Sleeping cars were provided for all persons traveling over one thousand
miles on the train, but no person under that distance was permitted to
occupy one. There were no Pullman or Palace Coaches
and no special train was allowed save only to the President or member of
his Cabinet on official business. The railway lines were run through the
country so as to bring the produce of the people to market and to bring
all the people in touch with one another. Hundreds of short lines were
in operation that by themselves did not pay operating expenses, but as
they formed a part of the whole railway system of the Republic under one
management, they were beneficial to the people. The rate for all kinds
of freight, except grain and vegetables, was five mills per ton per mile
for all distances, and for grain, fruit and vegetables two mills per ton
per mile.
All Government freight and employees were carried free, but a strict
account was kept so as to prevent fraud. No discrimination between
persons or places was allowed. Everyone was placed on the same footing,
but to prevent conspiracies in restraint of trade if a person in any
district shipped goods into another district and offered them for sale
for a less price, with the freight added, than he sold them for in his
own district, he was punished by six months' imprisonment at hard labor
in the district where he violated the law, and if any person, either of
his own account or acting as agent for another party, sold goods brought
from a foreign country for a less price than the wholesale price of the
goods at the place where they were produced or manufactured with twenty
per cent.
Pages:
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67