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I2X
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A
■3^-6
THE
FBOTINCIAL RAILWAY
OP
NEW BRUNSWICK:
Why Should it Not Pay ?
*»«■>
FREDERICTON, N. B.:
CROPLEY'S BOOK AXD JOB PfllXTING ESTABLISHMENT,
Xext door to the Telegraph Office, Queen Street.
1866.
5S^
wr~^
'f
I
The Provincial Railway of Hew Brunswick:
AVIIV SIIOTTLD IT XOT IWV :>
Tins quriation is intercstino- to every iiiliubifant of <lio Vrovlnco,
because, whetlier vuluntuiily or otlienx ise, he is j)ltn*ed uiiilcr bonds
lor the due uud regular di,schar<^e of tlie iat'-re.'^l, and eveuluuliy of
the whoki iuvestiiieut. Since the coinnieueenieat of the work, a sum
not far from one iniliion four Imndred tliousaud dolhirs lias ]n'VAi
levied u])on tlie iiublic, in the form of customs duties, and remitteil
out of tlie country, to make g'ood the delicicucy of the railway earu-
iijys to me(!t tJie interest.
This i.s a clear addition to the original cost. After upwards of fivo
years' experience since tlie road was completely opencid, the average
annual deliciency is very nearly, if not quite, a quarter of a milli(»n of
dollars, Avith but faint symj)toms of any diniinution of this progress-
ive accuiuulatiou of outlay for the beneiit of local and ])rivate int'ei-ests
alo)ie. It involves also not only the so-far unproduciive abs-orplion
of the public treasure, but of the means of a(le<iuately i)roviding for
works and improvements, strictly provincial in their character.' and
required by sound economy. The evil iu quest ion must continue,
just in the degree that the net earnings of the railway fail to be suf-
ticient to meet the interest on the cost. They liave signally failed in
this respect, during the live years that the Avork lias been'uiuler ex-
])eiiment, and to all appearance will, if subject to existing regula-
tions, continue largely to fail for many years to come. lleiKx the
interest and import of the question to all concerned: Is this progres-
sive and indetinite addition to the unproductive cost an inevitable
necessity, under the peculiar circumstances of the provincial railway*
or why should it not pay?
Though plausible reasons may be adduced why this work should
not be expected to pay, such as the excessive cost, smallness of ])up-
idation and trade, and want of connection wutli other railways, or
"isolation," yet it may be demonstrated that one and all of 'these
reasons form no admissible excuse for its xn-esent or past tinuncial
position, or for its burthensome and inequitable pressure upon the
niass of the provincial community v.ho do not use it, and to Vvliom it
is of no appreciable beneiit.
It is now proi)osed to submit a fair and unreserved exposition of
the relationship of this work to the true inten^sti- of the whole pro-
A'incial public; including those who derive all the beneiit, uiid the
large majority wlu) bear the burthen without benefit.
Aided by materials furnished in the Annual i reports of the Com-
niistioners of the Ifailwiiy, and by other public documents, tin fol-
lowing tabulated statement luis been preiiured, exhibliing cciiaiu
data in a comi)endious form for convenient reference. Tlu'inforuni-
tion under some of the heads, tlirough absence of the requisite ma-
terials, is not so i)erfect as desirable, but the particular conclusion
involved is not thereby alfected. The chief imperfection alluded to,
is tliUi vvhici; ail.-.t& from the uccc.v^ity of calculaLingiJic iutcrc.-t ui'uii
3'?)^\
f
2
the cost, including^cxponscB of ma,.a^nt in ca.h voar. JTl^ Corn-
^nissioners of the 1 aihvay ;^\«^^^^^ ;St'i,:^^,;;uLovcthe caruinjrs,
the excess ot such "'tei est actual i> P"^ , j- -^ ^^^^ ^j.^e linau-
^ii5^FlS?A EBLATINO TO THE COST AND
NEW BBUN3WICK FOB THE FIVE
ISruiTiber ami 2^aiiie.
1S50,
IBGO.
Gross Ucvi-nuc
Worlvinjr Expenses \V ' \*|
iNetllev-enue towards int. on Cost,!
Estimated Population of tlic whole,
I l^rovincc •••••••••■••"*'*'* *"*«'**i
Estii'.ated Population of St. John,
K ngs, Albert, & >V«^t'»«^l'd j-os.
Rate of Gross Uevenuc per head of
' whole Population ; ' ",' " p
lllate of Gross Revenue i)er head of
Population of 4 Counties .. • • • • • -j
Net Revenue per head of whole.
NeWe^iu-peVhe^dVfPopu^;^
tion of 4 counties *. ' V V * Vil
No. Tons of Freight earned 1 mile;
ReVeuue derived from Freight and,
other sources than Passengers.. j
Mean rate per ton per ?«ile ' ; ' ' * ;.\;1
'no. of Passengers carried one mUe
R^Venue derived from Passengers '
^ ' ' '' i{iT4,-i4O00
239,133
101,210
$35,9T40>^
11,187,591, ,
$2.S,21693,
ftS.
1,95491
$61,11490
I'tS.
3.90r)()
2,810,923
^55,11050
C'tS.
1.9605
11$400,000
iMean rate per Passenger per mile,
Total interest on cost of Kall^vay,|
% per ct. & 1 per ct. commission).
Deficiency of revenue to pay inter' J
Proportion of deficiency elinrgeiAWej
PropSrT&fScVenVfchargeabiei
to passengers • 1
Proportion of deficiency per ton perj
Proportion of deficiency per pas-j
Deficfencv hi "x\^enue' i)eV liead of, ]
i whole population V'T^V
'Deficiency in revenue per head ot 1
I population of 4 counties^ . ^ • • • •,
iTotal cost of railway (108 miles)^
\ exclusive of interest. ..... • • • • • • • i
,'Total cost of railway, mcludmg
' Kimole interest only •.•.••••• ••••!,
Rates of charge which ought to have,
been realised hi order to derive a;|
vevsnue equal to working expen-
l"l and interest, or to the ac uaj
cost of conveyance. 1 or 1 reiglit
iier ton per mile II
For Passengers, per Passengar per,
iii(4,3T2,62020
If 4,772,620 20
isoi.
~fi30,6T.S
!6!i)4,24ri
§!36,432
252,047
100,890
eo
[ ^1
90
I $0
1 1,446,536
1 501,120
3.2975
3,896,144
$69,558
ct?.
1.7850
$264,980
!3!22S,548
$106,895
$121,652
ctit.
7.389
Ctil.
3.122
ots.
90.677
cts.
213.8
!S4,672,119
;!
1 ,$5,300,667
cts.
10.6865
*
4.9070
;ost of Rothsay
The iulerost
15
i)2
(J3
m 8-10
22 2-10
14 4-10
34
12
78
15
28
87
OS
23
Jin-
tain
Kill-
rate
' AND
FIVE
isoi.
~fi30.(JT.S
§30,43-2
25-2,047
100,89G
^0
1,446,536
SGI, 120
Its.
3.29T5
3,890,144
$09,558
ct?.
1.7850
$264,980
!3«-228,548
$106,895
?121,652
Ct8.
7.389
cts.
3.122
rti.
90.677
Ct9.
213.8
l$4,672,110
',$5,300,667
t
3
railway, and oihor joinf-stock associaiions. ircneo ll.c aotuallv in-
creased cost in each year is not officially show ,ani that vn eh s
j,yon ,n he tu;enty-nrth line in the folloWin^ table K , he ab -nco
WORKma OF THE PROVINCIAL RAILWAY OF
YEARS FROM 1860 TO 1865 INCLUSIVE,
isoa.
15
f)2
63
618-10
22 2-10
14 4-10|
34
12
03
78
15
28
87
?fl07,»H() 28
$87,634 73
$20,005 55
258,765
109,869
18g:
i'j- 2
*io.258 Oo
via.
.3.4969
2,753,001
$51,382!
OtH.
1.8660
■"1
tO
•10'
22
$283,1.30 41
$203,124.86
$137,52191
$129,272152
$88,.5iJ4 29
$40,738 23
205,650
112,923
$0 48 0-10
5]'u4.10,
S'l!l5 3-10
?o'30
$7t,439 82
CtH.
2.67t.
3,0';-i,'i06
$57,832 70
1.8870
iso-t.
iqg;
$284,802
*]45,057l8H
$103,630' 12
t$31,972 53
272,722
116,077
$0
$1
$0
29
08
23
%
fir.
10.0865
4.9070
ost of llotlisiiy
The iutcrc^st
$125,602
ct».
10.279
CtH.
I 4.562
I PtS.
! 101.68
I cts.
i 239.5
I
$4,699,707
$5,591,380
13.7759
95
86
87
$244,064 06
$134,877 02
$109,187 04
cts.
5.876
cts.
3.563
OtR.
91.874
fts.
216.2
$4,704,494
96
J
'0.4280
i$5,840,-232 03
ptfl.
8.5504
r).450O
$0
2,790,283
$80,765
ft8.
2.5803
3,442 ,.54<i
$64,291
CtH.
1.8670
$-285,092
$253,119
$140,9.32
$112187
ct».
5.05
CtR.
3.259
cts.
93,179
cts.
218.06
53 2-10
I
24 9-10
I
117-10
i
27 5-10
I
34 I
52
39
86
04
82
$l33,40^((;7
$«4,906'))0
$38,501 71
279,984
119,321
?0 47 6-10
$1
118-10
$0 13 8-10
$0 32 3-10
2,379,594
$4,711,374
$6,100,231
rts.
7.6303
5.1260
97
90
$71,687
Ctrt.
2.7042
8,353,070
$61,720
cts.
1.8407
$285,509
$247,007
$132,730
$114,276
cts.
5.49
cts.
3.408
cts.
81.078
cts.
207.01
84
83
32
01
83
79
$4,747,713
$6,383,5'
cts.
8.1942
12
6(i
5.24S7
accident, t Tn isr.0 fm- ? innnthy nn'v h >^-l -m • \ i. j.
A'i tlio IJfiilwny, •\v:i«; o])oiu(l for tlivoiif>h IrnHlc only llirro n^oiillii
boloH! tlic cloi^c of lli(! liiiaiicial yenr lS(iv>, thv. hrtmn lor tliis could
not fairly he. I'oinpaicd wiili thoso of snccer'rliiijr years, and tin; coiunin
of data for 1>^<*U is tlicrclore not coniplctcd. i>iil on rdcrrin}'- to lino
>o. I'Jt, it will be oliservod tliat the mean I'ato of fr«'i«;liL rct'<')V«'d per
ton per mile, is in no year so hif^li as four contf^, and in l>^(i4 oidy
sliji;iil!y cxcrcds 2 1-2 cents. On refcrin^to No. la, it, Avlli be observed
that, the mean realized rate of fare per passenger per mile, is iu no
year e(iual to 2 cents.
Ill the l>ei>ort of the TaiUvay Commission for 1858, at paj-o IS, is
tlie folUnvin<^' passa<:e: —
" TliP Tnviff lins boon a snbjoct of muoh onnsidoration to tlio Cotnmissionors.
In Nova Scotia, tlio tare lor liiMt cbiss paii^onfjcrH lian been tixed at 'Jil. cirrnMii-y
per mile; in tlie L niied Stales it ranges from two to four OfUt!<, and in it^nglauU
IS abont :.'d. sterling.
" It has been aM'crtalnod that tho cost of carrying papsongors in the United
States U 2 7-12 cents per mile, and that th« paying point is ;{ cents per nnlo.
" '1 he C'ominispioners have delei mined on a rate of 3 cents per mile, with the
usual deductions lor family and season tickets."
Tbe determination of tlie Commissioners is far from a strikingly
obvious en' Just consequence of the premises stated. It tbey inferred
that the cost of 2 7-12 cents i)er mile of carrying? passengers in tbe
I'nited States, sliould be tlie same iu every case and under all cir-
cumstances, tbey assuredly committed a grave mistake; and if upon
this mistake, tbey determined that the i)assenger fare should be -">
cents per mile, "with the usual deductions," it was incumbent upon
tbem, as charged not merely ■\\itii tbe local interest, but with the
interest of tbe wliole Province involved in the success of the liailway,
that as soon as tbe revenue clearly revealed tbe consequence of the
mistake, it should be collected, l^nforturiately tbe revenue of tbe
liailway did shew that tbe passenger fare, whatever it was, which
Avas really exacted, signally failed to yield a return equal to the interest
and running expenses alone, without regard to either depreciation,
or a provision lor tbe extinction of the debt. But it is shewn by the
Commissioners' Keports, from wliich line No. 16 in tbe foregoing table
is derivi'd, that tbe nu>an i-iteof tare actually realized during tlic first
year from passengers, was not even 2 cents ])er mile, entailing an
enormous impost upon tbe public at large for tbe cost of carrying
tbem. Tbe same result also sbcAVS, that if i\ cents per mile were
u<;tually charged in some cases, then that less than 1 cent must have
been charged in others, or perhaps nothing at all. There was assuredly
ti reason lor adequately increasing the rate of fare, and for awakening
tbe Commissioners to a conviction of tbe great ditierence between the
circumstances of this Province and those of the L n.ited States.
lint this small realized rate of fare, so unusual, and so unjust towards
the public at large, Avbo have to pay the dilference, has not yet bad
tb(! effect of attracting special attention. Tbe annual and proiongeil
Legislative debates and investigations, relative to the construction of
tlie Railway, only to prove the impossibility of averting the unexpected
avalanche of debt which bad so stealthily fallen upon the resources of
the Pri vince, seem at length to have utterly wearied, though without
satisfying tbe i)ublic, concerning tbe perplexing issues involved. To
the uinvujldy burden there Avas no alternatiA'e but submission ; and
now that its Aveight Avas supjiosed to have attivined its limit, the mere
details of tbe niaiuigement of the Avork itself, failed to keep alive a
i
^
inni,...i portion T.nn;Mv<;;„"«^;;;.irh;''''^'- '''^'•^'^^-•" ^- ^'-t
t ons tor hunily nn.l si ,mmV iX '\;; l?'';;^^ "T "^""' ^'^'""e-
>wn unnatural; nor to Im V li nUrV. n ''' " '"'^''''Ai^ ^v<,u.d .avn
olh;.vd. .a. ro all HpiK.a,an^"n;osul;;.!;;j,i;ir''^'^^ '""'^ ^" ^'-^'>-
^eves wit), an aln.osplKMo f , o. w l rt'S'?''*'''''*'*'*' "'^'"'-
raiK(, H cloud or to laovoko t k , mmM- "*. '''^*''>' ^■<»'i"'f'inlv to
poiulerancM. of ll.e IVovindal ,/b h ^ . r"' *" ' '"^ ''"•^-•' 1"""
••oniany sj.a.o in tl.is in.«ndia • a u,d ^^/.^^ piv.rludcd
]tM'»« J'ot under such ■ire, 't'-^V^ '' •'■'"'^I""-f"tio".
I'.quiry as to 1k,w far t Imt Vl ,1, .i^y T'''^ ^'^ "">' <l''^t'»t-t,nj,r
to t ho many; or wi.etluMtlVtn.i'h; '''"'' '" ^''V ^*'V' "'•^•'" '><' Jn-^t
motion by tl,e former, ^va.n,Vl,o^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^vith entire satis-
hk. fraud upon tl.o l^t^v l{^^^^^^^^^
l)t;oposed. or even ^^±im^ro,\ \Z It , ^"'*^ *'"'^ •'">' ^-''^no" i',
of passenger tare reali.<id' h h "^h e v n-s"^'i'7..^''''^ ^i'V "'^-^'^-ato
t .an that in either of the vear, iH^Lv ' () T " ""'^ ^ ^^ *'^*''» '^'"•^
iH'.-ht. Jt will be seen iit h,e Vo •> h. /''^":'""<^ yi^»i '••'o-ard to
that t ,e mean rate per tou j.e mih- re JiV i ^;/'"'^'^"'"M- «.a,ement,
than 4 eents but that notwi.hst i, /'/.;/ rV-'"'" ^^^'"' '^'"'^ ^^''^'^
Ills fad ot an increase of rale 11,", " • •'^'^'!''**"<'y «'t vevenue,
mthzed in eacJi ^.cceedii^ ^ "mU . ^-f;^ 1 1 T ''"^ ^''^^ '"^''^" '"^^t"
It only sJio-htly exceeds 2 U ee it. e, i \ ''^'9/'"'-P' »"til in l«t;4
lace<,fan annually incn.asin.dei,' >nde, and this in tho
Delidonoy in i8(;o " '''"'''*-"^> ^^ i^'Venue, as follows;-
iNtii,'.... ;;;;;;;;;;;;; ?222,9f;a.^s
l>^<i-', : 22,s.»^4«.15
t'-^ti^^. 2oum.w
T, . , i*^*^ : : 2«,o(i4.ob
It IS alpo to be observeil fi...f f» • "'. •2iy.i,iiit.m
iHre had in thel'J h^l n^^'L e;Mrj;:^.!;;;;;:;;f;;r'''!- « ---"- mto of
vorab e result, and the,eup(,n at mTl '• ' ''"'V^'^:'*'' ^^•"'^'"^ '^ th-
a n;..lt more lavorable, tl en a 0-^/1 mtn- - " ''^'" '''■'^' ''"^'" ^'-i^^'i-^vith
cd tor testino- the <.ffect of a • .n^.H! , "^'!\'"" '''*'"''' ''''ve ai>pear-
should be (riscover(.d wh eh ,v I '71' ""^'' "'" ^l^'^'i'-able m c h" , m
at the least cost to he i I c \ , *^!'^'" .**' '^^'^'"'o the lar^ePt rev^ 1
TJiis is believed 't v ';c^ '^j: '^^T ''' ^^*'' P-l'Hotol-s '"'
^m-cesstull^ulway nmnaJenemU T^. 1 ''^' J"'"'^5<>»« ^''^l
— e-e Of .he ^^.i^lut'l^^lre;':^^^^^^^^ J^^^
«
even- Tno-.iiJ^ of .iln^rl comiicrili'Mi wil'i this work, would liavp hocu
iicrffVllv Avarraiitiil.lc. as in \\u'. case of ir.ihvays i-umiinji: panillH^ to
tlic Kvi«''C'mul ill the State (.iNfW York. Hut tht'iv was iiocornpotitiou
to n-Jir: i.o availul)l(^ traflic wliicli u rival lino could draw away j
jiothiii"- ti) un-vcul tlic unliosiliitliijj; adoption of a scalo ot luro uml
IVci'ditlnosl likclv t.) s»-ciir(Ni re vciuic Jion<-slly utHl lalrlv nMUUJioTatU'^
lor so hcavv u Provincial Invcvstu.or.t. Hut this, whjcii should have
hvi'u !• priii'iarv niotivc seems to liavo l)oeu overruled by an irrciovant
up])eal to chea'puess, suj-ycsted hy the results of experience elsewhere,
uu(h'reutiielv dilVerent circumstances.
The ('..mmi<^sioners ascertain tla-t the cost— avera^^e cost of eouvso
— of carrvln-- passemrers a the lidted States is 2 7-12 cents per nnle,
and that the - mvin- rate' of fare is :{ cents. They therefore deternunc
„pou :; cents per mih; for the pn.vincial rallwav between St. .lolm and
Shediac, " irlth the v.sual </nlnrt!o»s Jar Javuly and season liHtts.
7s,'ow. if the realisation of ;{ cents per mih; could safely have been as-
sumed as Jikelv, under ti.e circumstances of this radw/iv, to .v. a
'. naviiur rate 'Mt could not be so, if at ad. much less it indelniiteA ,
li-bleto "the usual .leducfions for family and seasot. tickets. It
'.•h deductions are proper, as no doubt they maybe under certain
;.in'u IS ances, an.l accnu'din- to some tixed and well understood rule
could onlv be from a rale sohi-h that the mean rate reaised should
ot^^ e ess than a pavino- rate. If, for illustrat on, a rcidi^cd rate ot
cents wen. believed to he requisite as a -payino- rate" l"^* tl u. Iro-
vincial railwav. then ostensibly to a.lopt this as a maximum, subject
J( iXc m or less inde'init.« in amount, would be simplv to
d M rive tl e pnl.li.' of their just revenue, to the extent of he.^c reduc-
t ioi.^ U the benetit of piivaf individi.als. This has in lact been
o ''_Vr Tvo lind tlmt in every year since the trnfRc of the radway
commenced the realised rate of tare iKr pasBcn-er per ^l^ilVf S'-catlv
below even that which the Commissioners had ascertained to be the
^nere cos^ of carrvin.- passei-^-s in rlH> United States, admittm.g such
an irnPobatydit/as That the cost would be the same under the wholly
«lifVerent circumslances ot this rrovlnce. „ ,, ^ ^ i
Ih I this error been limited (o tlu. experience of the fif^t year, ami
that as soon as the consequence were visible, a higher rate ot faic,
10 re ca culated to meet the cost, had been adopted, such measure
would fuive been justlv eniith'd to the approval and support o the
1 ublic at^^hu-e, who are the proprietary; thou-h it mi-ht have been
Ts ecJ , able to those who use 'uul enjo> all the bcneht ot the radway.
r.uViirte absence of nuv immediate public attention to tins error,
t J (J n missioners appear to have been unwilling to provoke d:ssat-
taci or complaint by interfering with the cheap privilege which
;. ssem ers and reigliteir, had now become accustomed to expect at
th^ m b ic ex ense. So tliat not only in the lirst year, but rom year
I vear thi^l eavv sacritice of revenue with clear knowledge ot the
••cts continued: The moan realised rate extending over a period
o • six veirs is about 1 8S7-lO0(; cents per passenger per mile, or 37
ner^ent below what the Commissioners had ascertained to be the
W.JZl't of conveying passengers under the many times more tavor-
ub e ch^umCcos^ the U.dteci States. But. most unlbrtunateiy
?h s is no he ^^^^^ I'or is it the proper comparison oi such realised
rte for as shown at line No. 2G of the foregoing Table, taking the
mean of the four years lor 18GI to ISG-i inclusive, the cost ot convey.
•.iiii.'ttL'ly they prcx-eiHl to
■ •'Ills pel- mile, and ailliero
'iru Jit k-ust VM per cuut.
anco on (he Provincml TJnilwnv uim m i.- ' i o •
I'or .nil.., or about -JO ",-,",( no 'o i •„:' .1 ' """ •""'' I'"-^^^".'-^'^'-
on^ht to have boon n-a:i...l In (n-d -r baiv - o ' i . o 1 '^^'"'''^ ! "*'
a Hii.kin«: luiul lor tho evenlnal Jic.uidaiion <.? ili ■ ,. ^' V. ,
Imt, irom thu8 exacting a n^e.cly ',a„ni a r o f . in^N- j' f a
mmg i-ato, not far Iroiu a (|naitcr of a iniMion of 11. -1 • * i
]Kiyin>r ponit is ;] cents per inilc, ]5nt u ^""\'"»- '"'tl tluiL tlio
iix rates of fare, Aviiicb realise less tlian
«) the same, after discovering that the\
loo low.
-"iSishin!?^^^;;.^:^^
Um^the low nue. The obiecti J. is iSlui^lJsrinUil e^ed TexS
s r. ul '" the event of sueb a result, then an obvious ,neasu'e of
.11 istice to the i)rovince at lar-e would be an (•(luilable assisswu nt .
all propcrry alon^ tbe line, to an amount erp a to the S ol'
revenue trom passen-ers and freio-ht. The nc-rc^sc v , o of tn ^
property is admitted, and, if fairh"estinai ^(1 is^ p ^J aps em ^ ^ ' a
vey large portion of the cost of th(. railwa- 1 it s 'i. n . i
j;alue is derived thn)uj^b legislation, wbl" ■ \1Vund v hm,^ es^lhu!
ity tor that copt and for the interest until iviid i >,, i li ''
crty in the provinee, though imv o di -ic l\ n 11 .wk''\'^'"^
the smallest beiietit from ti.e railwlu bu the -o, nrv i^- ^"u""
ply a means of unequa ' and unfair eon.,.etUi m w ll ose th ib t-u t "
In the meantime, it is not certain th. t the revenues Avbic-1, n,o.^ i.^
laie and freight, will be insufficient to pav exiiJuses a^nl inVmlf
iiiSpSpSS Sail
iiOLCd. let ai.> pa,<.<cnocr who pay., on the rrovincial IJuilwav ii
8
fare of Irss lliaii :?. iiisirad of ahout C. cts. ixn- mile, is in (Iip nirdicampiit
ot ciijoyino- lijs pleasantly ciisliloiu'd ^oat, luxunouslv proioi-a-a from
the heat and dust of suninier. and from the cold and storms ol" winter,
Avith a smoothness of ])ro<;ress, meclianicallv almost perfect, at tlic
rate ot from U> to 2,3 .lies an liour, by leavinjr as a tax ui)on the public
about <0 per cent, of that which onj^ht to be his own private char«'-e.
llie transition, aft(,'r Iai)se of years, from a nn!an fare of less than 2
ceiit^ to one of (3 cents per mile, can of course be verv a«a-eeable to
neither the Cominiss;ioners to imi)ose, nor to those who enjov tlie
benetit ot the liailway to accci)t ; and it is unfoi-tunate that the imblic
mind has not, by an earnest discussion of the matter at an earlier
period, been i)repaied read'ly to ac(iuiesce in the strict equity and
.lusticc ol the higher rate. It is now a matter of vain reorei, that the
Lailway should have cost nal far from $44,000 per mile, exclusive of
accuiuMlatcd interest, instead of the oriiiinallv proposed and quite
MiCicient rate of ^2i),{m per mile. The latter sum would have i/rov-
ided a work, in soluliry and workin<i- capacitv, amplv sutHc^ient for
the dutv, Mhich, as experience has shewn, is all that is likelv to be
imposed lor many years to come. Xo other lino of equal extent in
the 1 rovince could be selected so favorable for construclion at a low
late of cost. AVith the amount of tratiic which has been realized oil
the existin-;- line, an original cost of .'^1^0,000 j.er mile would have be(!a
ami)ly remunerated at a mean realisetl rate of fare of 8 1-2 cents per
pa^seno-er per mile, and at a i>roportionate rate for freight.
There is, bowe\er, nothinsi- extraordinarv or unusiiallv onerous,
much less iiijust, in a cliar<,'-e of fi cents ])er passen<fer per mile. It
would be unreasonable to (>xi)ect that the sanu; rate of fare which
would be remunerative in the btate of New York, Avith a population
ol not lar Irom a mean of 100 to the square mile, or in Massachusetts,
wli'.ch has a population of ui)wards of 170 to the square mile, should
be also remunerative in a country like New Brunswick, with a popu-
lation hardly reachino- lO to the square mile. Or if w^c take the most
lavorable view, and restrict the estimate to the four counties through
which the Provincial Railway passes, the densitv of the population
would not exceed about ;10 to the square mile. * But bv the same
restriction of the estimate to the particular sections of countrv throu«-h
which the lines of railway ])aso, either in the btate ot New York or
Massachusetts, it would be necessary in many cases to treble or quad-
ruple the mean rate, in order to shew the local rate of densitv of the
l)opulatioii.
The «ireat influence of the latter circumstance on traflfic, mav be
aptly illustrated by cases sinalar to that of the Liverpool and Man-
chester line, the poi)ulation tributary to which, if estimated for an
area no i)art Avh<M'eof should exceed a distance, sav of live miles from
the route and its termini, Avould probablv be nuich more than one
thousand to the sijuare mile, thoujih the mean densitv of the Avliole of
the United Kingdom ma\ not be equal lO a fourth of that rate. There
is, however, another ])erhaps still more i)rolilic cause of traffic in tlie
latter country, to be found in its almost intinitely multiplied and ever
active Uibor-saving- improvements and devices in every branch of art
and manufacture, which contributes to the materials' of commerce.
As lonjr a-ro as the year ISoO, this was estimated to be euual in prod-
uctive inlluence to the industry of four hundred ndHions of ])eople,
i;nd at the piccut lime il i.-. tiippu.-:cd lo be etjiial to that of ci^'lit
9
hniulrod millions. A like condition no doubt proportionally obtains
in other niaiiufacturin«' portions of Europe. That a similar vitality-
exists in the nei^hborinf,^ Union, is fully shewn by recoit events. It
is easy to conceive that under such circumstances a p- oportionally
laro-e expenditure on railways, aiming- at the g-reatest durability, com-
bined with artistic elegance and the most advanced mechanical im-
provements, may yet be remunerative at a verv small rate of tare. It
is equally apparent that a similar rate is whollv inapplicable to the
circumstances of a country like New Brunswick, unle.;s the cost of
the railway slwuld be restricted proportionally' to those circumstan-
ces. It Avould consequently be most unreasoi.able if those who have
been most urgent, CA^en in defiance of all the arguments of experience
and economy, in their demand for a railwav, having at length ob-
tained what they rejoice to call " the best in America," should in the
slightest degree demur to paying for the use of the same, a rate of
fare which tiiey readily pay for being jolted in an ordinary wagon on
a conunon road. But the Commissioners have not ^et niade the ex-
periment of requiring such a rate. It is in fact no experiment to im-
pose it. The most ample precedents justify it. The provincial rail-
way is only in the probationary stage of its existence. At the same
stage, and under much less warrantable circumstances, the rate of
fare charg'^'d on railways, even in the authoritative United States,
was from 5 to 6 cents per mile.
In the year 1835 the rate per mile was
On the Tetersburg Raihvfiy, for Passengers, 5 cents ; for Goods, 10 cents per ton.
•' Winchester and Potomac, " 6 " "7 " "
Portsmoutli and Roanoke,
Boston and Providence,
I?oston and Lowell,
■^lohawk and Hudson,
" Washington Bri'nch of the
Ealtimore and Ohio, " 6 14" " 4 " "
The relative magnitude of these rates cannot, however, bo truly
estimated without reference to the exceedingly small cost of the rail-
ways upon which they w'ere charged. Their original or opening- cost
was from $15,000 per mile upwards, and not exceeding- an average of
!?2(),000 per mile. That of the last-named railway was stated at only
$75;) 1 per mile.
The fare on the Georgia railroad was, in the year 1841, from 5 to
l-t cents per mile. On the South Carolina railroad, it was in the
same year reduced from 7 1-2 to G coins, as an experiment, with the
vicAV to increase the revenue, but without having that effect. A sim-
ilar experiment in the rate of freight was also unsuccessful.
The above are a few of the authentic facts which at this late date
it is passible to ascertain relative to fares during the early existence
of railways in the United States. But it may be shown that as late as
the year i817, the rale of through ftire on many of the American rail-
w^ays was from 4 to G 1-2 cents "per mile.
With regard to English railways the enquiry is less ditficult, as
very ample and conclusive information is supplied by parliameulary
documents.
For some time prior to the year 1845, the public, through the me-
dium of the press and otherwise, had earnestly called for a reduction
a
it
a
(! "
t>
8
<(
IC
a
5 "
ti
10
i(
ii
(I
6 1-2"
n
7
i(
ii
li
5 "
a
8
n
<(
10
^^'Zillu:aTcZlf:m!^nrll rate of fare of from 2 cents, tlurd
S SS ^2- -«'-^ SiSS S SSB SS^'S^g ?; 'I
31 . «1
O 1^ • b
a cs-e ** ^ o
S «;=5 « o u
:g :
(-1 o •
4Jhr •
eJT3 .
3 •; cJ
1
05 ■
5
■*
CO
1
o
CO
i
--
o
U3
-*
1
N
3
t-
w
SO
<r»
rH
I
in
2
11
Tn spclving for a reliable basis upon wiiich to decide what should,
nt least experimentally, be the rate of fare in order to yield a remu-
nerative return for the provincial investment in the railway between
St. John and Shediac, nothing could be more satisfactoj-v or trust-
worthy, or claim a higher standard of uuthoritv, than the record from
which the foregoing abstract is derived. It exhibits from a wide and
comprehensive field the rates which prudent British capitalists and
practical men of business, who had invested their own money, deemed
it safe to fix during the probationary period . " the railways, in Avhich
they had become so deeply interested. For many years *the heavily
taxed people of England, to their honor, cheerfully paid these rates,
and complained only when it became manifest that they were hio-hei-
than necessary to afibrd a fair and liberal profit to the stockholders.
Yet it does not appear that in any instance the rates oharo-ed bv the
companies exceeded, or in more than a very few cases equalled, those
authorised by their charters. The course of oi-dinary commercial
prudence clearly required that they should begin with rates, not far
below the limit, to which they were houorablV entitled. Had they
rashly, not to say insanely, adopted an opposite course, and com-
menced with even lower tlian the minimum rates, or say a cent and
three quarters per mile, and seeing after a time the iuevitable Iocs
and ruin which must follow, had thereupon, instead of increasino- the
rates, applied to parliament for an enactment to levy duties upon the
imports of the United Kingdom, in order to reimburse them year by
year for the sacrifice they had so minecessariJy made: hadUieybv
any conceivable possibility fallen into such a course as this, we inay
faintly imagine the derisive astonishment AvitKAvhich both the British
public and parliament would liave regarded their wisdom.
Can it be justly supposed that those people in this province who
have cried lor railways ! railways ! until thevare hoarse, are not strictly
honest and patriotic in that cry; or that when the luxury of a '' first-
class " railway as provided, they are less willing than the people of
England to pay such a rate of fare as will yield even the bare runnino-
expenses and interest of the iuvestment, even if that rate do not ex*^
ceed what they pay for the most ordinary common road conveyance?
Ihey have not been asked to pay such a rate. Yet as taxos must bo
levied in order to pay the interest, what object so justly and equitably
indicated as the railway itself, on which the provincial revenues have
been invested, so that those, and those only, who use it, ai>d enjoy all
all the benefit, should pay tlie tax? If a rate of G cents per niile be
sufficient, yet only 2 cents or less be charged, then it is certain that
the difiorence of 4 cents which the passenger ought to ijav as his just
and reasonable private travelling expense, is, under color of law,
wrongfully drawn from the public. For the mere legality of the ex-
action does not make it morally right. It is the same with regard to
Ireight; and including the deficiency from both sources of revenue,
the public, as already stated, are annually charged with not tar from
a quarter of a million of dollars for wl 't are strictly the private trav-
elling and freight expenses of those wi.o use the railway.
^ The maximum rates of fare prevailing during the probationary ex-
istence of many of the principal English railways, have been shown
to be such as were still more justly ilemanded bv the circumstances
ot the piovincial railway of Kew Brunswick. The same examples
^vv. of equal or greater force with regard to freight. The maxinmm
^.•;r^es authorised by the charters of most of the companies is from 2
12
•1-. r^,. fho plicq of articles uPuriUv allbvding'
to 16 cents per ton per mile o ^l\^ class oi a uc ^^^^
the licavicst amount ot tonnage 1 he la^^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^.^
of the railways, even so late us ^^'^^^^^^If^iV wvinj.- according to the
or less conceded, was irom ^^^]^^^i;^t\^^-,^o\ug.i^t<^^nent
quantity oftonnageoffeiecl. It IS JUA^^^^^ ^ ^^^^^ ^,^^.
(Vao-e 15) that a -'^'^" ^:^f^ ^ ^Vwfth 1 ^ passenger W of less
mile for Ireight, "^f^njunc -on w lu . inclusive,
than 6 cents per rm e ^^^^^^^^n.es and interest of the
have been sulhcrnit t- 1 a> the JT^' ;;^^^,,/i.eali^.ed rate of freight id
proviT:cial railway. A\ \^'^.\'^'\', "\^.;'^., 1«^3 and '4 it is less than one-
less than one^tlnrd f^^d i" ^f H^ « ^^ ^^ ^„,u.en of the ditler- •
fourth. Is this just to t!V3\^ ^ 'J^^'i'^i" „. conve^ ance by the railway
cnce? It"the amount ol to niageseeia .^^ proved to
were about three and a halt V" •-« ^^[^^^^^^^^^ ^^^ j.^ {he absence of
he, then the rates ^^arg^ed m^gM, l^e u^^^^^^^^^
suchjustifying cause, whjsho^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^,^ ^^ t to
superior speed, \T^''}''\'}^'^^^^^^ the cost of common road con-
receive th s privilege, a . one-toaiiu oi u ^ ordiiuirv rule of trade
vevance? Why this reversal "-( hiJ^^^^Jt t j ^^^ Ihe proprie-
and commerce ^f^^'^'^^^Z^noZii\vst.c\n,s steamers re-
tors of the Cunard 1"\«' '^/X^XiUd cliarge, not even the same, but
SwSCSn:Sr»l£alS:^i^e^^^ paid to ordinary
-^"§^SLnswic. i^rmei, ^^^ ^^^^^l^I^^
market, cain-ies there lor ^i e a tmi o oat.^^m
makes one journey with ^i^^^^^,|«J',f.r„.yo^d ^s lie mav require lor his
ther purpose of coiweyingback^^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^J day's
fami y and his larm. ine itumi i fioiiMr^ In orderto put
Wk a lair charge for winch would ^^«/^i^^\7;i;^;;,e-l alf of this is
the case in the fairest P<>s^i^?.«J/^^J'o •">., ^ ^ Ths would be equal to
chargeable as freight «P0^}. ^^^J,^^ co^t of conveying his own produce
13 l-o cents per ton PC^;""l^,f,^^;",erhe marpurchase, say equal in
to market. In the cost ol [he waies lie ma i ^^. ^^^^ ^^^
amount to the proceeds ol "« oats at 40 ce t ^^^.^^^.^.^ ^f ^.^ch, or
fluds included a duty ot lo pei cent., '^'^'^ , ^^ ^j ^gt, of carry-
81.20, is applied by the government to ^^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^.^^. ^.
ing to market t^^e ^ats ot tho.e lai n^^^^^^^
inirpose are permitted to use ^"^ i'|^;, , .j^^^ one-fourth ot
?ate^of about 2 1-2 cents per ton l^f ^^^.^^^^ ^"S^,^ s cents, is
the actual cost to the P^J^^^'^- .^^i^^^^f ^^^^^ and others, who do
exacted, as a tax upon the f^^^^^tij 01 ine^^^^ conceivable
not and can not use the ^'^^^^^^^ ',*^\'ScuUure>'' Can this possibly
benelit. !« this/'encoumgement^^o^^^^^^^ Can it either - at-
those who - Patro'iisc '' the raiiw^^^^ Brunswick, the public
As the result ol such an ^^M c me 1 1^^^ ^.^ilwav to the close of the
have, since the opening o^^? -^1^10? mnost to the extent of about
year 18G1., been BV^Jcf e^ to this - ^^^^^^^ , ,,,
nany
move
o the
iiieut
n per
f less
isive,
)f the
■r\it id
\ oue-
differ-
Lihvay
ved to
mce of
[of the
)cct to
id cou-
f trade
ropric-
ers, re-
ne, but
•diuary
from a
ils, and
Ihe fiir-
! for his
a day's
ir to put
[■ this is
;qual to
produce
liqual in
• $-2f , he
rhich, or
)f carry-
) for this
nominal
burth of
cents, is
, who do
iceivablo
possibly
:her '• at-
me/
and
o lax the
[)cnscs of
;he public
)se of the
X of about
not at the
,ou to the
13
orighial cofjt of the railway, and to (ho propr'olarv riiiht of (ho pnbllo
as siockholders. The ],ro])orti()ii of ilii.s rinhl"u>si^'-i!iible (o each
county, csdmalcd according- to its population in 18GL would be as
follows: —
^V'7/ Snr„7oo
,""';'o» 110.417
. 'harlotte 1,^,,,;,,^
C.louco.ster j^j ,j-y
iV?»t m-uvna
Jvnigs 1 ")T 1 ;50
Northumberland '..'.*. i^/i'-q.)
Queens... V.V.V.' ^UiiJr^
Kestigouehe.... ;j^,,^(5()
at, Joiui 8-H> <)"()
^A'»j^»r>' y.y.y.'. K'^h
A^ictona r,] (,o(.
Westmorland \\ 1H&
^«^'^ 157,758
Total $1,700,000
This larg-e amount of provincial troaj^uro cannot bo rcg-arded ag
soniethin<^- to be h),;t sight of, unaccounted for and forgotten, as i^oine-'
thii'- which, under the peculiar circumstances of its application,
.should not be expected to produce anv return, like corn thrown to the
flames, or wine poured on the ground. According to all sound econ-
omic and commercial usage, it is a just debt, held against the raihvav
by the whole province, and in which the relative interest of each
county is as above stated, — each individual tux-i)aver being in (act a
stockholder to the extent of not lar lioni one-third of his wliolc con-
tribution to the public revenue.
What, then, ought to be the just expectation of those who stand in
this relationship to the raihvav? Certain! v nothing short of a svstem
of management framed with a rcgaj-d to the interest of those who*e
funds have been thus applied to its cost, not less than to the interest
of those wdio use and enjoy all the benelit of the work.
It has been shoAvn that during the years 18G1 to ISGf inclusive, the
mean annual traflic charged at a mean rate of less than G cents per
passenger per mile, and at a mean rate of freight less than 11 cents
per ton per mile, would have paid, besides the working expenses, the
full interest of the orujinal cost. It has been further shown that such
rates are neither extraordinary nor onerous, but have been char<>ed
by many railways, some of them of leading importance, during- Ihe
experiinental stage of their existence, and that thev do not exceed the
cost of nuich inferior transportation by common veliicles on comnior
roads; but taking time, regularity, and security into consideration,
are nmch below the latter.
But the oricjinal cost of the railway has become in the meantime
greatly enhanced by the excess of interest over and above the earn-
ings wliich has been allowed to accumulate.
At the close of the financial year 18G4, the original cost stood at S4 711 375
At the present time (1805) the acounuilat«d excess of interest may be ' '
'^^'''-*-'^' «it 1,700,000
And the total cost of the railway at §)0 til 375
The mean cost per mile is about equal to that of tlie Grand Trunk
11
of Cann,la Jurlumng the Victo,^a Bmfeo, aul^^^^
V«-™-y1lr c^e'eas thlt ot- tl.e agijveisato of tko railways m auy
your I860, reduced to .^''JSlgJ™';^^^ ,f,;;f4™^^n per mile.
"«E^fe^'£^^£--;r'{^t^°-J^^
<le«:ree nomina., f"^/ '»'■ ''^ '{'; ,'„S t to "constructioli aud cqui^
of the enterprise so y^^l^,!^;';.^' ^ ^J" ,^^^?,^S t^^^^^^^^^ advant^es
resources of the engineer ^^JJ^^.^^^^f "^'S The tudicious and suc-
of railway transportation at the l^««ff.,^^^^;;v.„^g,ale of probable rev-
eesslnl adjjjstm^^^^^^^ ^^^:^lZ^i:^ tStxecition of these
enne is i" ^^ct the ^^^ t«st ?4ometrical exeellenee of line, style, or
works, loi It lb not ^'^^V';^ f *;,".. mao-uitude, or otherwise
nndertaJdng, that ^«^^^''''^f ^/jf;; ,V«^''f; to pay- an hence ever>'
^^T^Z^\:^S:^^^^^^^^^ ^^-' - ^-^ '''^
'If however, as in the case under discussion, the cost may have ex-
cecded tl^ liuit strictly warranted bv f rcumstance , i doe no^
follow that the excess should be regarded and dealt with as so much
15
ra.
tt-asfcd anil lost. It sliould ^(Iicv siippiv a molivc to vccoxov (lie itlvs-
advantao-e by every fair and iiruilent resource <,f -rood manaoeinent.
1 he worshippers of the "iron liorse" in tlicir impatience of "isolation"
and nnrestrainable ardor to enter upon the '• race of progress," and not
to be " behind the age," havino- stimulated the commissioners, bv un-
tluc precipitancy of expenditure, to run up the cost of the raihviiy to
not lar Irom $()0,000 per mile, have no rioht to object to the just de-
mand of the interest of the I'rovince. that corresponding rates of fare
and freight should be established. The commissioners havino- in this
way drawn almost at discretion upon the provincial credit, with which
they were entrusted in order to doAvhat was prudent, safe, and right;
and having in the exercise of this trust thought tit to construct, it
unsparing cost, what they boast of and advertise to the world a& a
hrst-class railway,"— "the best and most perfeetlv constructed in
America,-^— should not be the willing instruments'of depriving, or
rather defrauding the Province of a just, fair, and practicable return
lor an investment, the unrivalled excellence of which they take so
much pains to proclaim.
It would be gratifying to be able to acknowledge some evidence of
an earnest and positive etfort to secure to the provincial public the
indemnity lor which, by every honorable means, they have a ri«>-ht to
look. But what unfortunately are we constrained to witness ? a real-
ised passenger fiire of a cent and a fraction per mile, or considerablv
less than the lowest parliamenta'-v rate required by the charters of
the Lnghsh railway companies for the special accomodation of the
humblest class of passengers. And this not for one year only bv wav
of experiment, scarcely allowable as that would be, but continued
from jear to year with the certain knowledge that such a rate was
entailing upon the Province an annual impost of not far from a quar-
ter of a million of dollars. Were it not for the gravity of the interest
involved it would be ludicrous to discuss such a rate of fare, as the
average of that derived from first and second-class passengers under
the peculiar circumstances of tliis line. For with a nominal first-class
fare of 3 cents, such an average could proceed, as before observed,
only from many of the passengers being carried for less than 1 cent,
and would i>ermit of others being carried even for nothing.
The rate of wages of both
common
and mechanical labor here is
largely in excess of that which prevails in Britain, incumbered as the
latter is with much heavier fiscal burthens. Yet in that brave and
loyal land of low-priced labor, dear food, heavy taxes, and honest
faith, the smallest rate of fare which the railwav companies arc by
law required to charge, is 2 cents per mile. Through the great density
of local population, the most reliable source of revenue, some of the
British companies can uftbrd to charge, and do charge much less than
this ; and when the population along the line of the Provincial rail-
way of New Brunswick attains a density of about 300 to the sauaro
mile, there may be wisdom in a similar reduction. Unfortunately it
did not appear that that time had arrived in 1861 ; it did not seem any
nearer in 18G2, or since, and the warning seems to have been ample,
and to have been purchased at no small price, that the time is yet dis-
tant when in this Province a railway built at a maximum rate of cost
can be made to pay at a minimum rate of fare.
There is no arbitrary or inevitable rate of fare to which a railway
is under all circumstances restricted, because it is a railway, any more
,.. Ihcvo is a certain ...a l^^^^^^^^^l^^^^^ ^X S^J
•u-ticlc of trade K«'^M^\' ^^\^';; ;,o4 t^l ( kult with acconlincr to
,,o other, the i.roviucuil ^'^\1 Y> ^ f/ ,Vpr^^^^^^ under the circnm-
Ihc lair and hone.t rules " '^Y; ^',^,,5^ , ^d as an apolo-y for the
.innees of its osvu ^^^^^^ '-oveial revenues, and the imposition
perversion and waste ot ^I'C .Huncui ^^^^^^..^^.^, ^^^ .^^ pn>pcr use
of ine(iuitnhle and "^"IJ'l^^^t >4iou to be solved though appanmtlyot
and origin design lie que nm to ^^^ ^^^^^ n.any which mav
some ma-nitude, is m V>;/"*: 1 '^:^^!^^^ atlairs. The pvactio^al
occur iu the conduct "^ Ti p .aiVrv tbr about six years at brd the
results of the workinj^^ ot /^;« ; ^^ ,.f ^i,^ rates of tare and hei^dit
^Si^w t Z^ fo ;!:oir a revenue equal to the woiUin.
expenses ^"^^"^^^^^^^.^"^ll'u'wTv Txclusi of accumulated interest,
?^il!lum including -^^^ ^^v b^ ^Jp^^atdy stated at
exr^enses according to ^^V'\'^'',^ iuterest would make a total ot
$1)5,0(10, which «um added '^^^^^ ^ ^f^^,, ,e. The mean gross rcv-
|:^80,;>47 as repre^^cnting the eqmiecl le^ ^^^^ ^j. ^^^^^
cnuc, howev-xr ^^^^YV^^^Jbc >ea s l^\\'^j.^j,,'of fare and freight oujrht
cecdsone4hirdotthi sum Iheno^Ji ^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^.^^^^1
therefore to have been about, thicc tmu.^ r, j. gge^ger fare would
veaii'ed. Thre%times the meaii re ^^^^ ,=^1^^,^ rate of
«li..htlv exceed 5 1-2 cents pei iniic, an ^^^^^
flight siniil. ly ^"l^^P^^^^lTe^'ut 01 ?hf work,X provincial public,
But since the c«i;«^^«'i^^^"^^"^,^;/e'^^
.vho arc the P^'«P"^^°^Tv^'fi\' J,ou, t oH o^^^ $1,700,000, maldng. this
interest to the accumula cd ^^ ^"^^ ^^ { erest of this large additional
addition to the ^^^''^'X ;xc eeds the cross annual appropriation of
sum at per cent, fl^^ l^^^iff, ^^^^^^^^ Ind bridges of the whole prov-
recent vears to sustani ^l^^J. ^c^^^^ JJ'\Vrin- or c'xpecting the sacrihce
ince. There can bo no J^^^tice lu icquiiin i ^.^iiway. It
ol this daily augmenting con nbutioi to _^^^^ co,^ ^^^^^_ ^
is as rightfully and tairl «"V^\^ ,^°„^^^^^^^^^ as the required
the cost bo we ver secured lotcaiuou ^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^
revenue before stated we lave the c.oi^^^ ^^ ,^^^
est of the augmented cof ' ma^^"'-^^^^^ this, the mean rates otlaie
equal to $482,517 I" « .^^ . 1 Ju d b^^^ by 3.712. This
and fare heretofore i-e'^^^^^*-;^^ J^ ^ 871-100() cints per passenger per
would make the lormer ^ ^.^^^^ lg'.;J.\on per mile.
mile, and the latter 11 18-100 co»ts P^i i_ i ^^,^^ ^j^j^h
These would be the mean rate, o^^^a^^^^^
should be derived a gross \«X^r.L Sle augmented cost, provided
and interest at 6 per ^«j;;t. ui>on tbc wn^ ^ ^^^^ ^^ f,,ig t should
the nv mber and mileage "/, f ^f ".^f.^'^f the vears 18G1, % '3, and 4.
respectively be equal t« the avma-^^ ^^.^^^^ amount, then, as
Shiuld the S^o,^\'''Z^}'l%^^!,i^^^^^ resource, in order to snp-
before affirmed, the iaivest and «^«^t ODV ^^^^^^^^^^^ according to
line of railway. i ..^,i^a -crhatcvcr " i idirect benefit ' may
U»^eZ?^a'rr tL^SrSl " inSauction of ca„U.,," and .
1
I.
IS
notorious that the '• lutllrcct benefit" lo proporiy ;\*a.? the cry to
stifl(! all priuk-ntial .scruples about incumri;^' the costol' u "Jii'st-oluss
railway,'' becauKo, as alleged, it would be '• ihe cheapest in the end."
It does uot follow, however, that (lie rates of faro and freight In^t
stated should be uniform throu<ih th(! whole distance;. The improvi-
dence and injustice of such a scale are manifest uuiicr the circumstan-
ces of the New lirunswick provincial railway, or of any line traversing-
a district of small population grouped in remote centres, with long in-
tervals comparatively uninluibitcd. Ifa car provided to accommodate (iO
passengers start from St. John with a full complement, unless as many
passengers should enter as leave at every way-station, there must bek
certain ])roportionale lOss by every vacation of a seat, because the cost of
movement Avill be nearly the sanie whether the car be full or empty.
IJut a plenary condition ot the cars for more than a short distance is
well known to be a iwc occuri'ence. It is shown by the olHcial re-
turns that the number ofthrough is scarcely one in tM'euty of the way
l)assengers, and that the average distance travelled by the latter is
only about 20 miles.
A small average distance travelled is, however, an ordinary i ■ i.lt
on all railways; and where the population is of such uniform density
that the opposite currents of way-passengers entering and leaving" the
cars are nearly balanced, no loss can arise from a rate of fare nearly
uniform. But where seats once deserted remain empty for the re-
maining distance, there is nevertheless the same cost of rolling the
cumbrous but vacant accommodation from one end of the line to the
other, llence the economic propriety, under the circumstances of the
jirovincial railway, of a scale so graduated to distance as not only to
produce the largest revenue, but to impose it according- to the plain
sug-gestions of equity. Owing to the var' ble cliaracter of the data,
such a scale must be deduced by elxperience rather than by any rule
of calculation.
The idea has no claim to novelty. Its practical influence is recog-
nised in many ordinary transactions with habitual and almost uncon-
scious acquiescence. A passenger engages a coach to convey him one
mile, and he as readily pays 20 or 25 cents for that mile as he would
'5 cents per mile for a long distance. The equity of the principle is
recognised in the rates of cartage of goods as regulated by municipal
authority and in analagous cases. NeAvspaper proprietors find it to
their interest to observe a rapid graduation of charge in the disposal
of their advertising space. We see the sahie thing familiarly exemp-
lified in the rates of fare charged by the International Line of steamers
between St. John, Eastport, Portland, and Boston. If we reduce the
charge from St. John to each of the other ports to a rate per statute
mile, we shall find that to Eastport it is 2 727-1000, to Portland
1 638-1000, and to Boston 1 351-1000 cents per mile; the rate for the
first 65 miles being more than double that for the wliole distance of
about 370 miles. It is at the same time worthy of notice, that the
rate thus charged between St. John and Eastport', for a mode of con-
veyance manifold less costly than by railway, is 45 per cent, greater
than the mean realised rate of fare charged on the proAincial railway
for any and all distances. Whatever the means of conveyance, how'-
ever, the charge ought to be regulated by the joint consideration of
cost as one element, and command of trafl3c as another, and be as
flexible as these are variable. There arc many railways in the neigh-
boring Union on which the charge is gi-aduated from a maximum
18
rate of way-fare of about 5 cents per mile, to a through-fare vaiTing
froL 2 to 4 centB per mile. There are others on which the maxuiuim
rat?of way-fare has exceeded 6 cents per mile, of which the lollovviug
lines are instances : —
Name or Eailway.
Rate of
ranximum
Way Faro
per mile
in cents.
Boston and Maine •
New Haven and New Loudon
New Hampshire Central
Vermont and Massachusetts
Fitchburg and Wo-cester
Shelby vilie and Rushville
Richmo-id and Petersburg
Orange and Alexandria
South Carolina
Mobile and Gerard
Nagautuck (Cornecticut) '•."''•"•;;"Ji:
Connecticut and Passumpsie River K. W.
Manchester and Northweure, N. H. ...-.• •
N. Orleans, Opelousas, and Gt. Western,
(Brashear to Algiers) . ... . • • • •.••••
N. Orleans, Opelousas, and Gt. Western,
(Brashear to Algiers)
Virginia Central
80
7 1-2
7 1-2
10
7 1-2
10
6 1-4
12 1-2
6 1-4
25
8 1-3
10
7
16
10
12 1-2
Rate of
Through
Fare
per mile
in cents.
Date
of
Tariff.
2 1-3
3 1-10
3 «36-1000
3 188-1000
3 27-100
3
6 680-1000
4
3 6&-100
5 1-4
3
2 616-1000
4 210-1000
4 376-1000
1866.
1867.
1864.
ti
1867.
6 2-3 4 53»-1000Jl864.
As there are no second class fares on the above lines, the rates given
may each be regarded as a mean, which, if the two classes were es-
ffished, woulS be increased for the first, and dimimshed for the
*^N?w it is undeniable that however guided in this in.pm-tant ma^
teiv the coWiissioners of the provincial railway of New Brunswick
have ventured to recognise the principle of a graduation ot he tariff,
bul they have done so with extreme tenderness towards those who
use, ana with corresponding obliviousness of tho«%^^J ^^^y*^?
railWay. The mean maximum way fare, according to the taiiff ot
1864 is 3 cents per mile, and the through fare rather less than 2 cents
per m\le, subject to indefinite deductions for " family and season tick-
ers " It must be confessed that the great importance of rendering so
heavv a provincial investment remunerative, and not unnecessanly
wastefulfrequired the adoption of such a scale of charges as was con-
Sent with^and perfectly warranted by, the eircumstances even if
examples of such a course were nowhere else to be found. The lates
of cKe last named are merely nominal, and the truth, however un-
Salatabfe, is strikingly manifest, that funds, which ought to have been
Sved frim the private travelling fare and freight of those who have
used the provincial railway since its commencement, have oeen indi-
rectly drawn, under color of law, from the pubhc revenues to the ac-
cumulated amount of about $1,700,000. , ^, X .«• v.,«
That it may not be open to misunderstanding as to the taritt pro-
posed to be substituted for that now in use, the following m detail is
Submitted, as one demanded by the just nghts and in erests of the
whole tax-paying community, and which it is practicable to adopt at
any time : —■
I
1
1/
(i
»
12
37
22
m
m
44
47
fil
m
m\
72
f-,.( River
79
1>]
1)5,
102
106:1
I'W,]
10
Sallibury.
»()
20
12
7(i
80
55
75
90
m
«0
110
75
120
1(10
100
135
185
125
135
185
125
S
r1
r3
Cook'i
UriMik.
00
40
70
70
Roail. 1
dUp.
100
35
35
25 Sho
Point tin
100
25 20
10
Chen«.
;s
S
"3 **
s
and prior t^tte yea -Is" ^'^i'^tosa^^^^^^^^ """?' ""= "•""•B" '»'
, lacrchaadise generally ^^ °'""' P'"' ">" P«' "-5I« on
nerative both for the Zt and th^^^^^^ ^ '-''"^ "^^^ ''"^''"
^Mle it lasts, should ^...X^^^^^^lZLu^t^^Z. s^oS,'
w|'\ rinv
1
OSt. Jultii
:{ Moose I'uth. .
tjTorryburu...
<) Rothesay
12QiiiwpainHis...
17 Nuwiscwaiik
*j2;Ossi'koaK • • • •
•JttiPassekeag ...
;i3|Nort<)n
:i!>!Ai>oliaqui ...
•14 Sussex
.ITll'Iunnvesoep.
ril'lVnobsquis ..
TililrortaKO
((IjAuagaiU'c ...
•;(j|Potit('odiac
72Norlli River
7;5;Sali.slmry
79,Bouinlary Creek.
soMoiicton
Itllllunipliroy'H Mill.
})5 Cook's Brook •...
102 Dorchester Koad.
lOGShediac
10H| Point du Chene...
.1 I Class.
M. .lulili.
• ••••••
W)
40
MiKiHf
p«ftl.l
«(l
Of)
70
:{o 201
'rorrvliiirn 1
fsw^ r\'Wi^\nTr,=i-^ .i-rnn 1 -nil * T -wy ^ a
KNI
00 1
40
.30 20 1
nnfhi'««J'. 1
XfX\\Jr'*JOJijU U'Xjl'^iliXiA.XJ JT/kO
120
150
HO
00
140 !
CM
05
00
110
40
75
r>o
20
.35
50 35]
wiiiik.
The Pare baing State
ISO
120
ISO:
120
KM)
110
130
00
1(K)
70
.50^
35
0««#Vo(iB. 1
1!H)
i:io
100
130
170
115
140
05
110
75
Ch'}
45
25
J 5
PimoVMIR. 1
210
140
210 i
2:10 1
140
155
105
210
130
140
1()5
ISO
110
120
135
155
105
00
115
00
HO
75
4(t
50
40
(k5
30
45
Nnrton. 1
230 ir)f)
35
25
Apnlipnni. |
24r.
IHTi
24')
1(15
220
150
105
\M)
170
115
130
00
05
05
H5
00
f)5
40
30
20
SusKex. 1
2r)r)
170
i:>^
170 230
155
205
140
ISO
120
140
0"
110
75
05
05
70
.50
45
30
20
12
Plum'A-cwpi^
2(>r)
1K0
20')
ISO 245
105
220
150
105
130
155
105
i2r
H5
110
7'>
H5
(iO
00
40
3*5
25
25
15
Pcnob»q
280
100
2S(»
100 255
170
235
100
2I(»
140
175
'20
14;.
05
130
00
105
70
HO
55
55
40
4,)
30
30
2!»r)
2'h»
2!ir)
•>oo
270
ISO
250
170
225
J 50
IIM)
K'>
100
110
150
100
12.5
H5
IIH)
70
80
{).5
(i.^
45
i)()
iHlf)
',!or»
;«).")
205
2.S5
100
2(i5
ISO
245
1<>5
210
140
ISO
120
170
115
145
100
120
80
100
70
00
(H)
75
.T'.")
2:>o
325 220
300
200
2S0
100
205
ISO
230
155
205
140
105
130
170
115
145
100
125
Hf)
lUi
80
100
aart
^>-,>ri
;{;}.") 22")
315
210
205
2(M>
275
1S5
245
105
220
150
210
140
1,S5
125
l(i5
110
145
1(H)
135
00
120
Wii
W'M
;wr> 230
320
215
305
205
2S5
ItMl
255
170
230
155
220
150
105
130
175
120
155
105
145
1(H)
!;{;■>
:570
2r)0
370 2;")!)
350
235
335
225
320
215
205
200
270
ISO
200
175
•2:ii:
100
220
liV)
2(K>
135
iOO
12i)
J SO
JJT5
'.^")0
375 2r)0
355
240
340
230
325
220
300
200
2S0
100
26.5
ISO
245
105
225
1.50
210
140
200
i:iT
ISO
;«to
^»(iO
300 2(M>
370
250
3.50 235
340
230
310
210
205
200
285
100
200
175
245
105
225
150
2 Id
14.)
20a
410
27r)
410 , 275
300
200
375 250
305
245
340
230
325
220
310
210
200
105
275
1H5
200
1"5
2o0
i;o
23o
4-^0
V,HO
420
2S0
410
275
3S5 200
375
250
355
240
335
225
325
220
305
205
200
105
275
ISo
2Hi>
1S()>
2.).)
420
2M0
420
2S0
4'->^
if:
275
1
3S5 200
375
4-1
X
2.50
355
240
335
225
325
220 1 305
205
1
fit
200
/.
105
275
LS.)
20i}
ISO
rs
2bo
V.
1-^
St
u
»i
1 s^
\%
?,
-*-
■/.
T-1
51
.4-1
S
1-1
?.
V.
n^
JED WENBRAL PASSENGER TARll'P,
The Pare baing Stated in Cents.
Su«wx.
20
an
HO
100
125
U5
155
200
210
225
200
275
275
12
25
40
f)5
70
«5
KM)
105
i:i5
:4o
150
175
185
185
I'lum
"lb
4.5
(i5
00
115
135
145
100
200
215
250
265
205
15
;jo
45
(to
80
00
100
125
i:{5
145
170
180
180
-3
Pcnob
»quii,|
:io
20
Porti
50
•X^
30
75
50
f).-
100
70
80
120
80
100
i;j;>
»0
115
180
120
100
185
125
170
205
140
100
2;J5
100
225
255
170
240
255
170
240
■*.>
■ _
*J
'1.
1-1
iM
1— 1
20
40
55
70
80
105
115
130
150
100
100
^ 51
An n^m cf. \
30
00
80
05
145
150
170
205
225
225
20
40
55
<!5
100
1(K)
115
140
150
150
I'etltf o'iln ". 1
;i5!
55 !
70 i
125 !
Id.) 1
105 i
215
215
40
50
85
00
105
130
145
145
r3
North nivprt
25
40
1(H)
110
135
175
200
200
10
80
70
75
90
120
135
135
T3
Sallibury. |
Boundary
20
12
.55
CrpfV.
80
05
4)
Mor
00
00
80
55
15
110
75
105
70
.50
100
100
1.50
100
115
185
125
175
120
150
185
125
175
120
150
S
/:
10
35
80
100
100
Humphrey"!
soil.
35
05
135
135
25
(!5
90
00
•3
Cook'i
l<rni)k.
40
70
70
t5
00
100
100
Dorche.^ter
Road.
35
35
25
25
Shpdiac.
20
10
'3
point Du
Clieoa.
rate of ^
from 2 t
rate of ^
lines ar
Boston i
New Hf
New He
Vermor
Fitchbu
Shelby\
Richmo
Orange
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railway. The mean maximum way fare, according to tjfie tariflr of
1864, is 3 cents per mile, and the through fare rather less than 2 cents
per mile, subject to indefinite deductions for " family and season tick-
ets." It must be confessed that the great importance of rendering so
heavy a provincial investment remunerative, and not unnecessarily
wasteful, required the adoption of such a scale of charges as was con-
sistent with, and perfectly warranted by, the circumstances, even if
examples of such a course were nowhere else to be found. The rates
of charge last named are merely nominal, and the truth, however un-
palatable, is strikingly manifest, that funds, whicli ouglit to have been
derived from the private travelling fare and freight of those who have
used the provincial railway since its commencement, have been indi-
rectly drawn, under color of law, from the public revenues to the a",-
cumulated amount of about $1,700,000.
That it may not be open to misunderstanding as to the tariff pro-
posed to be substituted for that now in use, the following in detail is
submitted, as one demanded by the just rights and interests of the
whole tax-paying community, and which it is practicable to adopt at
«r»^F firno • - —
t
share it anrl tn Jf ^ Pi'ovjiicialists of all cAdliJi ^^ ^^^ expense
20
and not vccklossly pcrvcrlcd to the indciinitc augmentation of an un-
productive debt.
The deficiency of earnings in tlic year 18G;> to meet interest on tlic
cost, was equal to o'd .'3-4 per cent, of the wliole ordinary revenue
of the rrovince. In tlic year ISG-t, wlien sucli revenue was unprece-
deutly larffc, the amount taken from it to meet tlie like deficiency,
was equal to 27 l-;3 per cent., and in th'" past year, 18()#, the draft for
the same purpose was equal to .'J4 16-1< ./ per cent. This heavy depor-
tation abroad of the public treasui-e of the country, when divesteti of
ail disguise, is simply a disbursement of that which ought to be the
private fare and freight of those who use the railway. Let such private
fare and freight, and if need be an equitable supplementary contribution
from the proper y benefited, be imposed and collected, and the neces-
sity of a 15 per cent, duty on imports ceases. Not only is a reduction
of such duty to 10 per cent, rendered practicable, but even this woidd
not be required iu order to meet the usual demand for the public ser-
vice.
Included in the proposed earnings of the railway, is the interest on
the accumulated domestic debt of $1,700,000, which at 6 per cent,
would be equal to $102,000, or about double the average amiual ap-
propriation to the great road and bridge service for sevei-al years past.
It may be claimed with reference to the augmented debt, that since
the Legislature has ofl'ered a bonus of $10,000 per mile iu aid of cer-
tain railways, the chief of which arc ** extensions'- of that under con-
sideration, Ihat the same allowance without interest should be afforded
to this also. The Legislature may, however, on review of the character
and tendency of such a measure, hesitate to sanction it as a precedent.
For whether under any circumstances, the appropriation of the public
revenues and credit in aid of private speculations, without assurance
of repayment in some form, may be defensible, is a question deserving
of the gravest deliberation. I'erhaps eventually there may be more
than one ready to confess entire coincidence of feeling with a gentle-
man interested in this form of aid, who was recently reported to have
declared in public '' that he did not dream of getting more than a
loan secured by mortgage on the road ; when the Legislature offered
a positive out-and-out grant of $10,000 (per mile), he was amazed.'*
Though it will be necessav' to keep faith with those private parties
who may comply with the somewhatvague conditionsof this "amazing"
generosity with the public funds, yet it does not follow that the Gov-
ernment should thereby abandon the right and duty of levying taxes
for necessary revenue in such a manner as may be least burthen-
some to the several interests of the country, and from nothing could a
return be more fairly expected than from private property, which
may have already been gratuitously enhanced in value, by so large an
absorption of the public treasure.
If the Legislature may have inadvertently committed a wrong, it
has nevertheless power to redress that wrong, without violation of
the public faith. The Government may hold no lien whatever upon
the property of any railway built by aid of the "out-and-out" grant,
but such railway is not thereby placed beyond the reach of an equi-
table laAv, as an object of taxation for necessary revenue. The pro-
prietors are not in this, as they are in most similar cases, restricted to
any specified proportion of profits which they shall receive, or (for
the conveyeuce of troops and materials of war ercepted). as to tiie
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21
rates of fare and froip^Iit wlilch they ma}- exact; and they c i ?o reoni-
late the latter as to ir.eet any impost to "vvhich they may b(; subjected
for necessary public reveime.
A like course is strictly fair and just in the direction of the provin-
cial railway, so that those, and those onl}', who derive the sole use and
beneiit, shoulcBr-xclusively bear the attendant expenses.
Whatever merchandiseinay be transported by the railway, will of
course include in its cost to the consumer the charge of such transpor-
tation. But it is plainly unfair to transfer — by foT'ce of law thoug-h it
iiiav be — part of that char^^c to merchandise which does not go near
th(!' railway, and is not indebted to it in any way. The same is equally
true of the fare of passengers. A remunerative rate of fare, whatever
this may be. for the much desired convenience;, not to say luxury, cf
travelling by a " tirst-class railway," is pro])erly an item of the ord--
narv ))rivate expenses of those wlio avail themselves of that conveni-
ence whetlier for business or pleaaire. It is simply unjust to impose,
indirectly or othevAvise, any part of such fare — by force of law though
it may be — on those who "do not and can iu)t avail themselves of tlm
satne convenience, and who in no shai)e whatever, directly or indi-
rectlv. receive the smallest conceivable e(iuivaleut for such an impost.