Year: 1873




IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNR.l


Boston, Sept. THE first public meeting under
the auspices of the Boston Grange of the Patrons OF
Hasbandry, held at the Commercial Exchange to-
day, the occasion of sound practical speech by
the Hon. Amasa Walker, listened to by an audience
whose close attention augured we'll for the success OF
the Order in this State Mr. j. c. Abbott the deputy OF
the National Grange who introduced the order IN
Boston came here first in June, just before Deputy
Thompson of Vermont had instituted Grange IN
Greenfield the home of Gov. Washburn. Since then
he has spent most of his time in the State and has
jnstifnted Oranges in Deerfeld and NOTthfield be-
sides that in Boston, He found people IN Massachu-
setts entirely unacquainted with the objects and
purposes of the Order, well as of the
means which il intended employing. He had
however a respectful and attentive hearing, and is
fully satisfied that the business men and farmers OF
Massachusetts need only TO be made acquainted
with the aims of the Patrons Of Husbandry to do all
they can TO assist in attaining the first result which
they are endeavOring to bring about-cheap trans
portatiOn.


The master of The Boston Grange which now
numbers on its roll the President Of the Commercial
Exchange and several of its prominent members
is Jno. b. Bartlett of the firm Of Scudder, Bart
lett & Co.. commission merchants and -four and
grain dealers who alone have fought the Boston and
Albany Railroad with greater vIgoT and earnestness
than all tine other merchants of the city together
There were about $50 persons present, and they re-
manned standing for full hour and half listening
with the close attention of men who felt that the
subjects discussed were Of the most vital interest


Mr. Bartlett spoke very briefly of the great neces-
siy for cheap transportation from the West to the
East the only line to this city having become
grievOus monopoly, and introduced Mr. Abbott.


Mr.. Abbott began by referring to the peaceful
farmer in the grasp of the gigantic railway
monopoly, which would reduce HIM to a bondage
more abcct and degrading than that from which the
nation had just escaped This sudden uprising he said
seeks TO check this ruling power and by the enact
ment of laws both national and State to hold it in
subsection and teach the wholesome lesson that this
great institution must be a servant and not
master major part Of its dividends he contended
were paid by money robbed from the people. One
illustration would be sufficient, and he took the
Hudson River and NeW-YOrk Central Railroad
and gave the waterings of the consolidated road as
follows: The Hudson River $17,12j,SOO; New-Hork
Central, SS1, ,5GO4OO, making a total of S4S6S02OO
The share capital includngsthe scrip dividends is
$9OOOOOOO the waterings therefore, exceed the cash
capital actually paid in S7S6S4OO The dividends
annually paid upon waterings at per cent equal
the sum of $3S94,36O AT the time OF the formation
of the Central Company, which was in 1864, water
ings in the form of certificates bearing six per cent



added to the recent waterings makes total of
$57,57G.7OO. The interest and dividends accrning
annually on this equal $4,2280SO, and the total
waterngs equal SlSOG4 to the mile Uf the main line
of these roads.


Upon the authority of railway officials he said
that all freight and passengers could be transported
by railways at onefourth the present average cost,
and he had papers to show that 10 cents per bushel
would pay fair dividend upon the actual capital
IN
New-YOrk.


The plan of his organization was first to organize
into q great working body, and to this all their
efforts were directed. They numbered now about
GOO,OOO. They had many schemes for the advance
ment of their interest, but the chief among them
was the question of transportation.


The Hon. Amasa Walker Of Brookline was then
introduced. He said


Mir. Chairman; understand this meeting to be for
the purpose Of considering the great question Of railway
reform there is need, as understand il, for such
reform, and great movement is being made in that
direction Now / have been invited to address this
meeting, leone citizen belonging 10 no Organiza
tion whatever, and address you citizens entirely,
and may say that perhaps railroad man and
have been for 40 years Some perhaps can Iecollect
long ago that I took very active part in the intro
ductiOn Of early railroads here and now feel it my
duty forward and help restore those railroads
TO their legitimate Railroads created, as un-
dersand the 10 confer all possible pene-
nj upon them they granted special privileges for


special purpose aud they bound to furnish freight
and passenger transportation and not only bound TO do
it. do it TO the possible extent and with
the least possible expense, otherwise they
fer all the good which 1t designed they
should Now this understand TO be fundamental prn-
ciple, and the principle which this movement
rest it is a question which agating;
II is the question OF the age. We have nothing In history
70 guide us there is no antecedent when these rail
roads were chartered then felt anxious enough
provide that the State might buy railroad at certain
Price Now don't know what legislation has been made
during the late years, having been away most Of the
time when the Legislature has been session. but am
afraid has lost the control OF the railroads in
Massachusetts 1t ought not have lost it, because
they important.


To begin this is emnenty a farmers question. But
why Because his products must be transported a
distance, and they heavy products, and it
takes large part OF what he raise 20 pay the
freight and get his goods market. You have, per
haps heard Of the who went out 10 Iowa and
bought lot OF corn for Is cents and, selling it In
Springfield Mass, for co cents made just cent
bushel. Now that startling illustration but
more startling than true OF the
which the whole thing appears. Now you will
why the farmers the first because they are
made much more interested than Others by its taking
a larger portion Of what they can raise. For n-
stance manufacturer Will send his goods West and
pay not five per twentieth or thrteth
part Of what the pays on his products and the
difference a very wide This not only the farm
ere question but s the manufacturers question ALSO
because the cost Of manufacturing depends upon
the cost OF sustenance 10 great extent wages
must be paid sufficient 70 support the laborer
and as the raise the prices OF our