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Page 25
Honored Congressman:
I was just about to preface this, my first epistle to you, with
"Honored Congressmen," because, for what reason I know not, an
all-wise, beneficent and just Providence has seen fit to inflict
me with not one, but two, Congressmen--you and Red Purnell--thus
causing me to bear a double cross. Please catch the awful
potentiality of those last two words, "govern yourself
accordingly and look to the southwest" as Thomas Taggart of
hallowed memory would say. . .
I want to call your attention to the railroad situation. As you
have long known, I am what might in a spirit of braggadocio be
called "of counsel for the Big Four," carrying with it a pass to
Indianapolis and return, and elsewhere about the lodge as the
worshipful train-master may direct. You also know I was in
several sessions of the Indiana Legislature--now also of hallowed
memory. I have seen railroads kicked and cuffed by legislative
bodies, and I have seen their securities descend from the highest
point in the way of safe, sound investments to about the lowest.
. . Railroads are in a hell of a fix. And it is not the fault of
the railroads by a long shot. Among the principal reasons for
their present condition is the unfair competition in interstate
hauling being indulged in by busses and trucks. There are bills
now pending in Congress designed to regulate this unfair bus and
truck competition, and I think Senator Couzens of Michigan has
one. . .
Railroads, being of a public character, should be regulated
reasonably, but it seems to me they are just about regulated to
death. That probably accounts in part for their present
condition. Did you know the B&O couldn't run an excursion from
Chrisman to the Russellville Horse Show without the permission of
the Interstate Commerce Commission, at a round trip fare to be
fixed or approved by the Commission, and not until after giving
notice? . . .
Above in this letter I have used the words "unfair competition"
when speaking about busses and trucks. Let me illustrate.
Considerably over a year ago a contract was let in Chicago for
additions to the Field Museum, I think it was. The contract
called for the use of Indiana Limestone running into over 100
cars. Mr. Curry was instrumental in getting the contract for a
contractor friend. No sooner had the contract been let than an
independent hauler living in Chicago approached this contractor
and offered to deliver the stone from the Bloomington and Bedford
districts on the job as it was needed, for exactly the Interstate
Commerce Commission's fixed railroad freight rates from the
various sources along the Monon to the Chicago terminal--thus
saving the contractor the haul bill from the terminal to the job,
a sum running into a considerable figure. It was all that
everybody concerned from the Monon's view point could do to keep
that contractor from accepting the independent hauler's offer.
Now let's suppose that contractor had accepted the offer. What
would have happened? That independent hauler would have manned
his fleet of Illinois trucks with Illinois drivers; they would
have had their trucks overhauled by Illinois mechanics before
starting; they would have filled their enormous tanks with
Illinois gas so as to have made the round-trip without having to
stop for gas; the drivers would have taken their Illinois-filled
dinner buckets; and down concrete State Road No. 41 they would
have probably come. Turning east on No. 36 at Rockville, they
would have intercepted a barred rock hen and 11 chickens in front
of Ab Shalley's at Bellmore to the utter annihilation of the
interceptees. In an unguarded moment some driver would have
removed Zephus Burkett's mail box and distributed it and its
contents consisting of a Kitselman Brothers Fence Catalog, the
Farm and Fireside, and a pamphlet telling how to make hens lay
between there and Hanna's Crossroads, where they would or would
not have made the turn safely down No. 43. Frank Hathaway's
thoroughbred calf would have been "out" at his place and heard of
no more; Paul Tucker's bay mare been soon describing a parabola
with a radius of three miles. And the left hind wheel and end
gate of Professor Ogg's spring wagon would have been removed
quickly and efficiently directly in front of your house at
Bloomington and Walnut.
On to Stinesville, Bloomington or Bedford they would have trekked
their stately way, probably taking more than a good half of the
highway. Loaded up, they would have made the return over Indiana
paid-for concrete highways in impressive massed procession, just
fast enough to keep Indiana taxpayers from passing them. . .
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