The Kennesaw gazette. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1886-189?, November 15, 1886, Our First Extra, Page 3, Image 3

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ing from other lines to Atlanta, I will remark that the E. T., V. & G. sched ules do not suit them in scarcely any case. Therefore, why should it blame its competitors because their schedules are arranged so that their trains make connection with other lines in the Union Depot and its schedules are not ar ranged so as to make connection with them. Admitting, however, that the ques tion of omnibus transfer in this latter case is an advantage possessed by the Western & Atlantic and the other com petitors of theE. T., V. & G., let us look at some other phases of this ques tion. From Atlanta to Jacksonville, for instance, the Central Railroad has a line via Savannah. This is 115 miles longer than the E. T., V. & G. line which reaches Jacksonville via Jesup ; and, in addition to this, every passen ger going to Florida via the Central R. R. and Savannah has to undergo an om nibus transfer at Savannah. Therefore, the management of the Central Railroad will be very derelict in its duty to its stockholders if, when the principle of differentials is estab lished, it does not claim a differential of at least 50 cents, or probably more, as against the E. T., V. & G.’s Jesup line. The Central Railroad’s line to Flori da byway of Albany is also longer than theE. T., V. & G.’s line; but here we can balance the greater length of the Central Railroad’s line against its advantages in entering the Union Depot at Atlanta and call that square. No differential ought to be claimed by the Central there against the E. T., V. A G. The Georgia R. R. Co. has a full line of tickets from Atlanta byway of Augusta and Columbia to New York and other eastern points; but it has no through car lines from Atlanta to New York like the E. T., V. A G. Ry and the Richmond A Danville R. R. have. Therefore, the Ga. R. R. Co. should have a differential on all tickets sold from Atlanta to New York as against both the Richmond A Dan ville and E. T., V. A G. The Richmond A Danville, I under stand, have temporarily, “for the sake of harmony,” conceded a differential of SI.OO to the E. T., V. & G., by rea son of the fact that the R. & D. say that they have not only a shorter line, but a safer and better managed line, and, therefore, they feel that even with SI.OO differential they are able to beat the E. T., V. A G. Now, we have two grades of differ entials. The E. T., V. &G. having a through car line from Atlanta to New York is allowed a differential by the R. & D., which also has a through car line. These two lines should al low the Georgia Railroad a differential from Atlanta to New York, which I should say, ought to be at least SI.OO more than is allowed the E. T., V. A G. This certainly would be nothing but fair, if the Ga. R. R. chose to claim it and insist upon it. But as the Western A Atlantic’s line via Cincinnati to New York is about 150 miles longer than the E. T., V. A G’s line via Knoxville, which is longer than the R. & I). or the Geor gia Road’s line between the two points referred to, and as it has no through cars from Atlanta to New York, the three lines above named should allow the W. & A., a larger differential than is allowed any of the others, and, if they do, it will get a good business which their failure to allow it a differ ential now cuts it out of. The E. T., V. AG. Ry. Co. ad vertises that it has a line about 60 miles shorter and consequently several hours quicker from Atlanta to Memphis than the joint W. & A. and McKenzie lines have. This being the case, as according to the E. T., V. &G. Ry. Co’s own rep resentation they have a much shorter line and can reach Memphis several hours sooner, they should concede to the Western & Atlantic and McKen zie line a differential, and the W. & A. and McKenzie line will insist upon and contend for it to the last extremi ty, in case the question of differentials is established as being correct, and the rule applied accordingly. The Western & Atlantic Railroad Co.’s line from Chattanooga byway of Atlanta to New Orleans and southern Texas points is longer than the E. T., V., & G. line, and, furthermore, there is a break of schedules at Atlanta of several hours. Therefore, the West ern & Atlantic clearly is entitled, on the E. T., V. & G.’s own showing, to a differential on business from Chatta nooga to New Orleans and all points basing on New Orleans, because it is at a disadvantage as compared with theE. T., V. AG. But the E. T., V. & G. has a lon ger line than the Alabama Great South ern to New Orleans and Texas points. Therefore, the E. T., V. & G., in that event would be entitled to a differen tial against the A. G. S.; and in this event, there should be a grade of dif ferentials. In other words, if the E. T., V. A G. should have a differential of, say, 50 cents on travel from Chattanooga to New Orleans as compared with the Alabama Great Southern, the Western A Atlantic should have a differential at least 50 cents greater, and if it got that much differential it would secure business which the failure to allow it a differential now prevents it from get ting. So, likewise, on business from At lanta to New Orleans and to Texas points reached via New Orleans, the Western A Atlantic Railroad should have a differential against the Atlanta A West Point line, because the latter has through cars between Atlanta and New Orleans; whereas, the Western & Atlantic line via Chattanooga and the Alabama Great Southern has to change cars at Chattanooga, and is, furthermore, over 130 miles longer, and, therefore, several hours longer than the Atlanta A West Point line. The Georgia Pacific has a line long er than the Atlanta A West Point. Therefore, it should have a little differ ential over the first named line; and as the E. T., V. A G. is longer than the Georgia Pacific, it should have a differential also which would necessa rily be a little greater than allowed the Georgia Pacific; but, as clearly shown above, the Western A Atlantic should have a still greater differential; therefore, there would be three differ entials against the Atlanta A West Point Railroad on business from At lanta to New Orleans and points reach ed via New Orleans. The E. T., V. A G. Ry. Co. has a through sleeping car line passing through Dalton and Rome, to Mont gomery, Mobile and New Orleans.; whereas, the Western A Atlantic has no through car line, and its passengers from Dalton have to change cars at Atlanta, besides, having to lie over several hours; and its passengers from Rome have to change cars at Kings ton and Atlanta in case they desire to go via the Western A Atlantic route to New Orleans. Therefore, the Western & Atlantic should have a differential from Dalton and Rome to all southwestern points, and in case the E. T., V. A G. is al lowed a differential to neutralize its disadvantages at Atlanta, the West ern A Atlantic will very certainly have THE KENNESAW GAZETTE. the differential above indicated. Well, how will this work when you get out of Georgia ? The Louisville A Nashville line in Cincinnati does not enter the Union Depot, and is, furthermore, 110 miles longer from Cincinnati to Chattanooga than the Cincinnati Southern. There fore, they are exactly in the category of the E. T., V. A G. at Atlanta, and, with the principle of allowing dif ferentials established, the L. A N. would be very sure to insist on having a differential to neutralize its disad vantages at Cincinnati. The Nashville, Chattanooga A St. Louis Railway at Chattanooga is at a disadvantage on all business to Mem phis and points reached via Memphis, as compared with the E. T., V. A G.’s Memphis A Charleston line. And why? Because the Memphis A Charleston line from Chattanooga to Memphis is over 70 miles shorter than the N. C. A St. L.’s McKenzie line from Chattanooga. Therefore, noth ing could be clearer than that the N. C. ASt. L. must have a differential on all Memphis, Arkansas and Texas busi ness. So with the business from New Or leans to Chicago. The Louisville A Nashville and Cincinnati Southern lines compete actively with the Illinois Central for this business. The Illi nois Central, however, has almost an air line, we may say, from New Or leans to Chicago. The L. AN. is ap preciably longer, and the C. S. is de cidedly longer. Therefore, the Illi nois Central must allow the L. A N. a differential of, say, about SI.OO, and the C. S. a differential of about $2.00; or, if the Illinois Central runs through sleeping cars from New Orleans to Chicago, it must allow even a greater differential, because tjie other two do net. Now, Mi. Editor, I have merely ad duced these instances to show you how far this thing reaches. I might bring up scores of other instances which would carryout this idea in all its de tails, and demonstrate to you that the E. T., V. A G. Ry. Co., in claiming a differential atone point, cannot, with any propriety or consistency refuse to allow differentials at other points which would more than neutralize the ad vantages which it would gain by ob taining a differential at Atlanta; and it can be fuither demonstrated that if the question of differentials is carried to arbitration, ami the board of arbi tration, decides that differentials shall be allotted in all cases where lines are at a disadvantage as compared with their competitors, then, the Western A Atlantic Railroad will be decidedly the gainer. If it admits the principle of allowing differentials at Atlanta it will necessa rily have to claim them and obtain them at other points-—the general re sult of which would balance up in its favor; but which, nevertheless, would unsettle and demoralize passenger rates to such an extent that nobody would know what the rates were, from one point to another distant point; there would probably be three or four differ ent rates, and there could be no defi nite basis established for making pas senger rates. The Western A Atlantic Railroad Co. has, with the e facts in mind, qui etly submitted to a loss of revenue whenever it was at a disadvantage, and endeavored to neutralize it by hard work and efficient train service, etc., and as you stated in your article which brought up this series of mine, the Western A Atlantic Railroad Co. has never “plead the baby act;” but has bravely faced every disadvantage under which it has labored, and has done the best it could to secure business and earn revenue on its merits. I may touch upon this subject in subsequent issues. Until then, thank ing you for allowing me space for the couple of articles, I am, Yours very truly, Psalm CXLV 11. 1 The prophet exhorteth to praise God for His care of lie church, 4 His power, 6 and His mercy; 7 to praise Him for His Providence; 12 to praise Him for His bles sings upon the Kingdom, 15 for His power over the meteors, 19 and for His ordinances in the church. 1. Praise ye the Lord : for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant: and praise is comely. 2. The Lord doth build up Jerusa lem : he gathered) together the out casts of Israel. 3. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. 4. He telleth the numberofthe stars; he calleth them all by their names. 5. Great is our Lord, and of great power; his understanding is infinite. 6. The Lord lifteth up the meek : he casteth the wicked down to the ground. 7. Sing unto the Lord with thanks giving; sing praise upon the harp un to our God: 8. Who covert h the heaven with clouds, who prepared) rain for the earth, who maketh grass grow upon the mountains, 9. He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. 10. He delighteth not in the strength of the horse; he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. 11. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. 12. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem ; praise thy God, () Zion. 13. For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates ; he hath blessed thy children within thee. 14. He maketh peace in thy bord ers, and fillet!) thee with the finest of the wheat. 15. He sendeth forth his command ment upon earth ; his word runneth very swiftly. 16. He giveth snow like wool; he scattered) the hoar frost like ashes. 17. He casteth forth his ice like morsels; who can stand before his cold ? 18 He sendeth out his word, and melteth them ; he caused) his wind to blow, and the waters flow. 19. He sheweth his word unto Ja cob, his stat utes and his judgments un to Israel. 20. He hath not dealt so with any nation ; and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord. “Watch ve, stand fast in the faith, quit you line men, be strong.'’ “Let all your things he done with charity.’ The above words, which occur in the 16th chapter of First Corinthians, scent to be practically the motto of the Western A Atlantic people. Always on the alert, always standing firmly by their convictions, good luck seems to attend their entire general dealings with the public or when assailed, and yet, tempering all of their triumphs with charity, their course is one which has commended itself to all fair-mind ed and thinking people who have ob served it. The Western and Atlantic railroad runs more passenger trains over the same rails than any other railroad in the South. 3