The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1921-09-07
Mr.. w. III. RUCKER
TELLS OF RATES

Mr.. w. II Rucker, of the New Hope
Gravel Pit, while in the city last week
stated to the Dispatch that the gravel
pits are having their share Of Difficult
ties at present Said Mr.. Ruckcr:
Last year we were overwhelmed
with orders, but could get no cars.
This year we have the cars, but the
orders are small and desultory. Hard
times have also cut prices. Many
public boards, who would like 20 build
roads, cannot sell their bonds. Other
communities, discouraged by the de-
precision, refused to vote bonds 1t
will probably require several years to
re-adjust the finances so that road
building can again assume normal
proportions"
"The most serious difficulty con
fronting the gravel producers, how
ever" continued Mr.. Rucker. sis thu
matter Of freight rates, which are ~
a dangerous condition. While the
public thinks rates on road materials
should come down, railroads, or many
Of them, are clamorng for higher
rate. The Southern Railway System,
for instance, which, with its affiliated
lines, serves the Columbus pits, is
seeking through traffic associations
to practically double the freight rates
now in effect on sand and gravel
Doubtless the other railroads feel the
same way If this plan should sue
coed, naturally road making would
be very greatly reduced and there
would be a heavy decrease in gravel
activities in the vicinity of Columbus
In fact, the local output Of gravel
would become negligible"
"The nexplicable thing about it,
said Mr.. Rucker, ais that traffic ok
perts have presented figures showing
that with present freight rates, the
returns to the railroads per ear from
this class of freight, is far g"atcr
than on brick. concrete blocks, logs.
lumber. cross ties, hay, ice, etc. o
a fifty-mile haul for instance, the av
erage return in freight ON car Of
ice in this State is. Sl9,6S; hay, S2I50i
logs, $500; lumber, 1912; brick,
S29.40; cross ties, S29. so The aver
age car Of road gravel yields $500
for a fifty-mile haul. or much more
than the other named freights. ia
fact, the average freight on a car OF
gravel is now more than twice the
cost Of the gravel f: o. b. cars at the
pits. If the freight costs are to be-
doubled, road building will evidently
become an impossibility, except where
materials can be had by wagons along
the road sides. The ract is. the dc
mands for higher freight on road ma
terials, while railroads are voluntar-
ly reducing many other freiCh.s, is so
remarkable, that many thoughtful
people suggest that the railroads have
now assumed a hostile attitude tow
ard the whole road building program
It is minated they have assumed
this attitude because of their fear Of
competition from trucks and auto
mobiles, based on experiences in some
Eastern states. If this is the case, IN
my judgment, the railroad heads have
reached an erroneous conclusion and
are adopting a hort-sightel policy
First, because, while all great i'm
provements have temporarily njui
ed some people in some cases. the
net and inevitable general result Of
increased facilities cf communication
or production has been the bettcment
Of all concerned. II was a selfish and
short-sghted policy which led the toll
ers in the wheat fields TO antagonize
Mccormick reapers, for labor was
thereby increased and bread cheaper
ed What was feared might be- a ca
lamity to few proved blessing TO
all. ! do not know of any general
improvement which has not resulted
in greater comforts and prosperity To
all. Second antagonlsm TO road build
ing by the railroads would naturally
bring upon them the hostility Of the
public and lose them the support Of
a large class Of fair, conservative PEG
Dle who know the Importance Of rail .
roads and want them to have a fair
show Cities are made or ulTade By
freight rates, and there is probably no
other single matter that so much con
Germs Columbus. at this time, as this
)no Of establishing freight rates on
road macrials. since the DEVELOPMENT
# production Of this maferiql in this
,icinity in It's incipisncy.'