Year: 1873

tected, immediate notice would have been
given the companies interested.


The most important question of all,
what rates to charge and how to adjust
them under the new law, is still unsettled
and affords subject for lively discussion
and prolonged consultation.


Under the old law, or the law which is
supplanted by that going into operation


ON July 1, the railways were allowed to
adjust their passenger and freight tariff
rates so that they might be enabled to com


pete with railways affording short and


more direct route. Take the Rock Island
Railway for instance, and the point to
| which the goods are to be shipped
Peoria. Under the existing law the roads
were allowed to have certain fixed rate
for each and all points on their line be-
tween Chicago and Peoria, and yet, if in
competing with other roads, Irregular or
rates less than schedule rates were allow
ed, it was in perfect accordance with the
letter and spirit of the law. And after
having unloaded the cars of their freight
at the destination, rather than haul back
empty cars, still lower rate might be
fixed by the company for the transporta-
of goods to Chicago from Peoria. But by
the law taking effect on the 1st prox., these
concessions by the roads to merchants, and
this opportunity to compete with rival
tirely cut off. The new law requires the
same discrimination in regard to freight
that it does in the case of passengers. 1t
distinctly states that no road shall 'make
any unjust discrimination in its rates or
charges Or compensation for the transpor-
tation of passengers or freight of any de-
scription." x X And further, "no rail
way shall charge, collect, or receive for
the transportation of any passenger, or
freight of any description, upon its rail-
way, for any distance within this State,
the same or greater amount of cOmpen-
sation than is at the same time charged,
collected or received for the transporta-
ton in the same direction of any passen-
ger or like quantity of freight Of the same
class over greater distance of the same
railway" or, in other words, no railway
can charge a certain rate for freight to an
intermediate station, but it must charge
the same proportionate rate from the ship
ping point to the destination This ques-
tion the officers have found it difficult to
settle so that they may conform to the law
and yet do themselves justice. So far, the
most practical way of accomplishing this
seemed to be by means of distance tariffs;
that is, gradually increasing rates in ac-
cOrdance with additional mileage. The
plan determines the rate to a given point,
and decreases in charge per mile as the
distance increases; so that when the
traveller has reached his destination he
will be charged with a greater amount,
but will really have paid lesser sum per
mile considering the entire distance. The
same principle applies to freight. This
plan would seriously interfere with the
business Of the north and south lines, be-
cause all the traffic would be taken from
them at every competing point. The
schedules and opinions upon them are be-
ing prepared, and will be considered and
definitely settled at the next general meet
ing.


The railway men say that, in case this
plan goes into operation, it will seriously
impair the business of Chicago. The in
tersecting lines travelling eastward will
take over their routes all business to and
from the East, because their lines are
shorter, and consequently cheaper. Thus
they say, the Chicago merchant will be
neglected for the New York and other
Eastern merchants, and traffic will be
shipped without benefiting Chicago.


In regard to the pass system the officials
state that as the abolition of the entire
system is required by law it will very
likely be of permanent duration. They
are glad that the law has done for them,
in so short time, what they have been so
long trying in vain to effect for want of
unanimity of action. Railway men say
that Illinois has set an excellent example,
one which will be followed throughout
the entire country without doubt.


The railway officials are going to en-
force the new law in every jot and title.
They acknowledge the existence of many
evils which it will be beyond the power
of any law to eradicate, but propose to do
everything in their power to regulate the
running Of their roads to the new law.
The new schedule of rates now being pre-
pared will be observed, said prominent
railway official yesterday, until some road
begins to cut rates and provoke retaliation
from the other roads.--Chicogo Inter-
OcenD ,T,Ine5