The record-union., 1892-12-06

tiOnately within the limits Of this Statel
the amount received by the Southern Pa
citic Company is $40 rs.
The weight of refrigerator cars aver
ages @. 900
Average weight OF ordinary fruit car is-3i.O0
Excessive We ght Of 900
ENccSSlNe weight OIL refrigerator lfc-
turn q. .lDO
Weight OF ice East-bound d..................- 5000
" eight Of GOO
lOt'!l "tl@A j.,..-..----. -...-O 1-OOO
Dividing this total weight (6I,G00
pounds by the revenue west Of Ogden
81 40 16-lUU gives - cents per lOJ pounds,
or 81 1O-l0) per ton Of 1000 pounds.
The distance from san Jose to tgden
being $40 miles, the result is that the
southern Pacific Company receives in
California, and throughout its eastern e%-
tension to Ogden, 0.jJ5 Of a cent per ION
per mile for It's service. The trains that
bear this fruit to market receive especial
attention, and they arc moved over the
roads Al high velOcitieS their necessary
speed eNceealnE that of passenger trains
in many parts of the country,
NoN-RaoIt-NEEArIvE RATES.
Whatever the views Of the managers Of
the railways may be, do not hesitate to
express the opinion that these rates, under
the existing conditions. are not directly
remuneraliYc, and that therefore the loss
| occasiouel by them, properly, ought 10
be compensated for by clearly defined
direct or indirect, present or prospective,
revenues from other sources.
RATES JUSTIFIED BY THE FUEL ITEM
ALONE.
/ 1t will be readily seen from what has
been said and the facts presented, that
rates for the transportation OF persons
and property. averaging from ten 10
/ twenty per cent. higher than those liz the
/ Af and attiDInlnn Illinois
/ justified in California by the difference in
the cost Of the Tue! alone.
( 1t has also been shown that the rates
/ charged by the southern Pacific, Allan
lie and acitic, and the California south
ern NaiirOad Companies for tie transport
4 tation Of persons and property in CailIor-
mia average considerably less than the
rates on Eastern railroads at time when
the volume OF their business and density
OF population We're much greater than
thoy are in California at this date.
Although ii is true that their rates aV
erage higher than those OF the Southern
Pacific, Atlantic and Pacific, ana the Cal
ifornia Southern Companies, the same
Investigations and comparisons sustain
The reasonab ableuess Of the rates charged
by the North Pacific Coast, san Francisco
and North Pacific, Carson ana Col
oradO, Nevada, California ana Oregon.
COluSa and Lake, Pacific Coast, Eureka
ana t-cl llNcE, san lJLt-ts "a dilI3Cd ana
Eastern, National City and Otay, Santa
Ana and Newport, Los Angeles Terminal,
RelOudo Railway. and also ali the other
railway companies in California.
THE RATES IN CALITOENIA EQCITABI.I.
\ conclusion that the rates in C0litor-
MIA average as low as feasible, with due
regard to maintenance and Improvement
Of the properties and the character OF
| service, / believe to be sustained by the
comparisons which have been made
within the State of California and
throughout many other States. But if
further confirmation is needed, many
untouched factors, and especially the
financial condition Of the companies Op-
Grating the railroads in California, Will,
upon deeper investigation, provide the
testimony.
CONCLUSIONS REACHED.
The examination Of the railroads Of the
State, and Investigations | have made,
/ and careful consideration Of the data
obtained, some OF which are presented in
condensed form in this report, have led
/ me TO tie following conclusions:
First-That California is, and always
/ Will he especially exceptional in its con-
dilions, conditions which must be factors
/ in determining what would lie Just and
/ equitable railroad rates for the Transport
/ tatiou Of persons and properly within its
/ limits.
/ second-That it is wholly impracticable
/ TO establish for its railroads uniform pas
/ senger and freight charges and have them
/ bear justly and equitabIy upon the peo-
/ pie Of the State and the railroad COM
/ paues.
/ Thrd-That the present rates of The
/ several railroads are not so nearly uni
! form as it may be practicable to establish
upon very exhaustive examination and
! carefdl employment OF the factors from
which they ought 10 be deduccd.
Fourth - That, taking into account
/ operating expenses and all other matters
/ of general import bearing on and affecting
/ the operation Of railroads in this State so
( far as | have been aple, l am convinced
/ and believe that the rates charged by the
/ railroad companies of California for the
! transportation of persons and property
| are not as a whole unreasOnably high
and that if they were. then the rates Tor
railroad transportation on the roads and
/ system OF roads throughout the United
/ States have been and now are, also, as
whole, unreaSouably high.
kiHh-Ihat the exceptional conditions
! in California which must largely deter
mine what would be just and equitable
rates for the railroads 10 charge lor the
transportation OF persons and property
within its limits having respect to local
public interests anG those of the State ut
large, are diversified and complex in de-
tail beyond any precedent. The most ex-
naustive and comprehensive inVesuga-
tion Of those conditions must be made,
involving much time and very conS.dera-
Dle expense to satisfactorily determine
the question OF what would be Just and
equitable rates for each road and system
of roads i'll the State 50 exactly as to JUS
tify any declaration that as q rule those
now existing are not as Just ana cquita-
ble rs practicable.
The general tenor of this report has
necessarily been conservative but it al
tords me pleasure to say that my inquiry
has touched the clearauces OF the san
Francisco Clearing g-hoase, the resources
OF the State banks. the assets Of the saw
ings banks, the value OF exports and i'm
ports including grain and coal, the rapid
increase in the volume Of the various
products Of the state, the mining inter
ests; also the progress in building and
general improvements.
These and many other considerations
( that have come to my notice Justify and
confirm the cOngrutulaJion Of President
c. l.. Taylor to the members OF the Cham
Der OF Commerce OF san francisco in his
report Of January 18th last, j. e.: I'VE
may congratulate ourselves upon sea
son OF reasonable prosperity and progress
for both city and state"
RICHARD p. MORGAN.
DWIGHT c. MORGAN, Asst. Engineer.
San Francisco, Nov. II, 1892.