Year: 1874




Check to the Railroad Kings.


The people of Baltimore are highly elated,
it seems. over visit they have lately re-
ceived from Commodore Vanderbilt. They
were not only glad to see him. but they speak
with special pride of the tremendous rate OF
speed at which SO great parsonage ap-
preached them, not less than fifty miles an
hour; and they were also gratifed that our
great Railroad King was accompanied by
small retinue of lesser monarchs, such as
Colonel Scott, Of the Pennsylvania Central,
and the President Of Erie In this way Ma
poleon the Great used to 60 about accom-
panied by train of kings and princes; and
Kaiser Wilhelm, no doubt, like our own gallant
Commodore, travels with following of SOW
ereign rulers, who admire him and hasten to
agree with all he says.


Well, we too are glad that the Commodore
went to Baltimore, and we are only sorry that
he did not stay longer. He is very able man,
and we do not doubt that the interests of New
York, as the commercial metropolis, are en-
tirely safe in his hands; but We have noticed
that he likes too much to stay in his office.
We should be glad to see him more frequently
on the road. He ought to see with his own
eyes what the enemy is about He should at
frequent intervals mount his celebrated iron
horse and trot out to the front, at least as
for as the skirmish line.


For here, it seems, the enemy has stolen
another march upon US. Some years ago
Baltimore quietly captured our coffee trade.
Some alarmists here then cried out but our
railroad kings only pooh-poohed the matter.
It was mere triAe; let them have it; we could
spare it, and we do not doubt, indeed, that
the New York railroad kings that year made
more money in Wall street operations in a
month than the whole years coffee freight
brought to Mr.. Garrett and his railroad.


But having captured our Coffee this saucy
Garrett is now threatening to cut off our gram
too. The matter begins to look serious; and
the brave Commodore's famous Saratoga coun-
Gil of war seems inadequate to meet this new
attack. Saratoga is q nice place. Some sea-
faring men prefer Newport; but we do not
find fault with the Commodore for liking Sar-
atoga. Only the Saratoga DEGREES seem to
have lost their efficacy. The Baltimore and
Ohio people don't mind them in the least.
The Commodore orders freight fates to be put
up or down; but the Baltimore people, to
speak profanely, refuse duty. They don't
obey worth cent, and they threaten to go on
carrying grain at whatever rates and
in whatever manner they please. Nor
is this oil. Pretty soon the Boston
men will strike; the Portland and
Montreal men threaten mild, but not cheer
full rebellion; and though Philadelphia can
be kept in order by Colonel Scott, who has Sc
the New York road. Richmond thinks of inde-
pendence, and, with the Chesapeake and Ohio
road, promises by and by to emulate Mr..
President CARROTS example.


If we had the ear of the Commodore we
would-atter gently pulling it-tell him that
it is time for him to stir his stumps, as it
were he ought to cup jib and staysail," SO
to speak, for he seems to have been drifting |;
he ought to ''ring her wide open" and tell
the engineer to s'let her out" Combinations
evidently do not work any more. Strategy is
a good thing, but 1t needs hard fighting to
back it. The Baltimore men captured our
coffee trade by Offering to bring the cars to
the ships aud saving one drayage The
Boston men are just adopting . magnificent
plan by which all their railroads will deliver
freight at one central point, where ships and
cars will be brought close together. Mean
time we in New York ara doing nothing in
this direction. Our railroad kings put up OF
put down their rates, but they do not LOOK to
small economies and conveniences. We dc
not mean to scold, and we have the greatest
admiration for the Commodore as the mos,
brilliant railroad man of the age. If he wants
to he can beat Baltimore, Boston and Rich.
mond. Only he ought to 60 about more and
see what other people are doing, else we may
lose something else, presently. Quadruple
tracks are good, but they would be far bette,
if they ended somewhere. The real problem
with us in New York is to provide for the
cheapest handling Of freight. If we neglect
that freight will go elsewhere.


We sincerely trust that the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad will maintain it's independence.
So long as our railroad men could control
traffic by coordination" to regulate rates
so long they very naturally neglected abb
solutely necessary improvements. II they
can once be convinced that q combination
will not work they will begin to furnish better
convenences, and thus win and secure traffic
on the only lasting basis, by giving the most
service for the least money. 1t is that only
| which can save our commerce from boinp
drawn away to other ports.


and his Attorney General, it appears, are ap.
prehensive of serious troubles again in Louis.
iana with the meeting of the Legislature, and