We shall take pleasure in placing before you, at any time you may visit us' all books, accounts and papers that will assist you in making a personal examination into the operating affairs of the line; or I will cheerfully respond at all times to any demands you may be pleased to make upon me for information, of either a general or special nature, connected with the subject. I have probably written more than your communication called for, and will ask your indulgence for such matter as you may deem to be irrelevant to the main points under consideration. Please accept assurances of our high personal and official esteem, and believe me to be, Very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. G. SWAN, For the West Wisconsin Railway Company. THE COMMISSIONERS TO SUPERINTENDENT SWAN. OFFICE OF RAILROAD COMMISSONERS, MADISON, May 23, 1874. WM. G. SWAN, Esq., Gen'l. Sup't. West Wisconsin R. R. DEAR SIR:- Your letter of May 16, is received, without the enclosure of freight rates to which you refer. Please forward the latter by return mail, or as soon as practicable. We thank you for the courteous manner in which you convey to us much information in detail as to the history and condition of your road. We frankly assure you, as far as this commission is concerned, that no disposi tion exists to discourage railroad enterprise, or to place unreasonable burthens upon capital invested in this direction. The interpretation of the law is not left with us, but with the courts, as to many of the questions raised by you. It is our plain duty, however, to investigate facts with a view to the intelligent action of the legislature; and we sincerely believe that when the facts are ascertained and rendered intelligible to the public, there will be found no just cause of complaint on the part of the roads. We regret that until that time the roads do not all feel it a duty to respect the law as it is. The Governor informs us that you are in error as to a remark supposed by you to have been made by him, respecting the West Wisconsin road. Mr. Spooner of your company casually remarked to him that your operating expenses ranged between forty and sixty-three per cent., and he simply referred to this expression of opinion. Respectfully, J. H. OSBORN, Commissioners. INTER-STATE CONFERENCE OF RAILWAY COMMIS SIONERS. THE ILLINOIS TO THE WISCONSIN COMMISSIONERS. OFFICE OF RAILROAD AND WAREHOUSE COMMISSIONERS, SIR: We have for some time entertained the belief that a meeting for conference of the Railroad Commissioners of this and the surrounding states would be of great advantage to those participating therein, and therefore very respectfully suggest that the Railroad Commissioners of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois meet at some central point-say Dubuque, Iowa— about the 10th of August, for the purpose of an interchange of opinions pertaining to the railroad laws of the several states mentioned, and such other matters as may have a bearing upon the subjects with which it is made our duty to consider in our official capacity. Before taking any further steps in the direction indicated, we would be pleased to have a full expression from your commission as to the propriety, in your judgment, of holding such conference. I am, very respectfully yours, Hon. JOSEPH H. OSBORN, JNO. M. PEARSON, Chairman R. R. Com. Illinois. Chairman R. R. Commissioners of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis. THE WISCONSIN TO THE ILLINOIS COMMISSIONERS. MADISON, July 17, 1874. Hon. JNO. M PEARSON, Chairman R. R. Commissioners of Illinois: SIR: Yours of the 12th inst., proposing a meeting of the Railroad Commissioners of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois, is at hand. In reply, we would state that the purpose meets with the cordial approval of this board, your call anticipating previous similar action which we had considered and decided upon. We regard the course you suggest as not only entirely proper and judicious, but a matter of necessity prompted by existing circumstances. We shall await positive notice of the time and place you may select for the meeting, and will arrange to be present. Very respectfully yours, WISCONSIN RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS. P. S.-We have no permanent chairman. THE ILLINOIS TO THE WISCONSIN COMMISSIONERS. SPRINGFIELD, July 24, 1874. GENTLEMEN: Upon the consideration by this board of the informal correspondence had with the several railroad commissioners of the northwestern states, concerning a proposed joint conference, it has been decided by this commission to call a convention at Dubuque, Iowa, August 12, next, at one o'clock P. M., at the Julien House. Your participation therein is respectfully requested. I am, very respectfully yours, JNO. M. PEARSON, To the Hon. RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS OF WISCONSIN, Madison, Wis. MONDAY, July 27, 1874. At a meeting of the Railroad Commissioners held this day, Mr. Hoyt offered the following resolutions, which were adopted: Resolved, That this commission do hereby accept the invitation of the Railroad and Warehouse Commissioners of Illinois to meet them and the Railroad Commissioners of the other Northwestern States in a joint conference at Dubuque, Iowa, on the 12th of August, proximo. Resolved, That the clerk of this board is hereby instructed to forward a copy of the foregoing resolution to the said Illinois Commission, in reply to their communication of July 24, 1874. Attest: H. A. TENNEY, Clerk of the Board. LOSSES ENTAILED BY THE "POTTER LAW." TO THE GENERAL FREIGHT AGENTS OF THE RAILROADS CLASSED AS "A" AND " B.” OFFICE OF RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS, MADISON, July 21, 1874. General Freight Agent: DEAR SIR:-Can you conveniently furnish us an answer to the following question, to-wit: the 1. What was the aggregate amount of freight in tons, etc., transported on from or to points within the state of Wisconsin during the year' 1873, of the kinds and bulk named in the so called Potter Law, as "Special Classes"? 2. How many total tons of each class of freight was transported from or to points within the state? 3. What was the exact or average distance within the state for which freights belonging to each of the classes was transported? 4. What were the total earnings within the state for the transportation of freight of the several classes named, from or to points within the state? 5. What were the total earnings for that portion of the road within the state on freight of all kinds for the year 1873? If you cannot furnish exact answers to these several questions, will you have the kindness to furnish the approximate figures in each case? If you cannot furnish the approximate figures in reply to each question, please to furnish as your estimate of the actual total receipts for the transportation of freight belonging to those special classes within the state, for the year 1873, and of the amount that would have been received for the same freights had they been carried under the rates as fixed by the commissioners under the law, together with your basis of calculation. It is manifestly for the interest of all parties that the practical effect of the law in question should be fully and fairly illustrated, and hence the object of the foregoing inquiries can hardly fail of your approval. Have the goodness to reply at your earliest convenience, and oblige, Yours, very respectfully, JOSEPH H. OSBORN, GEO. H. PAUL, Railroad Commissioners. Attest: H. A. TENNEY, Clerk. GENERAL SUPT. O. E. BRITT TO THE COMMISSIONERS. OFFICE C. M. & ST. PAUL R. R. Co. MILWAUKEE, July 23, 1874. JOSEPH H. OSBORN, GEO. H. PAUL AND JOHN W. HOYT, Railroad Commissioners, Madison, Wis: GENTLEMEN: Your valued communication of the 21st has been received and carefully noticed. It would afford me great pleasure to furnish you with the information asked for, but the fact is, it is next to impossible to do so. Our statistics are so kept the information cannot be derived from them. It could be got by an examination of each Way-Bill made in the state in 1873. The magnitude of the job you will realize when I tell you there are about 250,000 of them. The very thought of it in the months of July and August makes the (cold?) sweat 2--R. R.-Doc. (Doc 16.) start. It would require a good sized commercial college force to do the work, and would beat me out of a season's vacation. I beg leave to offer you the following as approximating to some of the information asked for. On the 19th of March last I furnished the General Manager with the following statement: "By actual calculation the loss to this company by the Potter Law, as compared with present tariffs rates, would be on the business of 1873, as follows: On grain, flour and live stock ... $200, 152 00 71,000 00 $271, 152 00 On the 27th of April we issued new freight tariffs for the state, which would reduce the earnings on our volume of business equal to that of 1873, at least $50,000. Applying the legal or Potter Law rates with this tariff now in force, to the same volume of business, would involve a further loss of over $220,000. I do not see with the material I have at hand how I can do more for you. DEAR SIR: I have your letter of the 21st inst., requesting me to furnish you with the tonnage and earnings on special classes enumerated in the so called Potter Law, transported within the state of Wisconsin during the year 1873. Our statistics do not show the amount of specials transported, nor the earnings on the same, within the state, separately, and to make up the statement as you request, would involve the examination of over 500,000 way. bills, with a mathematical and mileage calculation on each class of goods in each of the said way bills. This would take an army of clerks many months and at a cost of not less than $25,000. To keep the statistics in a way to answer your questions, would be about as practicable on a railroad, as it would be for the cashier of a large city bank to keep a record of the number, date and signature on each bank note passing through his hands every day. From my experience of our business, it is my judgment that the amount of earnings affected by the Potter Law on special classes, would not be less than two million dollars ($2,000,000), and the reduction from the present tariff by conforming to it, would be at least 25 per cent., or a loss of over $500,000. Yours truly, C. C. WEELER, To Messrs. J. H. OSBORN, GEO. H. PAUL and JOHN W. HOYT, Railroad Commissioners, Madison, Wis. |