The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-07
RAILROAD NEWS
{ ROM AL POINTS
Steamboat Folks Getting Ready
for the Great Jamestown
Flow of Travel.
c, & o. RECEIPTS FELL OFF
The West Is Stirred Up About
Drastic Two-Cent Leg
islation.
c. & o. RECEIPTS FELL OFF

Captain irwin wcsiger, agent OF the
Old Dominion Steamship Line, returned
yesterday from Norfolk, where he at
tended meeting of the Hampton Roads
Transportation Association. This ASSOC
citation Is composed of the Representa-
tives OF tho steamboat lines that will
have to do with the handling OF the
thousands OF people who will go to the
Jamestown Exposition this year by
water. Docks and piers we're the prin-
cipal subjects discussed at the meeting
which Captain Weisiger attended, and
st is needless to add that the Old
Dofinlon people got all that was coming
to'them.
The Southern Railway company's re-
port OF estimated earnings for the last
week in February is as follows:
Southern Railway Company, exclusive
Of ST. Louts-Louisville lIncs: This year,
sl,o75,o11; last year, s1,124.242; decrease.
1929.
Southern Railway Company st. Louis
Louisville lines: This year, sss,12t last
year. s112,oo5; decrease s25,ss4.
The following note has been received
from Mr.. Sullivan, Of the Chesapeake
and Ohio.
referring to monthly statement of
this company's earnings and expenses
gent you yesterday for the month OF
January, 1907 and published to-day.
would advise that the decrease in earn
ings Is due to the unprecedented weather
conditions and Ohio River floods, which
caused suspension of business on west
ern part OF line for several days.
yours truly
IL. l.. SULLIVAN,
Comptroller"
In "a recent issue Of a Kansas City,
Mo. paper the following editorial APP
poared, which shows that the limit has
about been reached in the matter OF
crowding the railways:
The passage OF the two-cent fare bl,
by the Missouri Legislature and the
Legislatures of Indiana, Nebraska and
II number of other States, marks the
elimination OF the anti-railroad agita.
ton which has been going on for tn,
past few years. This enactment .,
regard to railroad passenger rates is
OF course, not nearly SO serous as Thu
measures which are pending or hav'
passed In various Western Legislature
looking to the arbitrary reduction o
freight rates, inasmuch aS the passen
ger business is relatively but small
percentage OF railway traffic. Ru
viewed from the standpoint of common
sense. and the facts that underlie II
the passenger rate bill easily rank
first in point of folly.
There is not IL scintilla Of cvidenc
10 justify the two-cent fare act. o
the contrary. All the testimony take
by the Legislative committee shove
that the railroads in the West ar
carrying passengers at a loss at tn
present tliree-cents charge. Leadin
railway managers, men OF untmpeach
able character and integrity, swore
this fact and their testimony was cor
frned by the auditors books as
the passenger business, done in Nils
souri, There was no evidence offered
the contrary, and there could not hay
been for the simple reason that
doesn't exist. And yet the two-cer
fare bill passed both houses. as II
correspondents say with whoop
MANY OF the men who voted for tn
hill knew In their hearts that 1t Wi
foolish and unjust. One OF them--Se'
ator Methudy. of ST. Louts--confess'
this. saying that in voting for the b
he was voting against his Judgment
a LAWYER as he believed such a Ia
would be coniscatory and unconstit
ticnal. Still he voted for 1t, as d
many others who shared his opinio
No sevcrer Indictment could have be-
framed by tn most ardent railro,
partisan than this Senator passed up'
himself in this confession of weakne