The New York Herald Newspaper, September 2, 1873, Page 3

TELEGRAPH EXTORTION. Minister Schenck Again on the Western Union. OVERCHARGES ON OCEAN MESSAGES, A Fuller Exposition of the Tricks of the Lightning Venders, THE CASE WELL STATED. Dorrespondence Between Mr. Schenck, Secre- tary Fish and Mr. Orton. Charges for the Transmission of Messages. Facts and Figures for Reflection by Oppo- nents of Telegraph Monopoly. Minister Schenck to Secretary Fish. (No, 442.) LEdaTION OF Taz UNITED STATES, Lonpon, July 7, 1873. Hon. HAMILTON FisH, Secretary of State, Washing- ton, D, 0.:— SIR—My No. 398, in relation to charges on tele- graphic cable messages, having been mae public through the newspapers in the United States, has also been copied and attracted attention here. On ita appearance in print in the correspondence of the London Times a letter of complaint was ad- @ressed to me by the General Manager of the Anglo- American Telegraph Company in London, to which Treplied, Isend you herewith copies of the com- funication of that company and my answer thereto. You will observe that the Anglo-American Com- pany, instead of meeting and controverting the statement that there exists some arrangement by which excessive charges are collected in London for the transmission of cable messages over the land lines in the United States, attempts to make with me an irrelevant issue in regard to some sup- at Teduction of prices paid by the government. is Ido not permit. ‘he system of overcharges which I brought to your notice is that which re- lates to exactions made here for sending intelli- gence over the wires within the United States to points gouth and west of New York. No response has been made by the Cable Com- pany to my reply, sent to them on the 30th o/ June. The Western Union Company, I presume, will put forward some explanation or denial, now that my letter to you has come out and provoked discus- sion, but I trust they will not answer aside trom the question which has been fairly raised. I have the honor to be, sir, Oy respectiully, your obe- dient servant, OBERT 0. SUMENCK, ENCLOSURES, 1. Mr. Weaver to General Schenck, June 27, 1873. 2. General Schenck to Mr. Weaver, General Su- rintendent of the Anglo-American Telegraph mpany, June 30, 1873, A Telegraphic Tic to the Minist.~. ANGLO-AMERICAN TELEGRAPH Co. (Limited), No. 26 OLD BROAD STREET, } Lonpon, E. C., June 27, 1873. Sm—Referring to your letter addressea to Mr. Bamilton Fish upon the subject of this company’s tarif, which appeared in the Philadelphia cor- fespondence of the Times of yesterday, and in qhich you state that the alleged “systematic tmpositions” has resulted in a large difference to the government of the United States during the past year, | would draw your attention to the fact that, instead of being overcharged, your govern- ment has only paid half the current rates of the company for some years past, a concession made by the companies to the American government as epure Matter of courtesy, which appears to me be somewhat ill-requited by the unwarranted “trictures contained in your letter. 1 am, sir, your obedient servan' H WEAVER, General Manager. " Minister Schenck Restates His Case. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, London, June 30, 1873. HL Weaver, Esq., General Manager Anglo-American Telegraph Company :— Sr—I have received your note of the 27th inst., referring to an official letter of mine of the 30th of April last, addressed to the Secretary of State of the United States, relating to the charges made for the transmission of messages by the Angio-Amer- {can Telegraph Company, a copy of which letter has appeared in the public prints. You appear to Dverlook or misunderstand entirely the point of jy communication on the subject and its object. I raised no question as to the tariff of prices of your company, whether excessive or moderate, for sending despatches by the cable Beross the ocean from England to America. My purpose was to attract attention to the charges made, as I understand, under some arrangement between your company and the Western Union Vompany, for the use of the land lines of that com- pany within the United States to reach points west and south of New York; and I showed that the ex- action of payments made here for that portion of telegraphic service was double or more than 4ouble as much as the rates indicated in the tariff of the American company for the same ser. vice over the same lines at home. This you have not dented, I brought this matter to the notice of my govern- ment, as it was proper I should do, If 1am not mistaken asto the fact there is no reason for your characterizing my report as con- taining “unwarranted strictures.” Whether, as you state, the government of the United States “has only paid half the current rates of the com- pany for some years past,” aud whether that was, as you also inform me, “a concession mate as a ure matter of courtesy,” I do not certalaly know. | found your scale of charges wien | came here to represent the United States about the same, 1 be- Ueve, as it continues to be. laguiry being made | since receiving your letter, Licarn tiat the reduced rates of which you speak reiate to some agree’ mot to make double charges against eith United States government or Her Majesty's gov- ernment for despatches of which any portou may | happen to be transmitted in ciyher, But what- | ver may be the case in respect of that statemen I'do not see how, with justice or propriety, it should be taken as a consideration for not expos- ing what Wee to be a wrong, in the connection | of which jave shown that the pubilc and private persons are equally concerned. Thad Jar other and higher motives for my action than to assail the interests o! any of the telegraph companies on either side of the Atlantic, and my communication to my © to are i | been ‘made pubiie, it is certainly no “iil requitay” for any favor or advantage that you may be supposed to have conferred to atford youan opportunity for abolishing an unjust discrimination against many of those who have to correspond through the medium of the telegraph. Iam, sir, very respect- fully, your obedient servant. ROBERT C. SCHENCK. Mr. Schenck to Mr. Fish. (No. 460,] LEGATION OF THE UNITED ig aa Lonpon, July 26, 1873. Hon. MAMILTON Fis, Secretary of State, Washing- » D, Sin—Your No, 412, enclosing a copy of a com- Manication addressed to you by Mr. Orton, the President of the Western Union Telegraph Com- pany, was duly received. I have also seen Mr. ‘ton’s letter Widely published in the newspapers. propose now to make that somewhat remark- able paper the subject of comment, and I trust that the same publicity wAich has been given to it and to my despatch to you, to which tv purports to be a reply, will be given to this my answer, at was the information Which I gave the De- partment for such use in the public interest as it might be deemed proper to make of it? I stated that an arrangement existed between the Anglo- American able cer, and the Western Union Company, under which the former company charges and collects on all imessages sent from England to points west and south of New York, for that tof the service which lies within the United Etates, double or more than dcvh'y the rates which are charged by the Western Uninr Company for the ike service at home. And this “r. Orton does not . He 3 & show of denying 11, but his newer is evasive aud orate wer and iurnishes pnly a striking exampie of the way in which a per- son having no food defence may seem to oes ander cover of immaterial issues, while not in the test degree meeting the complaint which is really made, Let us see if} state this too srrormy. 1. Inmy communication to rcu I said that I be- YYeved the contract between the two companies provided fora division between them of tho re- ceinta from this Jand service in the proportion of 5 s NEW YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1873—TRIPLE SHEET. one seine to the Anglo-American and two-thirds to the Western Union; and I went on to illustrate how protitabie would be to the Western Union such dividing of the overcharge, inasmuch as such re- ceipt of two-thirds would quite exceed the whole proper charge made under tie home tariff of that company. Mr. Orton denies fiercely and with Much ostentation that the agreement between the companies provides for a division of the charges for the service of his company in that proportion. All I have to say ou that point is, that | learned, trom what | supposed to be a reliable and well in- formed source, that such was the nature of the agreement. Mr. Orton hunself knows, better than any outsider can, what really are now, or have been heretofore, the exact terms of the contract, and Can remove all doubt, if he thinks proper to do 80, by publishing the actual ducumentary proof, This, however, is not the question—it is not the public complaint, ‘this is merely asserting that & mistake has been made in stating the manner of division of the spoil. It is of little consequence to tue public how tue parties apportion the excessive rates between theu. It ts oi far more interest to discover that they have been imposing and collect- Ing such exorbitant rates, 2. Mr. Orion attempts to meet the exposure of these overcharges for the land service on his lines in the United States by asking attention to the re- duced rates charged by the Anglo-Ame! in Com- Pany lor messages sent on government account. This again 18 avoiding tue issue. On careful examination of the quarteriy b.lis which have been rendeved and paid here ior ocean cabie service I find that the rates vary, being sometimes half the } tariff charge, sometimes more than the iuil charge, depending spomene in part, but not entirely, Upou the sact whether tie messages were ulto- gether, or any por ton of them, in OY Aad) Bat What has this to do with the rates, doubied, or more than doubied, over the wires oi the Western Union Company’ Noting whatever. And Mr. Orton ltumseif furnishes that answer in his own express language, when he says, ‘anstead of the rate of four shillings and three ence aword, London to Washington, the State epartinent pays only two shillings and three pence.” Thus showing that even ii a reduction is Inade to the government it is only on the cable service trom Eugiaud to America and does not ap- ply to the excessive rates collected here for the use of the lines in the United States, As to messages coming the other way—thbat is, “from Washington or otner points in the United States to be transmitted by the cable to i ngiand”— I have in my torwmer letter vo you distinctly stated that “Ihave no means of knowing whether they are subjected to the same or similar overcharges or not.” Amy reference, therefore, in Mr, Orton's levter to Messages from the United States to Eng- land was uneéalied for and could have been intro- duced only tor the purpose of withdrawing atten- tion from tie real issues. So much for the plain, simple, substantive com- plaint embodied in my letter to you. It was a complaint first brought to my knowiedge by re- spectable banking and commercial bouses iere, who had discovered that they were thus imposed upon in being conve to pay, in addition to the heavy cost for the transmission of their telegrams across the ocean, & rate of charge for their pass- ing over the wires in the United States so greatly in excess of the charges regularly made in America. 1 was asked if I could give an explana- tion, Icould not. But I thoaght, as others con- cerned did, that anything thus injuriously and un- fairly affecting easy, cheap and rapid correspond- ence between countries having such necessary, imumate and constant relations as Great Rritain and the United States was well worthy of investi- gation, aud exposure, if need be, with a view to correction of the de) 1 am giad to find that my movement in this direction has been successful. in replying to and denying—not the essential charge, but matters entirely collateral to the main fact—the President of the Western Union Company has made admissions and furnished iniormation, showing most clearly the existence of the unfair and extortionate practice complained of, Beiore proceeding to verify this, I furnish and reler to, and request to have appended and made & part of this communication, the tariffs of charges of the Anglo-American Company and of the Western Union Company respectively, as officially published by them in this country and in the United States. I believe no change, or no material change, has been made in the rates set forth in tnese tables; and I have assumed them, there/ore, as the basis of my computations. With these tariffs before you you will better able to follow and comprehend my comments and figures, First, then, let us see what 16 actually exacted and collected in England jor transmission of mes- sages over the wires of the Western Uniop lines to points beyond New York. If the tariffor the Anglo- American Company be analyzed, it will be found that the whole of that service beyond New York is divided (not into three, as Mr. Orton says, but) into five rates or classes of acd bet These rates are, for every word, inciuding the date, address and names of the sender and receiver— 1. Three pence, bei equal to 6.951 cents, for each word for all stations within the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Penn: aylvania, and all places in New York outside of the city. 2 Nine pence, equal to 20.87 cents, for each word for ali stations in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, In- diana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Micuigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, vhio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin, St, Louis in Missouri, and Lake City, St. Marks and Tallahassee in Florida. 3. One shilling, equal to 27.83 cents, for each word, for Peusacola, in Florida. 4. Fiyteen pence, equal to 34.785 cents, for each word, for all stations in Arizona, Arkansas, C; fornia, Colorado, Dakota, idano, lowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, and all places in Missouri except St, Louis, 6 Two shiliings, equal to 65.66 cents, for each word, for all stations in oregea, Washington Ter- ritory, and all places in Florida, except Lake City, St. Marks, Tallahassee and Pensacola, Now, comparing these charges with those which are given in the tariff of the Western Union Com- pany ior the same service, it will be seen that they are in the average, as] have averred, double, or more than double, what are paid jor sending over the same lines and to the same points at home, In considering these extortion: overcharges, it 1s to be borne in mind too, as I nave in my tormer letter explained, that the excess is made greater by the fact that names, dates and addresses are charged for in the one case and not in the other. But it may be claimed that these several charges = word—three pence, nine pence, one shilling, teen pence, two shillings—do not amount at great distances from New York to double the charge, or in some instances to even as mu: the charge, made by the Western Union Company at home; but then let it be specially noted that the charge of three pence a word, which is very near seven cents, additional to the ovean charge, is im- osed for all that territory which lies within the mits of the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and ‘ail places in New York ontside of the city, Within this area are included the cities of BaTAD Jer- sey City, Albany, Buffalo, Newark, Philadelphia, Wiimington, Baltimore atd Washington. Within this area is transmitted and distributed, doubtiess, @ very large proportion of the whole business in- telligence which passes by cable from England to the United States. ‘the reguiar charges of the Western Union at home for messages withiu this Territory are gen- erally 25, 30 or 20 cents for the first ten words and ouly 2 to 3 cents per word for all over ten words, Take, for exan:ple, Philadelphia. The difference is so much that 1 have been tniormed by a leading banking house that, tustead of sending telegrams through from here to that city, they send only to New Yerk, and have their agent there transmit them thence to Philadelphia. This, in a large busi- ness, is a great saving. But these calculations can be readily made by any one liaving the aid of the accompanying two | tables of charges. It 1s not necessary, therefore, to repeat instances by way of lilustration, My computations ia this, asin my former tetter, are made on the basis oi 1u9 jor exchange and 115 for gold, The fact of such excessive charges, demanded and received by the Anglo-American Company for that portion of service performed by the Western Union Company, stands proved, then, beyond all | question or denial, Now, what is Mr. Orton’s defence? As {have betore sald, he does not controvert what is thus alleged. He undertakes to show that the Western Union is not implicated or a sharer in these exces- sive rates, He says :— There are more than six thousand telegraph stations in ted States, aud it being impracticable to supply u offices With a tariff 10 each of such stations, untry, is divided, into, four districts, for exch ot form: rate is established, The cable rate of $1 per word between Bugland and’ New York Includes eight cents a word payable to the Wesiern Union Tele- ph Company tor their part of the service. ‘The rates N York are :—! all stations in New Jersey, i ware, Maryland and District of three cents a word. Far all other ast (of the, Mississippi River, induding the city of Bt, Louis * * * fitteen conts & word. For all other stations in the United States west of the Mississippi River * * * twenty cents a word, It isnot clear to me what Mr. Orton wants to have understood by this statement. 1 suppose he means to aver that the proportion of the receipts allotted to the Western Union is an allowance of three cents, fifteen cents, or twenty cents per word for three ciasses of stations at diferent dis- tances, west and south of New York, and eight cents additional for each word for that company’s part of the service east of New York. This would make his classification of the allowances to the Western Union aggregate eleven cents, twenty- three cents, and Sweneeaaue cents. And this raises the question, how much, or what part, of the service is performed by the Western Union Com. pany before New York is reached? It must add greatly to the value of the general bargain if, without reference to New York, eight cents per word is received for every cable message sent any- where in New England from the point where it reaches the United States, In any view of the case it {8 most evident that these receipts of eleven cents, or twenty-three ce: twenty-eight cents, tor the share of the Western Unton for every word transmitted by cable be- yond New York, are quite above its own regular charges. And Mr. Orton cannot escape from this Proposition by calcuiations ee et particular remote points, without reference the general average of business. Mr, Orton, in all nis instances of the Eereiiog number of words in a telegram, and which in the case of transmissions between Chicago New York he says were, during one month, down to an erage of vidently leaves out of the calcu. lation the n nd addresses of the sender and receiver of the m ge, which can certainly, in hardly any case, be less than four; and this would make a: en words charged ior under verage of t the cable system, Its true he apeaks of cable Messages Of two words; but it would puzzie one to know what sort of a message that could possivly be when names and addresses are counted and charged for. But this, after all, as I have already satd, is quite aside from the controversy between us. I may have been mistaken as to the exact proportion of advantage received by the Western Union in the division of this overcharge for services by its lines. 1am not mistaken as to the excessive and exorbi- tant charges wiich | have helped to expose. And the whole public, | believe, wil unite with me in calling on the Western Union Company and in calling on Mr, Orton to see to it that tnis imposi- tion is no longer continued, But Mr. Orton’s reply to this demand is that the Western Union Company ts in no sense responsible for the charges made by the Anglo American Com- pany, that “ihe cable business is controlled by the cable companies, who Ox the rates to be charged aud make and modily the rules governing its con- duct ;” and yet, in the same connection, he admits that the Western Union Company has agreed to apply these rates and rules to cable messages tn the United States and to accept certain fixed rates for its compensation for all services on its own lines, This is, udeed, it we are to believe it, a sad condition of servitude. Are we to understand that the managers oi the Westean Union Company say to the loreign cable company, ‘Here are our lines spreading all over the United Staies; we are ready to receive and distribute all messages that you will send; we stipulate only lor a certain share of your charges, wnici we will cheerfully and submisalveiy accept as compensation satisfactory to us, and that being paid we care not what or how much ; ou caarge the cilizeus of the United States or of Great Britain :or our work that we do lor yous it may be @ penny a word or a pound a word— hat is nothing to %is Who can beleve that the Western Union is #0 completely a neutral or so entirely subject to the Tule of a foreign corporation? ‘wo things, ut least, are certain and beyond all dispute. rst, there is an arrangement of some kind between the companies on the two sides of the Atlantic, and, second, under that arrange- ment, all persons who transmit messages from England beyond New York pay at least twice as much ior the use of the American lines as they would have to do for the same service in the United Scuces. Perhaps | owe it to myself not to close without Teron to the fact that the reply made in behalf Of the Western Union Company 18 garnished with flings and inuendoes against me. To this form of assault I have ouly to answer that it is unworth: of Mr. Orton; and I should lack self-respect if noticed such attempt to bolster up by gross per- sonality the deficiency in @ statement or an argument. I have character enough, | think, to be suficient protection against falsehoods that are put forward only by cowardly insinuation; and I res: perfectly secure in the knowledge that if slander dares to take a boider and more definite form there are ample proofs to meet it, But Mr, Urton goes out of his way also to inti- mate the existence of some influence exercised over me on the part of persons or associations Whose interests are opposed to those of the corpo- rations with which he is connected. Thisis another Most mistaken conjecture. I have no interest, never have had, and do not expect to have, direct or indirect, in any cable telegraph coin} ana do wish to see the day arrive when the business will not be so much controlled by @ monopolizing and absorbing combination, bat reasonably cheap- ened to the public by the wholesome competition of rivallines, I look upon the continuance of such @ monopoly a8 an obstruction now in the way of the great civilizing and peaceful influence to be hoped ior Irom the cheapest possible transmission of intelligence between the remotest as well as the nearest parts of the earth. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectiully, your obedient servant, ROBERT C, SCHENCK, Anglo-American Telegraph Company (Limited) Tariff. The following are the charges for the transmis- sion of messages originating in Great Britain or Ireland and destined for places in the United Svates, &c,:— To Plaes Situated in the Following States, C. Price wht, ™ Places Situated in ford, the Followtug Staten, & 4 Prioe we S ‘ord, es s Missouri— New Brunswick. 4 5 5 | +8 e¢ Newfoundland. 4 4 5 w York. All other places. North Cnsotin Pennsylvan. . Prince Eaward island. pe Island. eeCUow@uuowcosEse uEcoumccuuuch Z! 7 3 ‘2 rs gion Territory: Wisconsin, 9 Wyoming. Cecccapendeeeescsdus nachinsans © Choe aarneeeneanenm ‘Western Union Telegraph Rates. Messages delivered or received for transmission avove Fifty-ninth street are charged ten cents in addition to rates below. Half rate messages for all stations except those designated by an asterisk (*) sent at night, one-half usual rates, on condition that the company shall not be liable for errors or delay in transmission or delivery or for non-de- livery, from whatever cause occurring, and shall be bound in such case to return the amount paid by the sender. No claim for refunding will be allowed unless presented in writing within twenty days:— one | : z a From New Yorkto | 3 g From New Yorkto | = | ‘epsoay way 2 om wey wed | $p.0, P| psoas 1k is $ ¢, Augusta, Me Millodgeville, Ga. 25/15 ‘Augusta; Ga. 1 Milwaukee, Wis 110| 7 ‘Attanta, Ce 1 50}10)| Mobile, Ala.. eet a Altoona, Ya. Montgomery, Ais... .|1 75,12 Albany, Montpelior, Vt......:|_ 80] 5 Alexandria, H |2 10) 14 Alton, Til i 6a Americus, i “fh 20) nn AT 110 Austin, Te: Ly " |? BOT Allentown, Pa... na 3) Alleghany’ City, Pi 2] Bo Alliance, Olio. fewark, N. J % Auburn, N.Y | 3}|/New Bedford, 40 Annapolis, Mi Newbern, N.C 30 Baltimore, Md Newburg, N. as) Bangor, Me. & Barnstable, sass. 25} le... 35) N, 2 0011 i) 25] 50 80 Brooklyn, N.Y... Buftalo, N. ¥. Burlington, Oheyenne, Wy Chicago, ill... Cincinnatl, Ohio. Cohasset, Mass. Columbus, Ga Columbus, Ohio Voncord, N. B. Council Bluffs, Covington, Ky. Danbury, Conn. 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[2 7 Tuka, Miss “fa 5 Ithaéa, N. “1 zo} 5) 2 2 iti 3 2 S0)17) 7 jackson, 2 00)18|| Tho.naston, Me 4 Jamaica, L. T....°..." 26] 21] Purner's, NY S| 2 Jefferson City, Mo... |2 45/16) Urbana, Ohio. 10) 7 Jersey City, N. J...) 25, 2]| Urbana, it 2 OO} 1s Joliet, Me 2 Ov| 14} | 0 Y 40/3 Jackson, Mich 00) 7 90] 6 Jackson, Ten: ONT] U nds... {1 00) 7 Jacksonville, Fia:!.,/3 50/23||Cnion Springs, Aia:| 10/17 Jamestown, N. Y..../) 00} 7// Vincennes, SH Bo} Jefferson, ' 50] 7||Vancouver, W. T*...}2 50117 Jeftersonvil 25) 8] |Vaile 0, Cait, 2 50/17 Junetion, K 8)17)| Vicksburg, Mi 425/15 Kalamazvo, Mich ..."|1 25] 8) Wasbingion, 40} 3 Kansas City, Mo....°|2 50/17/| Waterbury, Conn. .:} 29) 2 Kennebunk, Me. ....|" 80) 5|| Welden, N.'C........|1 20] 8 Keokuk, lows 1 75|12|| West roint, N. ¥ 3/2 Kingston, Can 80] 5 1 40] 3 Knoxville, ‘te 8 | Worcester, 2 8)| Waltham, 4 40) 31/Watertow: 4 Whitehall, N. 5 Wyandotte, K a7 Wilkesbarre, 3 | Wooster, Ubio 20] 8 Windsor, Conn. 40) 3 Water Gap, Pa 85] 2 IXenia, Ohio. 00] 7 3}\Yarmouthport, Mass] &0) 5 ¥ 4 NY 25] 2 outh, * a Ypailani 00} 7 [York, P 0) 4 Yarmouth, 3 To] 4 Marblehead, Mass... Yazoo City, Miss....|2 50(17 Memphis, Tenn .....11 Zanesville, ‘Ohio. ....) 75) 5 Middletown, Coi 2 AMUSEMENTS, pass - oO Reappearance of Mr. Jefferson at Booth’, The reappearance of Mr. Joseph Jefferson at Booth’s Theatre last night, after an absence of > three years from the metropolitan stage, was an event which drew a large audience to witness the initial performance of the season at that house. Mr. Jefferson, as 4 matter of course, personated his great character of Kip Van Winckle, his ap- pearance being the signal for the hearty applause which betokened a hearty welcome. It is unneces- sary at this late day to go into any criticism or anal sis of his personation of the careless Rip. It Was the same genuine piece of humor, the same thorough creation as of old. If 1t has changed in any respect in the last three years the change has been @ gain of vivacity. Mr. Jeflerson was not well supported. The other actors were too cold and hard to make his delightial picture o! Irving’s hero as round and perfect in its surroundings as in it- self, and it suffered in consequence. Mr. Pate- man’s Cockles, for tustance, was trifling; Mr. Wea- ver’s Derrick von Beekinan was without individ- uality of conception, and Miss Mary Well’s Gretchen Was shrewish but not artistic. Miss Rachel Noan made her first appearance as Meenie, in the last act, creating & pleasant impression, It is a pleas- ure, however, to see Mr. Jefferson back to New York, and it is equally pleasant to know the pros- pects of his engagement are encouraging. He will only blay five nights and at the matinee each week, and on epee) evening Miss Bella Pate- man will aryeer as Mercy Merrick, in ‘The New Magdalen.” itis an ambitious undertaking, but every young actress now-a-days thinks she can pala) the strongest and the least lovable of ‘ilkie Collins’ creations, Masical and Dramatic Notes. The famous English burlesque of ‘The Happy Land,” which all London went to the Court Theatre to see a few months ago, is being played at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Birmingham. The three mortals—Messrs. Gladstone, Lowe and Ayrton—for the Lord Chamberiain’s staf! has no authority at Birmiugham—appear “made up” with remarkable life likeness, and of course caricatured, Mme, Adelina Patti is at present in Paris, Mile. Descliée will appear at the Gymnase next winter in “La Veuve,’ a new plece written for her by Meilhac and Halévy. H. J. Byron has completed a new drama for J. K. Emmett, a comedy for Mrs. Jonn Wood, one for E. A. Sothern and a drama for J. 8. Clarke. The full score of Wagner's opera, “Rheingold,” is now being issued from the press, and the “Valkyr” will shortly follow it. The first men- tioned work is dedicated to the King of Bavaria, “his distinguished patron.” A music publisher in Paris exhibits in his win- dow the following announcement:—“The first dramatic English company in Paris, in 1822, under the direction of Mr. Penley, were hissed off the stage at the Porte Saint Martin, the play beg ‘Othello.’ The second venture was at the Odéon, by Mr. Abbott, of Covent Garden Theatre, after- wards at the Victoria in 1827-28, with Edmund Kean, Macready snd Charles Kemble, as also Miss Smithson, who married Berlioz, the composer, and died in a madhouse. Macready played again in Paris with Miss Heien Faucit in 1845. In 1846 another English company had a bad reception, as also the one in 1855, During the Exhibition Charles Mathews was success{ul at the Vari¢ti¢s, but Mr. Sothern in 1867 made but a short stay. M. Collodion appeared at the Olympic Theatre last night, making two portraits—one of the Presi- dent and one of Mr. George L. Fox—in the pres- ence of the audience. The former was made in one anda half and the latter in one anda quarter minutes. The pictures surpass anything of the Kind yet attempted, being remarkable both for outline and color, General Butler will be the sub- ject of one of the caricatures this evening. “Milky White” was produced at the Union Square Theatre last night, Mr. Mackay making one of those excellent character studies which has given him such good standing on tlie New York stage. Miss Violetta Colville, the young American prima donna, has arrived in Italy preparatory to begin- ning a series of engagements in the Italian cities, “THE COLOR GUARD" AT THE ACADEMY, Unfortunately for a worthy charity only a small audience last night greeted the first representa- tions of a military allegory called the “Color Guard,” representing the perils, toils and priva- tion of the noble youth of the North whose exer- tions in arms saved the nation in the recent struggle for the Union and for freedom. Veteran members of Sumner Post, No, 24, Grand Army of the Repubity, with their wives and sisters, sus- tained the dramatic characters, They were assisted in the battle scenes and skirmishes by the Highth and Seventy-first regiments, N.Y.8.N.G., and by the band of the Soldiers’ Orphan Home. The entertainment, which Is for the benefit of des- titute families of soldiers of the late war, will con- tinue each evening through the week, with a matinée on Saturday afternoon, LYCEUM ENTERTAINMENT, This evening a peculiar semi-religious entertain- | ment will be given at the hall of the Young Men's Christian Association, under the leadership of Miss Saidee A. Cole, It ts understood that the company who are to sing and recite on this occasion fight very shy of all theatrical repute and seek to throw around their performances @ moral atmosphere that will dissipate from the minds of an audience any preconceived anticipations of stagey effects which they may have innocently formed, and im- press them deeply with a higher respect for the | performances than they could feet for the fairies of | Thespian boards. As the actors who are engaged in this tnterest- ing little project e not very far below the mediocre level of talent, they will probably acquit | themselves In the simple roles which they now | assume in a tolerably creditable manner, and this novelty of public entertainment may lend astimu- jug to the acquisition of finer art in those ofa similar character practised in private pariors at small winter partie: ANOTHER MISSOURI TRAGEDY, Mental Derangement and ughter of a Family—Horse Thicves Hanged. St, Louis, Sept. 1, 1873, A special despatch to the Republican, trom Seda- ha, Mo., gives an account of a hormible tragedy which occurred at Knightly’s Station, on the Mis- souri, Kansas and Te: Railroad, six miles west of Sedalia, on Saturday last. It appears that William Knightly, who has been laboring under mental derangement for some time, killed or caused the death of his sister Adelaide, d forty years, and his nephew, Louis Stobbs, Po fire to the house and then killed himself. The house occupied an isolated situation, and when the neighbors reached it it wasa mass of ruins, The charred remains of Knightly were found near a window, with a partly burned shot- guo at his feet, and the bodies of his sister and hephew near the front door, but s0 badly charred that it could not be determined whether they had been killed by Knightly or whether they were sui a. e Coroner's j inclined to the latter opinion, although the neigh! testified to Baan ag three shots fired while the house was bu The same special '® two horse thieves were hanged by amob a "Henton county on Saturday, aiid in now in jal wt dedaniae = DA# Deen Arrested an Captain Joseph Widen, one of the victims of the explosion, of tuo steamer” Goo 0. Woe here yesterday. re bese is 3 igh to us, and so far the commerciai aspect nas een affected very little, Edo not think the amount of GRAIN AND GRANGERS, grain brought from the West hus increased or dt- Influence of the Farmers’ Move- ment on the Grain Trade. —— minished whatever on account of the movement,” “Do you think the farmers wiil be able to DISPENSE WITH THE MIDDLE MEN at Chicago or Buffalo #" “Only ina moderate degree. The produce for- warded by the individual farmer is usually too smail an amount to ship with advantage to the big wholesale dealers in New York, though ifthe pra How the Great Inter-State Commerce of | "4 system or freignts is established doubtless the Country is Affected. “MIDDLEMEN” BEMUDDLED. Buffalo, Chicago and the Western Termini in Danger of Disaster. Free Trade in Ships the Great Desideratum. rd MEETING OF MERCHANTS ON THE 10TH INST, eee Views of Leading Members of the Produce Exchange on the Subject. ‘The interest which the grangers’ movement has excited in the public in its political aspect has somewhat lulled until the approaching fall elec- tions show the actual political power the united farmers possess. In the meantime its importance in a commercial point of view looms up distinctly. and the HERALD has sent its commissioners forth tolearn the opinions of the clearest commercial heads on this particular aspect of the case. It will be observed that in the interviews following the gentlemen interviewed expressed no interest in the political aspects of the case. They view it merely from a ¢ommercial standpoint, and that aspect is, after all, of equal interest to the general Public as the political one, It willbe seen from these interviews that New York city {s not likely to suffer by the success of the grangers, the burden of all the evils claimed by that organization resting on the middlemen 1n Chicago, Buffaio and the Western depot cities. An important state- ment Is that of Mr. Edson, that tree trade in ships is necessary to carry away the annual supply of grain here, and that the cry for more tntand facilis Ues for the transportation of grain from the West to New York has no foundation so strong and sub- stantial as the demand for more ships to carry the grain to Europe. Mr. Franklin Edson’s Views. Mr. Franklin Edson, President of the Prodace Exchange, was found by the reporter of the HERALD at his office, No. 19 Whitehall street, and expressed himself willing at all times to add his mite to the information demanded by the public. “The subject for discussion, Mr. Edson,” said the reporter, “is the grangers’ movement and its effect on commerce and inland transportation.” “In my opinion,” said Mr, Edson, ‘the MOVEMENT HAS ALREADY DONE GOOD in that respect, as, for instance, two months ago the merchants of the city were notified by card fron the railroad men that on the ist of August the freight tariff woald be raised. But we had a meeting at the Astor House, and afterwards at the Grocers’ Board, in reference to this farmers’ move- ment, and soon after we received notes from the same companies announcing that the freights would not be raised,’ “You attribute that to the movement ?”” “Yes. I look upon it as one result of the moral influence of the movement.” “Were these the great through lines ?” “Yes, the GREAT COMPETING LINES to the West. You see reer. have been able by joining nands to dictate as they pleased, to raise rates or lower then’, and, lor that matter, to con- trol transportation. This movement has, proba- bly, warned them that they nave gone far enough, and its future effect, I doubt not, will be, at least, to steady freights, whether it lowers them or not,” “Who will be the suderers by the movement ?)? “No one that I can see, unless it be the railroad corporations, and they only by their reduced rates. “Would Chicago and Buffalo, the great Western grain depots, suffer?” “Noy cannot think so, Tho idea that the farmers will take the transportation business out of the hands of the middlemen at these depots ts, 1 think, @ mistaken one. ‘They are not likely to organize in such a way that they MAY SELL DIRECTLY into vhe hands of exporters or foreign buyers, for confusion would ensue more disastrous than the Taiddiemen’s profits. Pro rata treights, of course, would be of immense service to farmers along the lines, but that consideration is by no means the chief one in the discussion. Pro rata treights in- terest them and the buyer alone, and it would probably result only in a still lower adjustment of ee between the farmer and the merchant.’ “Has THE SUPPLY of grain and produce been affected at all by the movement ?”' “] cannot say. I know that the present supply is greater than usual, but whether the movement has caused It or not cannot say. presume not, however. The supply must, and doubtless always will, be aifected by the demand in England and on the Continent. At present that demand is un- recedented. Crops lave all been short in Europe. jut mark the sequel. We have NOT SHIPS ENOUGH to supply it. We need more bottoms insiead of more railroads. We cannot begin to suip to Earope the Lay already in store here for the simple rea- son that we have no ships to convey itin. Rates to Liverpool nave been raised to fourteen pence @ bushel, which, with exchange and cartage and other expenses, makes it alimost fifty cents a bushel, and you can see for yourself there isa haudsome rofit at haif that rate, Free trade in ships, as we ave it In corn, is the true solution of the problem, There is @ proposition urged, I believe, by the farmers for the government to build 4 big double track East and West for the accom- modation of the farmers and the grain trade, but more facilities for inland transporta- tion are not needed. We have seen how the great corporations go hand in hand for their own aggrandizement, and we can well understand tow the government railroad would be made a disast- trous machine for sinking public money if the cor- porations chose to exert their powers in that direction. No, we need mainly free trade in sbips. A8 the case stands now our warehouses are filied with grain that we cannot ship, for all the FREIGHTS ACROSS THE ATLANTIC are taken, even at the exorbitant rate of fourteen pence a bushel, until November and December.’’ “Well, Mr. Edson, what do you tnink of the grangers’ movement as A POLITICAL MANOEUVRE?” “Thave really not stuclied it in its political aspects, I doubt not, however, that it will become a clans. This meeting that is called at Cooper Union on the loth I was asked to attend, and subscribed to it; but Lexpressiy stated that I would not do so if it was intended to maugurate & war—even & war of words, We can settle matters easily by negoti- ation, and we will gain nothing even by til will If the meeting /avors such sentiments as that of the lilinots man, who wanted the apple trees to bear humaa fruit, I cannot go with it; nor can I go with the sentiment expressed by Brick Pomeroy at the Astor House meeting, that if the ploughnolder in the West must earn money by the sweat of his brow for the bondholder in the East, bloodshed must come of it, or something to that effect. I favor settling any differences that may arise by arbitration.’ “But you think THE GREAT REMEDY lies in free hag odd “Yes, As the law of Congress stands now we cannot build ships oursely: dare not permitted to buy them abroad and sail them under the American fi If any concession was made in the way of relieving us of duty on ship material just now we might compete with Engiand at once, and, in tact, we ought to build ships not only for our- selves, but for every nation in South America and inag = of the globe. Owing to her troubies regarding the coal and iron supply England has already raised her price for ships #o hign that we can almost compete with her, and the merest re- lief from the duties on Ng cis material would at once enable us to do so. Until'we can do that it 18 useless to talk of increased inland facilities, for we have already more grain than we can send abroad.” Mr. 8. H. Grant's Views, Mr. S, H. Grant ts Superintendent of the Prod- uce Exchange, and was found busily engaged at his desk in the rooms of the Exchange, on White- hall street, yesterday. He found time not only very-courteously to introduce the HegaLp reporter to the leading merchants o! the Exchange, but also grangers and grain deale “The political aspects of the case,’ said Mr. Grant, “are really of little or no interest whatever the | Williams, to advance his own ideas on tho subject of be) « our merchants wiilsend thetr agents through the interior buying up from the \armers direct, thus, | you see, getting rid of one middieman, But the trouble Would be something, and confusion 1s | likely to ensue, and such matters as vills and ex- changes and mercantile techuteulities, with which she average farmer is unfamiliar, might outweigh in trouble the profits of the midaleman, and a great portion of the .armers would preter the old method, “Will the movement in any way dtsastrons! atect New York interests nfhige Beene bigs “Not av all, Whatever it may do for Chicago or the Western cities, the grain must come to New York, aud, Whatever the rates of ireight, onr men Mill be able to shape contracts. 60. that they "vill Mr. Willia Blanchard’s Views. A reporter called on Mr, William Blanchard, ® heavy dealer in grain and a member of the Arbitra- tlon Committee of the Produce Board of Trade, to Inquire his views of the grange movements among the farmers of the West and the facilities and cost of transportation between the metropolis and the | great grain producing regions of the terri- tory tributary to the Misslasippi and the lakes and their amluents, Mr. Bianenard at once declared he had no faith in the usefulness of the grange organizations, from his conviction that they would be seized by poli- ticians and made the tools of parties and stepping stones for demagogues on the road to place and power, He believed essentially in the governing power of the principle of FRER TRADE IN TRANSPORTATION, or the natural working of the law of supply and demand. He thinks there are now facilities for doing all the transportation required by the present pro- duction of grain, and if more was required other lines of raliway would be speedily vuilt to supply the need, REPORTER—But is it not the fact that in winter there ts a large accumulation of grain at Chicago, Milwaukee, Toledo and other Western points which cannot be sent forward for want of carrying capacity in the railroads? Mr. BLANCHARD—Yes, that has been the cases but it comes about by the action of the farmers. They negiect to send their crop forward in the summer and fall, while the water ways are open to compete with the railroads, for the reason that they can better atford time in winter or from the hope ofobtaining better prices at a later tima After the lakes and canals have closed THE RAILROADS DOUBLE THE PRICK OF PREIGHTS and the quantities arriving at the railway centres grow larger than can be shipped. If the 1armers and Western merchants would send the crops jor- ward directly after harvest there would be found no deficiency in the present carrying tacilities, Rerorrer—How do the railroads and the Erie Canal compare as to amounts of grain they bring forward? Mr. BLANCHARD—I suppose the canal brings con- siderably more thau all tue railroads put together. We have three roads bringing Western grain and flour here, the Erie, the New York Central and the Pennsylvania Central, Of these the Erie takes the jead in amount. In conneciion with other mem- bers of the Produce Hoard of Trade, { presented such facts and figures to the Legisiature and State officers as finality produced the reduction of canal tolls three years ago. This gave the canal @ Shght, though deciicd advantage over the rail- roads in expense of carrying between Builato and this port. That redaction is sttll in operation, and no doubt largely increases the proportion of the grain carrying Which 1s done by the canal, and tends to bring to this metropolis great quantities which had begun to seek the Atlantic by the Cana- dian route via the St. Lawrence, CAPACITY OF THE CANAL, RePorTER—Is the tuil freighting capacity of the canal developed ? Mr. BLANCHARD—By no means, Some of the locks have yet to be enlarged. When the new locks are fuished and the prism of the waterway is tully dredged ont to its contemplated size of seven feet deep by fifty-six feet wide at the bot- tom, its tegal dimensions, It will be able to float much larger boats, capable of carrying greater freights wih littic or no increase of expense. REPORTER—Has the effort to adapt steam power to canal navigation met with any success ? Mr. BLANCHARD—So far it has not, One steam canaller isrunving, She makes a certain saving in time, but not so marked as was hop, id the waste of cargo carrying space for the u: boiler and coal, is 80 great in the necessarily cir- cumscribed size of the boats that, take It allaround, there has not been found any advantage in steam over horse power for caual propulsion, The full enlargement of the canal bed aud locks will help this somewhat, but after all is don’t seem to me thatthe problem of steam on the canals 1s to be solved by any of the plans yet proposed. WHAT THE GRAIN TRADE NEEDS. Mr. Blanchard went on to give the HERALD man his notions of what is apsolutely required at New York to reduce the expense of handling the millions of bushels of grain which arrive here by railroad. He sald we want capacious grain warehouses im immediate connection with the ratiroads, so that @ car can run directly over @ hopper, be discharged in a minute and go back for another load. Now, the grain brought by the New York Central road is transferred to barges at Spuyten Duyvil or turther up the river. Oue barge brings the contents of several cars. Each lot is kept ‘ae tinct. Imay have three carloads which I sell to deliver at Harlem; a pe ceed has four car loads which he selis jor delivery ia Williamsburg; another lot is to go to Brooklyn or Elizabeth or New- ark. ‘The barge has thus to go peddling her carga about, consuming time and swelling the expense all of Which must come out of the actual value of the grain. The other roads deliver grain by barges in the same way as the Central. We need here an inspector of grain as it arrives, all of each quality to go into one bin. It would then be sold by cer- tifieate, and all this et business with its costly delay avolded. A ship loading tor the Eu- ropean market could go right to the warehouse and take a cargo without the necessity of Its being transferred, as at present, to the storage houses in Atlantic Basin, brooklyn, or elsewhere. This would greatly simplify and economise the trade, and, in a corresponding manner, enlarge it, GRASPING RAILROAD MANAGERS, “Some months ago,” said Mr. Blanchard, “a company was proposed, and miilions of dollars could have been found to build such grain ware- houses. Propositions to this efect were made to Commodore Vanderbilt, to Gould and Fisk, then controlling the Erie road, and to the Pennsyivania Central management. Both the New York roads would countejance the plan if they could be al- lowed to manage the business witbont contribut- ing to the expense. Fisk and Gould would accept personally a& gift of w majority of the stock, and then make, a8 managers of the Krie Ratroad, @ contract favorable to the warehouse company. That kind of arrange- ment did not suit those who proposed the invest- ment, and the negotiation went no further. Only the Pennsylvania gompeny seemed disposed to treat the matter fairly, These three roads, by their connections with others, reaching Chicago, Milwaukee, Toledo, Cleveland, Bulfalo and other Western grain centres, are the only ones whic! bring Led jarge amount of grain. After the com- pletion of the New York Midiand to Budalo, and of the general railroad bridge at that point, probably that road also will enter into the grain treighting competition, RAILROAD ADVANTAGES. “Time enters largely into the expense of moving freight. By water we get grain from Chicago in about twenty-five days, Whereas by rail tt comes in one-third of that time. Then grain kept long in large masses is apt to heat and sour. A canal boat load of 8,000 bushels is not likely to arrive here alter a twenty-five days’ trip tn so gooda condition a8 a car load of 400 bushels which comes through in eight days." GOVERNMENTAL REGULATION. RerorTeER—Do you think any good can be done towards reducing prices of freight by legisiative action? Mr. BLANcHaRD—I do nof seo that there can. Except to forbid the unjust discrimination between shipping places, ldo not see how this matter can be bettered by legislation, If a line charges un- reasonable rates a rival is likely to be built and open competition. Ifa road is restricted from earnin, dividends beyond a certain per cent it can avol the difficalty by increasing the nomiual amount of its capital stock, as the Central has done. In my opinion, we shail yet see @ sufticient number of railroad lines to carry all ireight between the sea- board and the West, and the canal abandoned. Competition between the rival lines will bring the tariils down to a figure which will give the farmers the fuli benedt of their crops, and the increased rapidity of communication between protacers and consumers Will be an equal advantage to both these Classes and to the merobauts who conduct the ex- change. A BHODE ISLAND TRAGEDY. Provipencs, R. I., Sept 1, 1873, In Greenville, on Saturday evening, an Enghsh woman, who had had some dificulty with the family of Caleb Williams, armed herself with a knife and axe, and in the fury of intoxtcation burst open the door of the Williams tenement. Caleb Jr., aged 18, met her with a revolver, eo twice, the second time killing her -instantly. He claimed to have intended only to frighten and not to hit her, She leaves a husband and three small children, wee Seles, = ee