Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1910-03-24
BRICK AND TILE
SHIPMENTSON
D. & R. CANAL
Perth Amboy and Vicinity
Figures in the lnvsstiQa-
tiOn Now on.
BIG DISCRIMINATION IN
RATES Is SHOWN
Special to the EVENING NEWS.

SpectdI TO the EVENING NEWS.
Trenton, March 24:-Whether or
not the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany, which controls the Delaware G.
Raritan canal, has disseminated
against canal shipments Of clay,
brick, tile and other materials from
the vicinity of Perth Amboy, in fa-
vor of the railroad transportation,
and also whether there has been sim
liar discrimination on coal and other
supplies to the NorthJersey vities and
to New York, was the chief query
yesterday afternoon at the maj
hearing In the probe of the reasons
for the great falling off In traffic on
the canal and the large disuse OF the
waterway. The hearing was con-
Quoted by the Senate Canal Investi-
eating Committee, composed of Sem
ators Silzer, of Middlesex county;
Bradley, of Camden, and Leavitt, of
Mercer county. The report of the
since last summer, will be presented
to the legislature next week.
Queer Freight Rates.
The probe yesterday afternoon
brought out the fact that the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company has some
queer freight rates on the canal. For
instance, the sworn testimony showed
that the rate on a ton of coal from
Bordentown to New Brunswick is
thirty-five cents, the distance being
forty-four miles; while from Bor-
dentown to Trenton, only six miles,
twenty-one cents is charged. 1t
was shown, also that some large
shippers of coal get rate per ton
from this city to New Brunswick Of
fifteen cents, the distance being
.thirty-eight miles, but that no rate
less than the twenty-one cents can be
had for the six miles to Bordentown.
Toll Collector Ricard, of Borden
town, gave some of the testimony
referred to. He testified also that
John B. Dallas, big shipper, got a
freight rate Of from eleven to twen-
ty-five cents per ton for transporta-
ton through the canal.
Senator Silzer here asked: "If
John Smith applied for transporta-
tion would you give him the same
rate?' II would have to take that
up with my superiors," was the re-
ply. He continued by stating that
g
Senator Leavitt inquired whether
1t cost more per mile to transport
freight from Bordentown to Trenton
than from Trenton to New BruAs-
wick. Mr.. Ricard said he thought
not. 1t was plain that the commits
sioners could not understand then
why there should be such differ
ence In the rates.
Brick, Tile and Clay Traffic.
Lemuel Wright, canal official at
New Brunswick, was sworn next.
Senator Silzer asked him whether a
large traffic could not be built up on
the canal in the brick, tile, clay and
other building materials from the
Raritan river section. Mr. Wright
was not certain as to that. He said
considerable of that class of freight
was shipped now. When asked
about the Irregularities in the rates
of freight, he said he could not ex-
plain them.
Other witnesses examined were ].
Bingham Woodward, of Bordentown,
and Jordan Samsell, of Point Pleas
ant, Pa, the latter of whom boats
coal from Mauch Chunk to New
York, Mr.. Samsell said he got coal
freight rate from Trenton to New
Brunswick of twenty-five cents per
ton.
There was placed before the COM
by Secretary Metzger, of the
Trenton Chamber of Commerce, the
result of canvass of local manufac-
turers and shippers. 1t showed that
there is disposition here on the
part of those who now ship by rail
to use the canal provided the rate
was lower than by rail, and there
was assurance of prompt delivery
The canvass showed that the local
shippers think the canal should be |
deepened and widened so as to ac-
large boats and thereby |
provide competing transportation |
with the railroads.
1t is understood that the report of |
the commission will refer to charges |
of discrimination and to the poor |
condition of some sections of canal, !
and viii make important recommen-
dations along the lines of correcting
them.