The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-03-30
MCLAUGHLIN GIVES
REASON FOR
| FREIGHT RATE
Continued From Paks ons)

require you to walk around three sides
OF block to go from Garden-st south
on Palafox-st one block?
For half a century every car of east
and west-bound freight to and from
Pensacola that passes through Mobile
ia hauled around three sides of a figure
making 104 miles of distance. In other
words you have been paying transpor-
taticm cost for so years on A miles
greater distance than will be required
by the new mileage the direct line to
Mobile provides.
For more than half a century you
have been permitting this waste and
astronomical transportation condition
70 suppress the legitimate and natural
development of the commerce of this
city. / am unwilling to believe you
would permit any such waste in your
common everyday business. Analize
THIS situation in the cold light of rea-
son with the aid OF figures. The an
nual interest charge, computed at 6
per cent, on the bonded debt of the line
from here to Flomaton is more than
three times the sum that will be re-
CURED. II calculated at tho same rate
Of interest, on the entire 60 miles be-
tween Pensacola and Mobile. In other
words. If stated in the plain language
OF common arithmetic, the east and
west bound commerce Of Pensacola
that passes through Mobile is taxed to
pay it's share of annual interest on a
bonded debt OF t,5SS,400 for which sum
the AZ miles of superhuous distance to
Mobile is bonded.
What one of you would conduct his
business in such an uneconomical man
merit | propose now to give you some
examples OF what is going on here ev-
cry day. The Texas Oil company pays
transportation charges on an average
car Of coal oil, gasoline and lubricat-
ing oil S14S per car of 26 tons from Mo-
bile TO Pensacola.
AS soon as this new mileage | have
been building Is extended IS miles fur
tner, the transportation charges on this
car of oil will be reduced to $43 from
Mobile to Pensacola a reduction of
800 per cent.
The case is the same with the Sher-
I'LL oil company. AS soon as this new
mileage, now only IS miles from press
.cnt end Of track to east side OF Mobile
bay Is In operation, all consumers of
these commodities will pay 500 per
car less than is collected from them
today. Another example is coal from
Cunningham. | am informed the trans
rortation cost on an average car OF
40 tons is 5000 to $4,000. Owing to
the shortened rall-haul and coopera-
tion with the warrior river barge line
can promise you coal on the cars here
ut practically the same cost as is paid
at Mobile; there will not be exceeding
3 cents per ton difference, IL any. Take
an example of carload. $4,000 pounds
Of alcoholic beverages. The trans
portation cost from st. Louis Is $295.20
this is at the rate of % 4-10 cents
per car mile. A shortened distance of
78 miles will give the direct line to
Mobile. when division is made. $3.50;
but on the basis of 25 cars and upward
daily where there is not now exceed
ing one car per day. the division al
lowance will be much greater.
For more than 90 years you have
permitted the present uneconomical
transportation conditions to restrict
the commerce of Pensacola. Let us
analyze this situation In the cold light
OF reason. with the aid of figures the
following comparative conditions are
The bonded debt of the existing line
between Pensacola and Mobile is
S3.T54.400 This sum does not include
its share of four millions of outstand-
ing obligations against equipment.
The total annual interest charge on
the bonded debt of existing line of 104
inllcs from Pensacola 10 Mobile, calcu-
lated NJ 0 per cent per annum. is $225.-
264. This is a sum seven and one-half
times greater than the traffic will be
required to pay on the direct line be-
tween Pensacola and Mobile. When
YOU examine into this traffic condition
as closely as you do in your private
business affairs. you will find what has
been told you is correct.
The chief consideration in connec-
ton with freight transportation Is the
cost, but with passenger service, COM |
fort and convenience Of the passenger
must also be taken into the account. !
According to the best information |
now obtainable, the passenger traffic |
between Mobile and Pensacola for the !
last quarter OF 1920 amounted to $420 |
per day, and required four hours to /
cover the 104 miles Is IL not reason |
able TO count on one-half that sum for /
earnings of the direct line, when only |
two and one-half hours are required to |
make the trip, and the cost OF a ticket /
Is $3.50 instead of S4.O2?
The operating plans OF the company !
the use of automobile !
trucks as auxiliary to railway equip |
nent when the track has been extend |
ed 10 miles from its present terminus. /
BY this arrangement the strictly local |
or traffic. II Is confidently OK
pected. will be largely increased. ana |
the revenue earning capacity OF the
restored to approximately what ,
II was prior TO 1913. Adding this ex-
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