that system is controlled in the interest of the public, but so long as railroad managers permit gross favoritism and discriminations against both communities and individuals; so long as they seek by stock-watering and other devices to obtain from the public more than a reasonable compensation for the service rendered; so long as they try to perpetuate these abuses by obtaining control of the legislative, judicial and executive departments of our government, just so long must we esteem the consolidation of railroad power detrimental to all classes of citizens, and a perpetual menace to the public welfare, for it is calculated to re-distribute the wealth of the country, virtually concentrating the commerce of the nation in few hands, and making all others tributary thereto. Reduced rates for transportation, and the development of new industries and new sections of our country, are no equivalent for results like these, and in point of fact it is not so much the economies of consolidation which have given the public decreased rates of transport, as it is the brains of our inventors. Steel rails last from four to six times as long as iron rails, and cost but one-quarter more. Locomotives haul onehalf more load than they did ten years since. Freight cars carry a much larger paying load in proportion to weight of rolling stock, than formerly. Improved signals, improved appliances for handling freight, &c., greatly reduce the cost of labor required in operating railroads, and collectively, the effect of these inventions has been so great, that railroads have been enabled to largely reduce their charges, and still yield enormous returns to the capital actually contributed for their construction. Steam applied to transportation, and electricity as a means of carrying intelligence, have conferred enormous benefits upon the people of the world, but not to the degree they should have done. The National Board of Trade, at its last annual meeting, adopted a report stating, "The degree to which the great powers of steam and electricity have been allowed to pass into corporate hands, which employ them as a means to tax the public unduly for their use, is at this time forcing itself upon the attention of our statesmen, and there is a widespread feeling that the public welfare demands that the and privileges of corporate grants shall be limited in the future." power Further comment is unnecessary at this time; your Committee ask the members of the Chamber to carefully consider the views of President STANFORD, which are printed in full as an appendix to this report, and compare them with the facts herewith submitted. NOTE. The letter of Mr. STANFORD is necessarily omitted from this volume. After considerable discussion by Messrs. SMITH, WATROUS, HENRY, CONKLING, SHEPARD, THURBER and RUGGLES, the report was adopted, and ordered to be printed for distribution. The President reported that he had appointed Messrs. C. N. BLISS, C. C. BALDWIN, JOHN SLOANE, OSGOOD WELSH and the Secretary, the Committee of Arrangements for the One Hundred and Thirteenth Annual Banquet of the Chamber in May next, under the resolution adopted at the last meeting. RESOLUTIONS. Mr. AMBROSE SNOW offered the following resolution, which was unanimously adopted, and a copy ordered to be transmitted to both Houses of the Legislature: Resolved, That in the judgment of this Chamber, the proposed legislation by Bill No. 364, now before the Assembly, transferring the power of licensing Sailors' Boarding Houses in the Cities of New-York and Brooklyn, from the Commissioners appointed by the Chamber of Commerce and other prominent Associations, is ill advised, and if accomplished, would be inimical to the interests of seamen and of the commerce of this port, and that this Chamber hereby remonstrates against the passage of said act. COMMUNICATIONS. The following communication was read from Mr. JOHN AUSTIN STEVENS, a former Secretary of the Chamber: To the Chamber of Commerce: NEW-YORK, April 7th, 1881. GENTLEMEN,-I have been honored with a request to present to you this morning, in behalf of the generous gentlemen whose names are appended, an interesting addition to your portrait gallery of public personages. The practice of adorning the walls of the Chamber with representations of those who have promoted the objects for which it was founded is as old as the institution itself. Beginning with the full length portrait of the Colonial Governor who granted the first charter to it, the earliest commercial corporation in this country, the collection now presents an almost unbroken series of the Presidents who have passed from earthly walks of usefulness, and preserves also the lineaments of some of the conspicuous men who, in the broader fields of State and National legislation, have conferred unusual and lasting benefit upon the industry and commerce of the American people. There are some breaks in this interesting line, which the munificence and public spirit of this ancient corporation will surely repair. A picture of GEORGE CLINTON, the war Governor of the Revolution, the right arm of WASHINGTON, the fearless magistrate under whose administration the Chamber was re-incorporated and its privileges confirmed, would be a happy pendant to that of the Colonial COLDEN. One of CHASE, the great Secretary, whose consummate administration harmonized all the banking institutions of the country in support of the Government, and gave to it the incalculable benefits of a homogeneous currency, would mark the era which intervened between the establishment of the funding system, by HAMILTON, and the restoration of specie payment, under SHERMAN, both of whom are kept in remembrance by fine full length pictures, painted for our citizens and upon your walls. The portrait to-day presented recalls the most important event in the annals of the Empire State-the completion of the great Canal, which first made it the thoroughfare, and New-York City the distributing point for the products of the Lake region. DE WITT CLINTON, under whose administration, and in large measure owing to whose influence this colossal enterprise was carried out, learned the science of government from his uncle, GEORGE CLINTON, Whom he served as private secretary, and from 1790 until his death, in 1828, devoted his life and incomparable talents to the interests of his native State. The portrait is from the pencil of Colonel TRUMBULL, and now passes directly from the family of CLINTON to the possession of the Chamber of Commerce. I have the honor to be, Yours faithfully, JOHN AUSTIN STEVENS. (Signed,) NAMES OF DONORS. GEORGE L. KINGSLAND, DAVID DUDLEY FIELD, WILLIAM M. EVARTS, ISAAC BELL, GRORGE W. LANE, W. H. WEBB, JAMES W. ELWELL, JOHN W. HAMERSLEY. Mr. SAMUEL B. RUGGLES offered the following resolutions: Resolved, That the portrait of DE WITT CLINTON, presented to the Chamber, be accepted and placed upon its walls, in grateful remembrance of the eminent services rendered by the illustrious Governor to the Commerce of this State and City. Resolved, That the thanks of the Chamber are hereby tendered to the gentlemen in whose names it is offered, and to Mr. STEVENS for his continued interest in our gallery of portraits, many of which we owe to his intelligent zeal. The resolutions were seconded by Mr. FREDERICK A. CONKLING, and unanimously adopted, and the communication was ordered to be placed on file. The President appointed Messrs. GEORGE A. JARVIS and JAMES W. ELWELL a Committee to audit the accounts of the Treasurer for the past year, as required by Article VI. of the By-Laws. The Chamber then adjourned. SELECTED DECISIONS IN LITIGATED CASES TRIED BEFORE THE COURT OF FROM MAY, 1880, TO MAY, 1881. S. & W. WELSH agst. HAVEMEYER & ELDER. When sugars are sold as sound, but before delivery are damaged by rain-water, the loss thus occasioned must be borne by the seller. Where the testimony of the parties, or of their witnesses, is irreconcilable, the testimony of disinterested witnesses should preponderate. A counter-claim for damages in such case is allowable, where objection is made to the condition of the goods at the first opportunity. E. L. FANCHER, Official Arbitrator. In August, 1879, the plaintiffs sold to the defendants 395 hogsheads and 42 tierces of Cuba sugars, at the agreed price of $39,936.11, of which the defendants have paid $38,762.31. The plaintiffs claim there is a balance due of $1,174.40, with interest from Sept. 4, 1879. The defendants deny that any balance is due, and insist that the sugars were sold as sound, but, when delivered, were unsound. The alleged unsoundness, it is claimed, arose from damage by rain water, while the sugars remained, after sale, on FINLEY'S dock, at which place they were landed from the ship "Orbit." The defendants purchased the sugars from an inspection of samples, drawn by their sampler, while the sugars were at FINLEY'S wharf. The sampler (Jonx OFFICER) testified that the samples were drawn in the ordinary way, so as fairly to represent the condition of the sugars at the time, and that they did not then exhibit any evidence of damage by water. The sugars were of a low grade, and contained much natural moisture; that is, they came from the plantation in that condition; yet, so long as they are not damaged by outside water, such sugars are considered sound and merchantable. The witnesses show that there were "stickers" in the cargo. They are packages, tough, heavy, gummy and of bad color; but when sampled, the sampler states, the "stickers" were not damaged by water. Sugars damaged by water are considered as unsound and unmerchantable, and when sold, must be described as such. |