Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-02-09
HURSDAY, FEBRUARY o,H18o3.

redress wrongs between roads and
shippers; or wipe them out and save
the state $4,000 per year. We are net
being hurt by the passenger tariff, that
is low enough; it is the freight rates,
and principally the vast quantities of
mixed freight that is shipped in less
than car load lots that is eating US up.
To this place, 165 miles from ST. Louis
by rail, we pay on mixed freight, class
es, 1, 2, 8, and an average OF 81 per.
100 lbs, same freight is hauled to Gal
weston, Texas, for 40 cts. per 100 lbs. !;
well posted railroad men estimate that
mixed freight could be hauled from ST.
Louis here at an average price of 20,
cents per 100 lbs. and a good profit
realized.
Again our railroad property is taxed
at about one-fifth of it's actual value,
while all other property in the state Is
listed for taxation at about three fourths
of its value.
AS to express charges, (since the leg
islature passed the law taxing them on
their earnings) they are simply outrag-
eous, being from St. Louis to this place
on small packages of merchandise,
about 5 cents per pound; but the worst
feature is the inequality of charges on
same kind of merchandise and of same
weight and value, showing that they
have no regular charges, but simply
put as high as they think the party
paying it will stand. I Ihave expressed
three suits of clothes from same place
to same place on three different days
and all weighing same, towit:' about
five pounds each, the express charged
on one package was 80 cents, one $1.35
and one $1.40, and again we ship from
here, in season, a great many venison
saddles, all to st. Louis, our express
charges vary from 2 cents per pound to
Is cents per pound. In view OF the
facts I am of the opinion that law
should be passed requiring express
lcompanies to at least exhibit in their
depots a rate sheet.
i Again, one would naturally suppose
that telegraph lines were built for the
accommodation of the public. Such is
not the fact however, as the average
time of sending dispatch from here
to Williamsville, (about 35 miles) or any
point on the I. NJ. railway, is about Sc
hours, "a letter will go in hours,) in
lexplicable as it may seem, the agents
J are absolutely forbidden to send the
dispatch direct, which could be done in
one minute, but they must send them
to Willow Springs Exactly in the op.
Iposite direction) and there they are re-
layed and take their turn; and the same
process is gone through with at Spring
field, Kansas City and St. Louis, so i
is no wonder it is So hours on the road,
thereby entirely destroying its useful
ness to business men as a means oil
communication.
II I introduced and passed through the
Lower House of the 36th General As
lsembly, laws correcting the evils in both
the Express and Telegraph companies,
but both we're defeated in the Senate.
i I am not in favor of any radical leg
islation that would unsettle business
but that some good wholesome legislar
ton restricting corporations and reduc
ing freight rates is needed, no man
who has the welfare of our great state
at heart will deny.
The great army of consumers are
taxed fully ten per cent. more than they
Ishould be on all they buy; is this right
II We cry aloud at the high tariff anJ
yet the excessive freight tariff is near
| ly as bad. Regards,
G.. L. LEE.