Newspaper Clipping 1 January 1 1865Dubuque Herald
Sunday Jan 15 1865
City Council.
Special Session
report of the Committee in regard to the Transfer Question
Letters from the Board of trade and Platt Smith, President of the D & S C R R.
The City Connell met in special session
at the city ttatl et two o'clock.
Meyer Tbompeee stated thee th. ehlectn for whkh
Jo hut called the Cased] mother were for the per.
rase of bearing the roost of the emulates bating
tweet coa4denrlen the lnahr ewaUoa: nod for
Ihe porpoen of edopneg to entree* prertUeg for
the appellant et t City Inereetor. Lech ea ot-
ter is required le view of the fact that the a1licarr,
►a dgrrtin of the deparlare% et the Iroetkweet
tad been established here. edit the lateethe of the
thorral coomaadleg to au t i. city a loot of
rppll•a
Mr.Stout, chairmen of the epectsl seesmatee on
the trawler gnwtloe. made the' following rnprt.
which wa adopted. mod ordered lied:
Th the Hon. Y.yorani A/derwerl:
GI:nTLrsca—In pursuance of a redo.
lotion adopted at your regular meeting
ie December last in relation to the De.
butler L• Ddole,th Ferry Co., the under•
sigued have had the subject under con.
siaerstion and ask lave to submit the
following report:
The charter gives the city •'ibeesclus•
sive right to license awl rernla.e ferrule,
and to estahlydb rates of ferriage between
Dunugce and the oplanib, trine of the
Mississippi river," and in the exercise of
that right the city entered into a touvaet
ou the 10xb day of Nor., 1856, with Chile.
Gregoire and others to operate said ter.
ry.
For present purposes it will mar be
necessary to allude to so much of the con -
contract a it is claimed ha been violat-
ed. Said contract specifies thee the Co.
shall operate the ferry with two good
steam boats, eras a frequeutly as the
business may require. and pay each li-
cense sod charge such pneos as the city
maw from time to time prescribe.
The pulley ofj the city hsa uniforraly
been to keep the rates a low as poiaibie,
and make them remunerative, sad acting
on tits principle the city ha not attempt-
ed to make the ferry privileges a source
e of reveuua ea a,ieht hen Loon gamin.!
o.as.,w . ,... . ..r_
our city cis have come to the • awted
this Committee shoeing /age damage to
interruption of ►u,tnes•4 by nonecesiary
delays in the trans!Ce of merchandise,
live stock, lumber .sad produce, may of
which might bate been avoided entirely
by proper energy and cure on the pan of
the 'frsold:er Campine. Grocers and
dealers in geae•al merchandise have of-
ten hers delayed from three days to three
week, in the receipt of their good' after
Qi-oir arrival in Dunleith. On many
claims of business Ibis delay :nail borne
with special hardship, as they have been
entice often to fill orders land were pr--
vented in *Sowing goods promptly that
were sestonab'e only at certain times in
the yekr, and the committee have heeu
informed of instances where the produce
of certain parties has been shipped to the
exclusion of the same hied of produ.e.
held by other partied and which was des
tined fora me points on the railroad and
bed equal claims to be shipped, thus
working large damages to those whose
stuff was thus delayed. The Committee
alio ere aware that grain has been de•
reined in 'earthen.es here for weeks, un•
t I di courwged with the expense end 1.' .
of holding longer, the dialers bare sold
at t less ralaatioi than it would bone
netted thew, could they tbemselwes ben
forwarded it to market. The dealers
bays at such times sold to parties inter•
ested in th'eTransfer Company, when the
grain bus been moved with eery little de.
lay. in consequence of this delay its uw
loading of cars in Dunleith, we leant
from railroad officer, theruselves, that
the railroad+ do not furnish as large a
prnportine of can at t/utdenh as they
do for the business at other points, which
bus resulted largely to the damage of the
interests of this section and the section
of country tributary to the Ddhu9iie &
Sioux Ci•r and the Dubuque S North
western Railroads. Indeed we have red
son to ay that we will use a large par
tton both of the through shipment of
produce and also of h-. bnsrnrss kAiri-
matey belongietr to ma hen, unless some
measures are adopted to have a more
prompt, ethc:eut and less expansive con.
nection from our city with some easteru
road. Numerous cases here come to
the notice of this Committee of serious
complaints, liable, if continued, to work
large damage to all interests herr.bht be-
lieving tour Coum.ittee understand the
facts and will recommend some decided
measure• for the protectiow ol our core
Inertial interests, we subscribe our
solves,
Instances from all classes w II J 27.34¢5 r J ...
. o trade in • gn ::'.:.. .,.... ....., ..,,r..,...,,.......- I
T ku ate of it promptly by ferrying teams. It my •
opinion, the shippers rs ol freight living in
the city of Dubuque and along the li p' if
our road bare suffered damage in coupe-:
quutce of the inadequacy of the present i
system of transfer at this poiut to an
amount greater than that paid for the
treater of freight.
Comparative atatistia of the transfer
busiu►ss at this point and Clinton are in
my possession, and can be referred to or
examined by you if you see proper.
If the Illiuuis Centrsl Railroad would
consent to receive and deliver their Iowa
freights on this side of the river, 1 shone!
recommend the establishment of a ferry
for the trendier of card. I believe thus
such s terry can In established that will
make tripe of less than one-third the
length of the trips heretofore made by
the Dubuque Ferry.
• Respectfully submitted.
. PLO'? SMITH, President.
Your committee have no accurate
means of ascertaining the amount of
local business, but behove it to bo near-
ry equal to that of the D. d: 8.
C. IL It Co., which added, will cmtnui
ly uinko' the business of sufficient
amount to demand the lowest root of
tranSeur.
lour committea do not hush
tutu to ecpruc$ the opinion
that said Company have not only mint
ed their contract and strictly tailed to
alert the requirements of the increase ih
business, but have conducted the name
in a loose and reckless manner end with.
out mnnitesttng any disposition to meet
the reasonable demands tat the public.
Tree main ohjeet sought would seem to
be the how to remedy existing existing
width you can Telexed es the most diffi•
cult part of their duty The great our -
pie the Legislature had m view in giv-
ing the eery the control of the ferry, was,
no doubt, to protect the pubic from be-
ing imposed up in. and that the business
night be placed in responsible bands.
Your Cowmiueu would therefore recoil.
mead that this Council refuse to grant li•
cease hereafter, unless to such parties as
shall become responsible for ds.nuges its
case of a failure to comply with such
irrms and conditions as the city may
prescribe.
Your Comntitice nerve with the Presi•
dent of the D. & S. C. ft. 1t. Co. that the
means of doing the business are entirely
inadequate, and as the I C. R. lt. Cu.
have a large interest in the subject, and
remembering that th.t the terms of their
1: C. RYDER.
F firvna
P Ipe
d to make the ferry privileges a source
w of revenue as eight have been designed
by tbe charter, and hence only requires
•the sum of $100 for en enamel Iwense.-
0e the 24tb day of Jan., 1861, the city
established the rates by ordnance which
are correctly gives its a sebeequeat part
of this report. (See reply of Board of
Trade.) In order to obtain reliable in-
formation ran the aubjectvnur com.aidress
of the follow og note to the I'se.id••ut t f
She hoard of trade :
DcacovS Dee. 16, 1E64.
F. W. lf, StonKeld, Erg., Pnetdest of the
Beard of Prod.:
Dine SIR For the purpose of obtain.
ing reliable information to enable as to
discharge a duty imposed upon us by a
resolution of the City Couamt, we respect.
folly ask an answer tothe following gees•
toes:
lat. What have been the rates ebsrged
es freight and peenagen by the Dubuque
!k Dentinal Ferry Co. during the Int year.
at this point?
24. Is the Ferry Cesad west is gener-
ally known as the Transfer Co. the same,
gad if sot west have beam the charges of
nth?
3d Has tbe balloter beet doge prompt•
ly and without favoritism? is short' we
desire to be Salormsd whether the mem.
ben of your Board have experienced say
noaeeesasry delay or amresssasble es
penes in the transfer of their business
acmes the river at this plane. and whether
then are any reaneable complaints by
the business men avant geld Ferry Co.
The undersigned believe the object of
this invesugsuoo to be for the purpose of
removing every possible restraint upon
the commercial interests of this locality
Hoping that you w111 give this subject
the attention its impertnnee demands, and
that we may receive your reply at an
early day, we are
Respectfully yours,
Cos.
IL L. Stout, Ciairstaa of Commit.
ter of Comecon Council of the City of
Dubuqur:—
DnR Stu: In reepon.e to the injuir-
ies you make, the Co amittee appointed
by ebs Bleed of Trade of this city,
wonld thy:
1st Thev are not aware that any
charges byre been made rev the Ferry
Cenpanv'for het•an.fer of p•ssgengers-
teams and freight other than those speci-
fied in the Ordinance enacted by a torn
er Common Council, for which see City
Ordinance pages 67. 68 and 69, which
roles are as follows: On foot p.,enngers
10 ants; loaded two -bone motion, 50
omits; unloaded do., 50 cents; boggy or
wagon, (one-horse) 50 cents; bug_y.
(two -horse) 50 pots; cattle, lens than
twenty heed. 10 nets each : aver tonal.
1: C. RroER.
F. [liens,
L. D. 1tAenst,a
Joss T. HAneocx,
Cyntr+iiec.
Your committee do not deem it neces-
sary to cucumber this rrport with the
large amount of tesaimnuy at hand to
prow that said contract has been violat-
ed by the Ferry Co. They find it impoer
ible to separate the Transfer from the
Ferry Co.. both being managed and con-
trolled by the same parties, end hence
must be treated as one its the investiga-
tion. But as the amount of business to
be done wuetd offset the rates to some
extent, your eomtn ttee have taken
some pains to ascertain as near as possi-
ble tbe *mount due, and with that object
its view addressed the following note of
inquiry to Platt Smith. Esq., President of
the D.& S. C. R. R. Co.:
Duacws; Dec. 16tb, 1864.
Platt Smith, Esq., President D. 4- S. C. 11.
Co.: .
Dealt Ste:—tt order that we may Air
charge a duty imposed cm us by the City
Council in relation to the Dubuque &
Duslettb Ferry Co., we would be happy to
reeeina tam you too answer to tbefollow•
ing questions:
let. What is the cost of transferring
the business of your Co. aeress the titer
at this point?
24. le it promptly done and without se
riots Ion to shippers ?
3d What Ferry privileges don your
Co. claim
4. le then any other mods of doing the
bueiaess that in your opinion would .+e
cheaper and more sspeditisus that could
be adopted.
Au early reply will oblige
Tenn truly,
Com.
PRESIDENT'S Orrrct,
Dcsugas & 5tocx Carr It. ft Co.
Dubuque, lows, Jae. 10, 1965.
re 11. L. Stout and 0lhoo, nominate
(i psis :-1a npry to your inquiry about
the cost of trsnsterriug railroad frights
croeaiug the Mississippi at Duhugne, 1
will state that to the year 1uti4, the
througb `nights crossed at Dubuque go
lag west. were 1.198 car loads, and going
east 4,b37 car loads. The avenge cost
per oar for f•eigh going west was *2033,
end for grain going east $13 9N ; for oar
er freight going east $9 10. Tttal aver
age for both ways $13 76 per car load.
Tee total amount received for transfer
ring wee $82,974 This don not include
the pent tiger business. We pay for par
Hagen and baggage Eby e. as earth pas•
anger, whack ales isctndes emaibns
ha
to
lit
road "to Dubuque its theStateofIowa,'
your committee addressed the following
letters to .1. M. Douglas, Esti, Vtce
President of that Company. in order, el
possibit, to secure their co-operation
some other mode of doing the busi-
nue:
Dosegvg, Dee. 3, 1864.
S. M. Douglass, Er7„ nee President, (. C.
R.R:
Dean the :—At s tenting of the City
Council et the let of D c., 1664, the ■n-
ewel resolutiou wag uasolmously adopt
ed, which, we trust, will be a su15ctest
apology for the liberty we take in ad-
dressing you. The charter gives the city
"tbe exclusive right to license toad rega-
late ferries, and establish the rate of far•
risge between Dubuque thud the opposite
bank of the Mississippi river."
On the 10th day of November, 1956, the
city entered into acuauact wain the Do
bisque and Dubleith Ferry Company; the
principal proprietors at that time were
retideute of the city. Theowrerahip has
etuce passed i..to the beads of non reei.
dents, who hen not only vlola.ed the
coaditiooe of the cnutrect by charging
enormous rater and failing to do the hus-
hing promptly, but have refused to trans-
fer grain and other freight for the pur-
pose of compelling the bolders to coil bo
low the market value. The undersigned
believe the rights of the city should he
exercised for the purpose of affording to
the public the cheapest rod most expedi•
Bone tnorit across the the river end in-
vite busmen on this side instead of drip
log it away as hes been the case. As
your Company is largely interested in the
baleen at this point, wed sire (Uteri e.
you and solicit your advice and co opera-
tion as to what shall he done in the fo
tun. We would be pleased to have y,,u
inform us whether your Company have'
any interest in gelid Ferry at. present,nnd •
whether you would he willing to enter
Iwo a contract with another reapoostble
Company who would perform the traonfee
business more promptly and at much lees
prices.
lee desire to consult all patties in in
tenet before we set, and hope to resolve
your views at length upon the subject at
an early day.
Rerpntfully yours,
11. L. 8rorr,
for Committee.
Their note was duly received and we
bed assurance given of reply as soon
es the subject can be officially acted up
on, bar up to this date none It a been re -
cowed. They bare no doubt but this
cot jret will receive favorable attention as
aunt a: other business more busing 1.
caw; unloaded do., 50 cents; boggy or
wagon, (one.Aurae) 50 cents; twirl.
(two.borse) 50 cent+; cattle, lea than
twenty had, 10 cents each ; over twenty
head, 8 cons each; sheep or hogs, 5
cents each; freight under five Luudr.d
pounds. 5 cents per hundred pounds;
freight, five hundred pounds or more, 4
Ceuta per hundred pounds, (except that
taneral morcband'ae is charged with ten
(10i cents per bnudred pounds, as price
of transfer from the depot at Dunle,th to
the plies of business et merchauta iu
Dubuque or to the tr pet of ibe Dubuque
k Sioux City R*Groad and from bore t
bunieith. and grain in bulk *circa (7)
cents per bnudred pounds; grain in bait:
eight (8) Dents per hundred pomade; sod
cattle and live bogs 115.15 per car load,
constsung usaslly of 14 to 16 bad of
cattle and 45 to SS hoes.) Ia regard to
the items of cattle and begs, tbeCommit
tee desire to report that the charge is
made by the Transfer Company without
their &seaming direct charge of the stock
or here, and that at certain salons, as
for instance, when ice is toaoing or liar.
ig►non it to.tpt►ded, the tame charge i-
still collected of the shipper while le
(the shipper) is stall the expeoee, ri-k
rod trouble of transferring tote to Dan.
kirk, which we an but consider as se
unfair and tnintt,S.bk tax ou. the live
stock trade that asks a erasing \ere
We would menial your Committee that
some pars ago en agent was sent front
this city to the several fens crossings o i
tbatterbetweee here mad St. Louis, sod
the inrestigtt.ou et that timm made
showed that raw bore ware b,gber than
at other points, end at this time we bare
reason to behave the charges for trans•
fining aertkandiee, bit Rock and pro
daa largely exceed t just hod ramose
tit tompetwettoa: - - e
In ret o , to ?vat aatotd Inquiry
would ear; no ferry boat, the chine
Sad privileges, we eedertrsats w coned
toad Managed bp "the' Tellg,Ilt ray
sod that tM charm... ass tr.
produce, at., include farms dad tree>
por'stion to tt, the tang.
We dew tote to your :third ingairy
end empty thatt►e busieew has sot ts:e
dote prweaf`tly, eatwithatssdiog On ex_
cna �that N. bats al-
..
the pima aaer business . We pay for pas
saugsn and baggage fifty e. are eaab par
stager, entice alas inelndes omnibus
tan.
Tn. mode of trsnKerriag railroad
freights by teams on the scan ferry,eub.
jests the goons to much delay and esoso,
cossider.ole eoofuuae, ec well as a very
heavy •xpease to our railroad company
In ret.adiug the geode.
In relstiou to your inquiry about tb.
legal rights to the ferry frseckies it Lhr
buque, t will state that the Uubuqus i
Sioux City It 1t. Co, by express Iegtelr
twat have the right is ferry their fr.tphis
asdpassengers going east, under the act
S April, diet. Laws of Iowa, 184, page
!US. The compss, alas, by the sate act
\sa tbe rigb to bridge tie titer.
The Treater Conpaey ham se far tier
oiseid tag ferry right without Ike ltterf r•
tuna of our coapssy. I know of .s net
et why tk. Dubuque k 8ionx city R. R.
Co. would sot ,neater the right to ferry
to any party Om would tarnish ton ■x•
peditious sad commodioas a.antods•
tines, or glee a .umci.it guerasits to de
ID.
I u informed by as of t • lllissia
C.ntrst Ratites I °titers that such aeon_
modatiose wilt he furnished at Net hip
amine of that Company, bit I an not
aware that anything has yet actually
been done to accomplish so denrabl. as
object.
•1 will Gate in reply to your inquiry as
to whether the preseot mode of transfer
is tbe moat v6ictent and chap, that I
hen caused lire subject to he inetstigat•
eel, sad 69d that et the ferry at Clinton
Ibe railroad freights and passeugen Ire
crossed by the terry bumta, the combined
coat of which was about twenty thousand
dollars; o.ty one Bost is used et • time,
t►e *tier betag kept se a renne. - The
average cost of ferrying • car load of
freight ita frsctioa lower that three d rf
tars. Tbie mode of transferring freight
dose ant requite os.-teath pan of the
tea s.4 so'hrnw oar wigwam; It re-
joins a wary stall cuticy in capital to
start with sod is far ton effete -set and
s ati:factory. With- boats built for the
p:,rpon and track,. pr perly arrange!,
tart tea be ate mid cc a ferry boil. wit4-
oatvbe'etigateat.KAI wI•-.. ►t all varmint
mate: and walk a lets than one •hind is a
expense of crossing, freights by horse.
sot era w►e.d w • kW. bat
! .,;trots t:. same
et.
an
IHMlp a, at bit httrir,era more pre.si"' i
di -posed u', but ruriclud d not to di lay
Lit report for the expected enawrrs—
tbe.r r, ply They are aware that the op- , ,
iuion pr.-viola extensively that the Trans- r
ter and Ferry C. a are owned and 'Ain- I r,
trolled by tie I. C. R. R. Co., or by par. i t
tzea largely interested i.. said Co. end r
hence their an strong reanema for belie,•
log the; the, subject will not receive
proper attention, and ;bat any •ppe►I in
that direction would -only he met by
insult as heretofore, but your committee
do not tare in that upibial,. They can
bat Lelteve that a pre 4 t•urpontitn
composed of some of the wealthiest anti
moet enterprising busineu men of this
nation am well as Europe, can be so in-
different to their intermit as not to desire
the continuance of • business of such
magnitude most of which passes over the
entire length of their road. And they
cou.d nut reasonably presume upon the
friendly feelings of the people byre for its
continuance with the imposition prscted
under present arrsngem.nte.
They would therefore respectfully curt
gent that • committee be appoini.
ed by the shippers interested to wait
upon the officers of ssid comp.uy and
lay their grievants before then sn.f
respectfully an their co•operstlon in some
plan that would remove the wrongs
complained of If utsuceasful, they
*build be instructed to proamei at once in
some other direction and open negotia-
tions with some ether road or parties who
.euld at Is•et be willing to trey us fair-
ly. sod no doubt be glad is do the busi-
aea on ion iavorabie gems,
After a thorough tsvestigntins of the
silkiest, your committee an decidedly .f
the opinion 'bat the only Ian sod perms-
tont remedy is la • goof sod substenial
brad,. across tha ring at this plan, awl
without any minute ealeaiatan i. nay b.
sec■ at a glean that sae noun paid for ,
tnseterrug tee budaew here would In
tee years pay for ,he huilhiag of a good
Arid f. They bptleve the local nt'j•erinne
is t. Midi g. bridge an sot w.11 founded
gad do net i•renati Lieu' gnu ette:,t•
Oer business menear et to me- t the
trade tributary to this place and do ant
believe in thrfes!inrr f throwing any oh.
seaab im 410,0000A slap Iasi 0
eel