The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-01-01
WITH The RAILROADS.
Freight Agent Brnlem Gives II Review OF
tSe Year and Predicts. for 1895.

\ tucy uH'i 1870.
I'm The latter months of the past year
rallr3ad owners ard managers have real
lzelSsome of the hopes for improvement:
referred t0Sfn my article OF year ago.
The tonnage handled by the lines OF the
Unitei States during the entire year has
Increased on an average OF probably so
per cent, as compared with the previous
year. As rates on many commodities
continue lower and have not advanced
with the Increase In tonnage and demand
for transportation, ] apprehend the ne;
resulSs oflthc years work will be some
what disappointing to the owners. Just
now tine usual holiday dullness Is expert
encej, but the increase shown in tine last
Tired or four months and the prospects
for the new year, warrant those who are
financially interested, in expecting such
returns in the coming year as they re-
cclved In 1892 and later In 1895.
1t occurs to me there Is one element o.
doubt, however, which surrounds future
dividends. While there has been no ma
teria1 Increase in mileage, the continual
Is Increasing capacity supplies more
transportation facilities than Is demand
cd; this. with The decisions OF courts has
added to the inclination to rate wars,
ruinbus alike to the owners and public.
a few years ago such strlfes were COM
monty regarded as a great benefit to the
public, but to-day. when margins are
small. when cyl! effects are plainly felt
however slight: when values OF the COM
modlties involved are thereby unsettled,
they are deprecated by shippers and are
without doliot serious menace TO their
business. As railroad valuations In the
UNIFIED States amount TO one-eighth OF
the jentIrc property valuation, It can be
readily seen the condition of railroad
property is potent factor In the nations
prosperity. AS the railways are the
laraest consumers OF iron and steel pro-
ducks, those industries prosper only rs
thcIIr patrons prosper. a few years ago
Mt nj meeting OF Iron manufacturers, held
In pittsburgh, at which 1t was proposed
10 ask for n reduction In rates to a point
bcl'bw that which was profitable, the
PROPOSITION was opposed by prominent
ma hufacturcr on the ground that with
out profits the roads could not buy their
pro lucts. and as a result those factories
pro iucing railroad supplies would be
Compelled to produce articles In other
l!nds. which would cause an over-produc-
tioih in those other lines, thereby affect
inSI all alike. At that time his sentiment
wa5 not generally corcurred in, but now
Is regarded as true.
llf railroad owners are 10 receive n fair
RETURN upon their investments. as they
nrF clearly entitled TO, something should
be done by Congress 10 undo tho wrongs
INFLICTED upon those interests by. adverse
legislation IN many OF the states. It
shP uld enac, Il law which would give
Stability to rates. and while with proper
~rhitrlctlons Yet would encourage enter
prise and yield q fair profit. The pend
Ink pooling measure. while not looked
urI9n with favor by some railroad men
anI b Others, and nd doubt has some scrl-
oula objections. i5 probably the most
fedlslolc plan Yet suggested for avertinG
tlH financial llSnStnIS Which othprWiHn