The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-01-31

mileage is gresfer In Georgia than q - in Viz
i gnis the railroads in virginia paf 'ne STATE
/ double tho amount IN taxes that tho rtorga
roads paw that state. although the statistical
/ tables % the Interstate Commission put the
/ value per mile computed at , per cont. on earn
J ing capacity" Of the G.orgia rOatf .rfOup W
/ az 83j.HI Der mile while the virginia ROAD,
/ Group w. arc only Sl5.I.1 per mile
Mr. q airman,-In investigating TINS subject
I have arrived az Facts That are agreeabiy slr-
+ prslng I find the average tonnage 81 the
United States 10 be gn. willie the average % the
two Virginia roads cited Is 0ulr t7'. or % per
cent. less than tho average Of the entire couIl-
try, and ! assume, not having time 10 lnycsii-
gate further. that he ihe-aI cake and ONO
railroad ard the smaller lines towards the
coast on easy grades will not change tho figures
In concluding this general discussion Of rates
let me LAY summarlly that what The Richmond
and Dinvllo railroad got 81 for in ls,2 u now
furnishe, for tw9nty-fve cents the NOriol aId
Western twenty cents and the Chesapeake ana
OHIO Tor TIVE W aud one-half cents.
While rates have decreased so surprisingly
every one has observed the improved pnv,i-
cal condition Of tho roads promising
safety TO life aud property As compared win
sixteen wears ago think OF " stibule trans, tast
tAplo's ualA'' reg -it cohciie5' VAIN ailt go
IN WINTER AM furnished WIth laFatoles AM Ice
water in summer. Again think OF tle spiendlh
freight service and accommodation ol Shippers
with cars for loading and unloading. haifo1d
men claim that fuoy have % employ - 10 - yer
cent more Of these cars .han IS necessary,
owing 20 taTdness Of their patrons ia iOaiiuS
and unloading "a heavy tax. ana one Ihai lne
pubic ls slow 90 appreciate. but an hccohhlo ~
ton OF great value 90 or farmers while receiv-
lng limo and fe .til,e and shipping crops. IN
the light of al these facts o Is siinrlr marvel
Gus that so excellent serucc can be rendered
without lo-s. ami It D. suscep PUBIC Of Proof inAt
any further auctions IN general trahc rates
must rcsutIn reducing The WAGES OF the ell
DIOycs. lowering fLe character OF the seINlce
and reducing the value 1f the property.
The report or the Interstate Commerce Tom
mission for $50 shows that IN Group W., which
contains the railroads OF the Carollnas, virginia
ana % part OF Ncst Virginia. surplus OF 80 ~
was al that was earned per mica sum IL
would seem. too small 20 lusuiy tAt terms
'erecdv and rRpauole cast at our ioaQ' or
stimulate the appetite Of the huuhiest a'liany
tor official h0nOrs What a. there % lusth tins
Oil ANYHOW Free passes Rave been abolished
Except 20 lcgisla'ors, private rates are no
longer issued. drawbacks are no longer given.
DETERMINATIONS between shippers have ceased
an 20 reasonable complaint through General
hlll Office mas renamed unsGtisntd
One OF the most dangerous features OF this
Dill is contained ln section s. limo 81, 80 sen. Joy
this provision there ls an absolute commit
ment 10 the mileage plan or WORKING rate
schedules DIssimilar conditions aad ere M
stances az i'm the fourth section of tho Inter-
state hiil, arc left out, and that too. m law III
tended for a state owning many seaport towns
and pene rated by naNealle streams.
Hitherto haFe spoken OF the general interests
OF the state. i VIII now tnrn % special ana
locai interests that are menaced by TINS .iA.
As manager OF the Carson Limo Company.
Western railroad crosses the virginia Midland.
/ real 10 that u thl. bin becomes law. the COM
missioners app lniei VIII probably order
frc ght scHndu .es worked ON The mileage plan.
II you VIII look 80 the map. observe our geo
graphical position and take lyncl1urZ a. an
initial point I'D the territory we trade ia. pear
ing ~ mime THAI our compstiton is li miles
nearer market thau We arc, Won VII see
that making our business question OF
miles jus eaJ or msrkeis as az present,
wouli be disastrous. We have o com efe on
e.. Maine. 4.
Maryland and West Virginia. II yol anrly the
long and short haul feature as proposed, YOU
viii destroy the competing rates We Ell oy-
TO Norfolk for e1ample-leaVe rs only one rolts
and that rarity by water, over which we cOult
not ship Ia bulk. We csn Afford 20 give rail-
road con panY higher rate 20 nearer IOint
If 10 viii uut rs lu more remote market, whore
water transportation or other idfOra 10 cOndi-
ton gives orr competitor an advantage. 10 is
to substitution ~ this business hexibLity
lor the IfOcustean bed OF cast-iron enact
mens that We dread anu that others dread who
are similarly situated.
now come to speak I'm behalf or the farmers
oi Frederick shenandoah, lark. PAGE, arren.
laUquer rnce William, kappahannOc1, fair-
fax and LouGOun. From statements OF ship
llen-s ri grain. bay and -four rom Strasburg
and AlNertOu pa 1921. and tine tsD4es OF former
Commission Of Agriculture 49, the latest /
could got, have computed that the aforesaid
counties ship annually INFO The taroilnas and
Georgia sfJ3-all. ia grain. hay and flour.
While "a railroad bill was pending the session #
1-,1 farmers were receiving as much for their
corn I'D the counties have named as they could
have gotten ln Baltimore. saving frelgh. aLu
commissions amounting % % per cent. of the
croD value. lis advantage they enjoyed Ow
inc 10 the practice Of the RAILROADS entering the
States south Of Virginia recurring rebllilng
on Western products. while they gave a
through billing on the products OF
our helds. This practice IS still IN force.
Should a state commission interfere with II in
the interest of some towns through which the
business passes ON the one hand. or by demand
ing lower interstate rate on portion OF the
interstate distance Oh the other, as has been
done in the Western States. il may can 0 loss
10 the farmers and millers OF these counties a.
prOximatlng SOl0m annually hy forcing them
ont OF their best market and making them take
chances with western products IN Baltimore
and elsewhere. In the lower Valley we are
favored with low rates from Southwest
Virginia on stock snd cattle. and don't know
how 10 viii be on the mileage plan.
AGAIN. the North Carolina Commission
allows the roads 20 charge extra percentages on
heavy grades Should TINS plan be put III force
Ildewater Virginia Will have an immense adj
vantage over the rugged valley country. Alto
ge;ner. this bil has great possibilities for evil
without cooperating qualities 10 Justify the
RISK Of Its passage We should be satisfied with
a low rates as are enjoyed by anv people on tho
broad earth and encourage the corporations
aiding us 90 develop our vast natural resources
ant creating property that helps Us hear the
burdens OF taxa ION. l. YOU pass this bill 10
requires no prophet to 10retel the back-set 10
our prOsf erIty.
in conclusion. I will read an extract from :
the North American Review Of last month IL Is
so pertinent 10 the question under cousidera-
ton that all must recognize ITS value
Heretofore the railway companies Of this
country have made strenuous and I'D TO GER
tam point, successful efforts 20 meet Il red lc-
ton OF rates Is q reduction OF expenses. Tho
invention OF the cheapened processes for
making steel rails created revolution IN the
economical working OF railways; then came i'm
proved locomotives OF increased power ana
more economical in fuel; the freight car OF ten
tons caracIty and ten tons in weight has been
superseded by one OF thirty tons capacity ana
only thirteen tons IN weight thus largely re-
ducing the dead weight 20 be hauled 10 will
thus ie seen that many fortunate circum-
stances have assisted in accomplishing reduc-
ton in expenses which cAnno IN all likelihood
he peated. 4 loss IN the amount OF traffic can
be Offset ia part hv a reduction OF the wOrk,ng
force. but q loss from the decrease Of rates does
not admit OF this remedy.
1T is probable hat further reduction in
rates would have 20 be met on some roads by
reducing wages and scaling down the interest
on securities. We must recOllcct, IN view OF
such an aspect Of the case. that the si000OO0).-
ON invested IN the railways OF the United States
earned lasi year an average of only "a per cent,
and Of this amount the CAPT al stock. represent
ing the ership. received an average Of less
than per cent.
There can e no doub. that every branch OF
industry IN fne country. lf tho sr .ect were
carefully and 'spassl nltcly considered. would
declare ia favor OF RAILWAY peace and the secur-
lty Oi uniform. stable and reasonable rates
The one million Of railway employees are The
first 90 suffer from The poverty OF railroads,
either IN reduction OF wages OF loss Of occu-