Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1904-04-14
The "Red Book" BefrIended.

| Mineral Point Tribune: In your
issue of April 9TH you undertake to
show that the rates and comparisons
in the "red book are not to be re-
lied on, and name several items to
illustrate your points.
In the first place, grain rates apply
to different kinds Of grain, and the
fact that we have produced no wheat
in this section for number Of years
| does not prove that oats have not
been raised and shipped TO other
markets than Chicago. The fact is
"A good many thousand bushels have
been shipped from Mineral Point to
northern Wisconsin points, Green
Bay included; that city has been
distributing point for the lumber
and ore districts, and ever since |
| have been in the railroad business
northern Wisconsin has been a good
market for oats, corn and pressed hay.
| In the comparison on total amount
of stock shipments, your figures are
two and one half times too large, and
besides you have taken distance in
stead of commodity rates, and taken
altogether are very misleading. In
none Of the items in your paper on
this subject have you told the public
that the rates on all classes of freight
! from eastern points to Milwaukee
are the same as to Chicago, and for
this reason the western lines make
the same rates to Milwaukee as
| Chicago Should our rate to Mil
waukee be reduced proportionately
as TO distance with Chicago, you
could ship II car of any kind OF pro-
| duce to New York cheaper via Mil
waukee than Chicago, and by all
rail. For this reason it is not fair to
take the milwaukee, distance of 1852
miles and compare with Illinois
when our rate is based on Chicago
distance Of ISL miles.
| | am not posted on the general
rates of Illinois and have no tariffs
| for that district, but | do know, and
so does every one who will honestly
consider this question, that any
main line that extends ISL miles out
of Chicago can haul freight great
| deal cheaper than can be done from
Mineral Point, mainly for two rea-
sons: The Illinois railroads have
| little or no grades to contend with,
while we have good many. A com
mon engine such as is used on this
division can only haul fourteen cars
Of stock from Mineral Poiat to James
Vile, while the same engine could
| haul at least twenty-five ears on
either the c. b. d @, Alton or !, c.
| X. II. for distance of $50 miles from
Chicago Add to this the advantage
of IA volume of business ten times
! greater than that of any line doing
| business in southwestern Wisconsin,
| these two items would m,.J than
wipe out the total difference you
have named, even if your figures
were correct, and | am satisfied
! jury of fair-minded men will agree
with me.
The United States mail has been
carried between here and Dodgeville
for one ceut per year. Why not make
our rural delivery contractors aud
other people who carry the United
States mail do the same thing? 1t is
a we'll known fact that the uoluBlc
Of business is the cause of these
cheap mail facilities between here
and Dodgcville. Similar conditions
exist in railroad transportation, and
TO make a fair presentation all
things should be considered, but !
am sorry to say those who are trying
to pull down the railroad and man
ufacturing enterprises with the towns
ts,rcetiy interested are..aGt-. v Hing
TO do SO.
The fact is, the red book is a fair
showing to a fair-minded man.
n. III. SNOW.
NOTES.-The foregoing commuui-
cation was received too late to per-
NIT of analysis aud reply in this
issue, there being SO many points
left wide open for comment, but the
Tribune aims to be sufficiently fair
minded" To grant the writer square
deal. Suffice it say at this time; II
the writer is not posted, as he frankly
admits, on Illinois rates, how can he
expect his claim, that the red book
is fair is going TO be readily believed
by fair minded men?" His asser-