The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-14

per cent, In 1879 she received Y cents
for carrying 100 pounds of bacon so miles;
in 1898 she received 10 cents, a reduction
of over 40 per cent In 1879 she received
20 cents for carrying 100 pounds of bacon
100 miles in 1898 she receives Is cents,
or a reduction of more than 25 per cent.
In 1879 she received % cents for hauling
100 pound of -four so miles, and in 1898 she
receives 10 cents, or a reduction of about
80 per cent. In 1879 the old Central received
10 cents for carrying 100 pounds of grain
10 miles in 1898 she receives cents, a re-
duction of over GO per cent.
In 1879 she received Scents for carrying
100 pounds of grain so miles, and in 1898
she receives 9 cents, or exactly fifty per
cent reduction.
These reductions were more hurtful to
the Central than any other system in the
state. The freights that accumulate in
Savannah, Macon, Augusta, Atlanta and
Columbus are shipped into those cities
from distant and larger markets, and are
shipped on through aud at sharply COMPETE
tive rates. When distributed to the sur
rounding country, the rates of freight are
the rates named by the commission, Each
of the distributing points named controls
the territory surrounding it, prices being
equal, until the line of equality in local
rates is reached. For instance, the At
lanta merchant will sell his goods
TO persons on the line of the Central
as far down towards Macon as the
halfway point, because the local
rates from Atlanta are lower that far
than the local rates from Macon. AT the
half way point the rates become equal,
and if either city crosses that line it in
vades the territory of the other So the
Central in hauling freight out of Atlanta
toward Macon or out of Macon toward
Atlanta gets a haul of 5ll9mile rate.
Where it formerly received % cents per
100 pounds on baconon 5O-mile haul. it
now receives ID cents. Where it formerly
received on flour %, grain IS and cotton
30, it now receives 10, 8 and 10 respect
lively. Applying this illustration to the
entire local business of the Central, it
will be seen that the average haul of
freight will be about 90 miles.
Is it any surprise then that the Cen
trail is insolventl The newspapers credit
Justice jackson with the statement that
the Central was insolvent before 1855.
Capt Raoul predicted it in 1885.
Has not the time come when the people
will do justice to the Central stockholders
No one questions the integrity of the
present or any former commission. Rates
were pitched too low to start with. That
was mistake, and every reduction since
has only emphasized that mistake. To
confer a benefit upon those who did not
own railroad stocks which they could
neither locate nor estimate, positive and
disastrous injury has been inflicted upon
those who did unfortunately own railroad
stocks Is this the high and holy Office of
government Is the great mass of Geor-
gians ready to approve of the contscation
and destruction of the property of their
neighbors} do not think so. l believe
the sober-minded and honest masses of
Georgia will demand full justice for every
material interest in the state.
If our past policy is to be continued our
railroads will be forced to the necessity
of running fewer and slower trains, or
else going into the hands of receivers. Can
Georgia. the Empire State of the South,
stand this Already the Savannah and
Montgomery has been forced to discou-
tinue all passenger trains. So has the
Columbus Southern. The Georgia has
been forced to take off her fast trains
The Central has been compelled to slow
down the Nancy Hanks.
How far is this backward movement
going to extend2 Are we going back to
the train service? S. G. McLENDoN