Year: 1875

the expiration of the term Of absence pro-
vlded for, and the Land Office makes the
regulations as to the proof Of the destruc.
ton by grasshoprers which it requires. +
President Garrett, Of the Baltimore Il


Ohio ON tho Railroad War. d"


[From the Chicago Times, May 26.] g."
A representative of the Times called
upon President Garrett last evening to
ascertain his views upon the existing rail-
concerning certain terminal improvements
at this point. The magnate is occupying
an elegant and commodious suite of par
lors at the Palmer House, where he re.
ccives all his friends. He was found to be
an extremely affable gentleman, willing to
conAerse upon such matters affecting his
railroad as are of public interest, in an
unaffected and open sort Of way that
makes his views convincing. He entered
into the subject of


THE GREAT RAILWAY CONFLICT


with the statement that the Baltimore &
Ohio railroad desired to make the rate on
fourth-class freight from Baltimore to
Chicago at IS cents per 100 pounds,w which
was objected to by the other three trunk
lines, but more especially by the Pennsyl-
vania Central, which, in the idea that the
Baltimore road could be forced to charge
an extortionate rate on freight by being
compelled to carry it at losing price for
a time, reduced it's charges on freight to
l5 cents. When this action was taken,
the Baltimore & Ohio railroad company
informed it's rival that unless the rate was
Immediately resumed it would take such
measures as would tend to vindicate it's
position, and Immediately afterward it
reduced the passenger fare from Balti-
more to Chicago from 500 to $40. This
was


THE WHOLE STORY OF THE FIGHT,


and it would be continued until the Penn.
sylvania company accedcd to the demand
originally made, and gave the full and
free right to the Baltimore company to
use the Camden and Amboy railroad to
carry its cars into New York 1t was
easily to be understood that the carrying
Of freight at the present rates was unre.
munerative to all the lines, yet the Balti-
more and Ohio railroad had


NOTHING TO COMPLAIN OF.


The road in consequence of the fight
had nearly doubled its tonnage, and at
the same time it has been brought prompt.
ly before the public in an acceptable way
as the champion of moderate freight and
passenger rates. By the course it had
pursued it had gained great number of
friends, who would not leave it, and at
the same time it had turned great por-
tion of the immense traffic of the west
to Baltimore. 1t would be remembered by
the merchants of Chicago that the road,
in the defense OF it's action, saved to them
millions of dollars in reduced charges.
Not only had the rates to Baltimore been
lowered, but the conflict had caused


AREDUCTIoN OVER ALL THE LINES,


which extended to New York, Boston.
and Portland as well, and this condition
was due entirely to the policy of the Bal
timorc road. These were facts which
were known and would be remembered by
the Western people.


He had just returned from trip to
the South, and he had discovered that
the present fight had not only affected
the rates East, but it had disturbed the
rates over all the roads in the country.
The low rates offered to Baltimore had
been sufficient to induce traffic destined
for New Orleans or other southern points
to 60 by way of Baltimore, instead of
Louisville, and had broken down the
rates over the old established lines in
consequence. One of the most notewor-
thy effects Of the war was witnessed in
the fact that it had caused a large num-
Der of Chicago merchants to import their
goods direct from Europe by way of Bal
timore, which they were permitted to do
at much more favorable rates than by the
old route by way of New York. The i'm
petus in this new branch Of trade had in
creased so largely rs to induce the es-
tablishment Of


DIRECT STEAMSHIP LINE
between Rio Janeiro and New Orleans.
which conveyed sugars, coffees, and other
commodities direct to the latter citv.
from whence they were taken by rail or
vessel to Baltimore and thence to Chi
cago. This business had hitherto been
transacted directly through New York or
Boston, but was now deserting those
cities. Another fact to be noticed was
that New York, which, until recently,
had an almost complete control of the
sugar trade, was now losing it, as was
witnessed in the recent failure of two
large sugar refineries in that city, while
those of Baltimore, at the present time,
were barely able to supply the demands
made upon them.


THE BUSINESS OF BALTIMORE
had increased immensely under the i'm
petus given it by the opening of the new
line of road, and the new class of western
customers which now looked to that city |
to supply their wants. Five years ago it |
was rare thing to see the name of
Chicago person among the hotel arrivals