 1889, 1896 miles; 1890, 2,470 miles.
South Carolina, law passed in 1892 with
existing mileage of in 1880 Of l ,427 miles;
1885, ,567 miles; 1887, 1881 miles; 1888,
2,OS3 miles: 1889, 2.129 miles; 1899, 1896
miles.
Maine. We cannot ascertain the date of
the law in Maine so we begin in 1885 with
an existing mileage of 1,135 miles; 1887,
1882 miles; 1888, 1921 miles; 1889, 1910
miles; 1890, 1877 miles,
The reader will have observed the grad
ual, uninterrupted increase of the railroad
mileage in every one of these States named.
We now ask his attention to the following
similar list of thirteen States
WHERE NO CONTROL OF RATES
EXISTS.
Indiana, 1885, 5,673 miles; 1887, 5,79S
miles: 1888, $500 miles; 1889, 1896 miles;
1880, CLOS miles.
Maryland, 1885. ,137 miles; 1887, ] Up
miles; 1888. 200 miles: 1889, ,225 miles;
1890, 1,27O miles.
Michigan, 1885, $500 miles; 1887, 6,349
miles, 1888, 6,595 miles; 1889, G,93s miles:
1890, 7,1O6 miles.
New York, 1885, 1870 miles; 1887, 1910
miles; 1888, 1896 miles; 1889, 7,7o6 miles,
1890, 7,745 miles.
New Jersey, 1885. 1896 miles; 1887, ,955
miles; 1855, 1880 miles; 1889, 1885 miles:
1890, 2,O62 miles.
Oregon, 1885, 1,1S1 miles; 1887, $50
miles; 1888, 1,412 miles; 1889. l, Alb miles;
1890, ,455 miles.
Nevada, 1885. 94S miles; 1887, 947 miles;
1888, 947 miles; 1889, GIG miles; 1890, 923
miles.
Massachusetts, 1885, 1882 miles; 1887,
2,o67 miles; 1888, 2,o77 miles; 1889, 2,Os2
miles; 1890, 2,o96 miles.
New Hampshire, 1885, ,O44 miles; 1887,
,O72 miles; 1888, 1919 miles; 1889, 1,123
miles; 1890, JAG miles.
Ohio, 1885, 1903 miles; 1857. 1853 miles;
1883, 1910 miles: 1889, 1903 miles; 1880,
Z, 9S7 miles.
Wisconsin, 1885, 1882 miles; 1887, 5,1e3
miles; 1888. $500 miles; 1889, SAT- miles;
1890, 1914 miles.
Rhode Island, 1885, 200 miles; 1887, 2l3
1888, pa miles; 1899, 2l2 miles; 1890, 224
miles.