The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1906-05-19

FROM tue menu
Two things have lately contributed to
renewing the agitation for terminal
freight rates for Reno. One of these
was the destruction Of Sau Francisco;
the other the probable passage OF the
Hepburn rate bill which is intended TO
do away with many Of the abuses OF the
railroads and lodge in the Interstate
Commerce Commission the rate-making
power where existing rates are unjust.
Terminal rates has been the dream oil
Reno-and all of Nevada for that mat
ter-eyer since it was seen that the
place was to be Of size and Importance.
Even before the present era OF astonish-
ing growth had begun the people OF this
place had fought against the arbitrary
power Of the railroad which made this
place, as il makes many others, pay a
higher freight rate than it does cities
where the haul is hundreds OF miles
longer. Men with a sound faith In
Reno and all the rest of Nevada, men
who have loved the State and have been
willing to fight for it's welfare. have
seen that if equable rates were vouch-
safed this city many industries would
be possible here which are now i'm
possible because of the excessive tax
placed upon shippers by the railroad.
The Gazette feels that the time has
come for the people of Reno and the
whole State to combine in another
effort to obtain terminal rates. The
last five years have seen the population
of the State doubled. Mines OF magnih.
cent richness and abiding permanence
have been discovered in almost every
county in the State. The wealth OF
Nevada is being poured out to enrich
the whole world. Through the benef-
cent aid of the Government agricul-
tural development Of the State has beer
made possible. Water is now available
for thousands of acres where a few
years ago the widest visionist would
not have dared to say that there shouid
some day be poisoning fields where
then were but stretches Of forbidding
sand and sagebrush. These two indus
tries have thrived because it has not
been il the power of an individual or
corporation to place upon them the
heavy hand which should retard their
development.
But of manufactures we have practi-
cally none. Wholesale houses. sources
of commercial activity, are denied u
because the Southern Pacific has de-
creed that this place shall not pay
merely for hauling a carload OF material
here, but it shall pay for hauling 1t to
Sacramento and back again. There is
no need of arguing the question herr
now. We are familiar with the allega-
tons of the railroad. They will tell us
that the unfair rates are the Sacra-
mento and San Francisco rates; that
because those places happen to be stu
ated upon a river or al ocean the rail-
roads are compelled to lose money on
everything they haul TO either OF them
else lose the business because of the
availability of deep water vessels to
carry commodit les from other places to
them. That is the substance OF the
railroads claim. How plausible it is
we leave to our readers.
1t is not the intention of the Gazette
TO endeavor to stir up causeless agita-
ton against the railroads. Just be-
cause it is a railroad is no token that il
is evil through and through. But we do
believe that the time has come for Reno
to renew its efforts to obtain terminal
rates. The present administration OF
the Southern Pacific is the most benign
that has been in control of that road
since it first linked East with West
President Hartman has not adopted
"The public be damned" for his operat
ing motto. He has tried to develop th'
business of his road by developing the
country through which it runs. W.
believe the railroad is entitled to thes'
words in fairness.
But the fact remains that Reno is suf