each case. While, on the Massachusetts roads, the average annual tonnage is thirteen per cent more, the earnings are nineteen per cent more, and the average difference in rates is 13100 of a cent more than on the Central Pacific system.
This brings us to the unexpected conclusion that, had the rates charged by the Central Pacific prevailed with the Massachusetts roads, it would have effected an annual saving to that State of $786,923, and this, notwithstanding the fact that the through, freight, upon which the lowest rates always prevail, was fifty-eight per cent of the whole traffic in Massachusetts,[1] while upon the Central Pacific[2] it was but thirty-nine per cent.
It may be of interest to bring the affairs of this great corporation home to its own State, and see how it compares there with other roads which are independent of it.
In California, in 1878[3] (the last year for which statistics have been published), there were 1,170 miles of road, of which 844 miles were controlled by the Central Pacific, and 326 miles were of small roads, none of which were of sufficient magnitude to create envy or gain the appellation of monopoly. The average rates of eleven of these shorter roads, representing 248 miles, are stated by the State Commissioner of Transportation, from whose report I take the following figures:
| Miles of road operated. |
NAME OF ROAD. | AVERAGE RATE. —— | ||||
| Freight, per ton. |
Per passenger. | |||||
| —— Table II. |
—— Table XV. | |||||
| Cents. | Cents. | |||||
| 6 | · | Black Diamond Coal Company | 33 | ·33 | 8 | ·33 |
| 26 | ·50 | California Northern | 5 | ·86 | 7 | ·50 |
| 5 | ·33 | Pittsburg | 9 | · | ··· | · |
| 106 | ·24 | San Francisco and Northern Pacific | ··· | · | 3 | ·91 |
| 29 | · | Vaca Valley and Clear Lake | 7 | · | 8 | · |
| 4 | · | Mendocino | 7 | · | 8 | · |
| 22 | ·64 | Nevada County Narrow-Gauge | 16 | ·89 | 8 | ·14 |
| 10 | ·67 | San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria Valley. | 15 | · | 8 | · |
| 21 | ·16 | Santa Cruz | 9 | · | 7 | ·50 |
| 9 | · | Santa Cruz and Felton | 8 | ·19 | ··· | · |
| 7 | ·33 | Visalia | ···[4] | 10 | · | |
| 247 | ·87 | Total miles. | ||||
| Average rates | 12 | ·46 | 6 | ·82 | ||
- ↑ "Massachusetts Reports."
- ↑ "Central Pacific Railroad Annual Reports."
- ↑ Report of Commissioner of Transportation, Table II.
- ↑ For the Visalia Railroad, the average rate for freight stated in the report of the commissioner is 112 cent. This, upon examination, proves to be an error. In the same report, p. 183, the highest rate is stated at 68211 cents, the lowest at 2 cents, and the average 112 cent. This is, of course, impossible. In the report of the previous commissioners, for June 30, 1876, p. 132, the highest rate is stated at 68211 cents, and the lowest at 6711 cent. I have, therefore, omitted the rate given of 112 cent from the above table.
