The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-03-08
RANKIN REPLIES


And Gives Some Wonderful Figures on
Texas Railroads.
To tho Editor OF The Post:
Groesheck. Texas. March IL write You
tbs in answer TO a criticism az your Aus
tin correspondent, made through your
paper upon an article that published
some time ago In which | attempted TO
show some wrougdolug of the railroad
commission.
He seems to have had two objects In
view. first to ridiculo me out of counton-
nnce, and next to donouncc me with rough
expressions so as 20 completely drive me
from the field. ] am convinced that your
readers viii not consider ridicuie or de-
mnciation as argument and all who know
me win non expect me TO descend 40 low
as to 20 far forget myself as 10 indulge
In II slang controversy; therefore, l Will
at once address myself to proper dis
cussion of the subject at issue, which IL
the wrongdolng of the railroad commits
sion. In order that your renders may
properly understand this whole subject,
II viii be proper for rle to state that the
corporations operating these roads do not
own them, they only Dold chartered pri.i-
ltgea In thia railroad property ana
II Is most positively and express
Is understood that whenever these
of the conditions of these charters, that
81 Is the duty of the attorney general 10
commence suits against them Tor me foi-
feitire of their charters, ana put th'Hi
into liquidation and force them to 80 out
of business In order that your renters
may have fair and comprehensive un-
derstandng of tho wfOnGdoiug OF the ran
road commission n 10 proper that they
should nrzt know what these roads cost
these corporations to bulld ana equip
them. The governor OF New Jersey Is
.r tf.A xrslfn that railroads rnll
be built for 5000 per mile less thhh ulrt
Troads Ex-Governor Barnett Gibbs says
that Il railroad can be hull from tnn hea
river to the coast for 5000 per mile. a
railroad man VINO knows says that Colonel
~. IL. Cunningham built his ROAD 10 yer
assoc for $1,000 per mile. ana my bt. ,snl.o
Valley road was built for less IMAM $500
per mile and that there Is not n ROAD IN
The State that could not be butt ana
equipped for icss than sl2Dp per mile, ana
according 10 the best raiifodu htauSueh
tho average cost per mile OF all the roa ls
in tho United states is less than segV per
mile. ana this average includes all tne
roads In the government, ana SOM or
them built through long ranges OF noun
tains with tunnels through solid rock TOT
miles. These statements are -olid historic
facts that no one VIII earnestly ntleihp,
10 deny by a careful examination OF
the railroad commission IL viii be seen
from the exhibits OF these trusted Inl,o
that all the principal roads OF the nta.e
ARE capitalized TO about sSp.Wp per Hilie'
and that the honest toilinE people VINO
pay for all ard every character OF trans
Jortation has to ray diHldends on trls
SEQ 900 per mite. when IN fact the Texas
roads can today be duplicated Tor s~Vl
per mile BY an examination OF the re-
ports OF the railroad commission. II VIII
he seen that they show in them that most
Of the roads only cost $4,000 per mi'e,
and thai some OF these only cost 1900 per
mile. II one road only cost 1900 per mile
II liz because Ito stock is not watered ~
| the outset. and the one that cost Sl2.OVo
per mile was watered In the beginning.
and afterwards carried on by the sale OF
bonds and, adding TO stock. carried up TO
$50 600 per mile All this IL too plain 20
be oalltd into question for the reason mat
II is positively known from the best rail-
| road statistics that the average cost per
mile In the United States Is less than 1880
per mile
or riphtdoine; Is II honesty or robbery ana
plumber Of the worst Character the rail-
| road commission makes the asioundin.
| statement that e. cents n hundred pounds
on cotton for hauling 1t liD miles
| rs a Just and fair rate or freight.
| Let us look into this remarkable
statement to see ~ there ~ anything
| In Il that has the resemblance OF truth.
| ] Will refer your readers for information
on this subject to the testimony taken De-
fore the ways and means committee In