Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-06-23
FVT [I' THYHItf.
MAT. C0NTR4cr

ihsio eAclehent III tciaLion 10 The transportation
OF the mail by The Bay AM River Boats, and 90.
ing known as the Contractor with the Department
Tor the performance of that service, feel that
duty TO myself and 10 those with whom | am
interested, requires from me q statement of
iacis, in order to correct some errors which
have been fallen into, in relation 10 this sub.
Ject. With the controversy between Hon. Cave
Johnson, the Postmaster General, and the Rail
road Company, relative 10 transportation of the
mails, have nothing to do. have carefully
avoided taking any part in it, and it is not now
my purpose 10 do so, but 10 state what my
course has been in the matter, leaving the diff
Guilty TO be settled BY others.
1t is well understood that have been engaged
as one of an association, COMPOSED Of some six
or eight individuals, in running line OF steam
boats, known as the New vrginlaSleambaa Line
on James River, for the tran. porlat'on Of freight
and passengers, on that river for several years
past. That about two years since, say April,
1916, an opposition line commenced running
from Port Walthal connecting with the Rich-
mond and Petersburg Railroad Company, with
exclusive privileges granted by The Richmond
and Fredericksburg, and Richmond and Pc
tersburg Railroad Companies Who were Tie
Stockholders in this new line, known as the
Fort Walthal Association, will be seen by re.
ference 10 the proceedings Of the Committee Of
Investigation, appointed by the Legislature in
the session Of '46 and A. These two lines oil
steamboats, have continued ever since, and been
conducted with the most spirited opposition
resulting in the reduction of fare from three
dollars to one, including meals. This was the
state OF the case, when, on The 29h Of Novem
Der last | received communication from
the Postmaster General desiring to know on
what terms we would be willing to contract for
the transportation of the mail. | Immediately
replied, that w. would do il for S3i,000 not
10 be revoked; which terms were accepted
promptly by hun, and orders given 10 prepare
forthwith for the service, which was 10 com
mencc on the 10Th day OF December, leaving
but very few days TO make all the necessary ar.
rangements for this important and diicui,
undertaking, at that inclement season. Hav.
ing made this contract, as an ind ,viduaI, (but
for the Association over which presided il
was necessary that the arrangement should be
promptly made for the service on the Bay. :
at once proceeded 10 Baltimore, with an
other OF our Association, as committee,
and, after much deliberation, the Bay Company
became paIiy-upon VIVA. Terms will be seen
by contract between that Company and our.
selves-ior The Transportation Of the mail and
passengers. When The confrac. Tor the mail was
executed and left al The Department by pa,ticu-
lar request Of Mr. r. A. Taylor, the President 0.
The Bay Company, the sum IL SIS 900 was in
Serted he stating hat, as h. had put in bid al a
much larger sum, he lid not like 10 appear as a
party Tor the performance OF the same service al
80 much less. As il was not very material 10 u,
whether we received our entire pay Of the De-
parlmcnr, or OF the Bay Company, we consented
10 crafty Mir. I. by entering inio this private
contract, which SET forth the precise sum We
were 10 receive.
wish TO call particular attention TO this point
as Mr. Pearce, in his report, speaks OF the sum
as So 0U0 Is our proportion OF compensation
By reference 10 this private contract, il will be
seen that our entire pay is SIC 000-Sl0, 010 o
which is paid b. The Bay Company and ST, 0OC
BY The Experimentation Of which are paid
promptly al The end Of The quar,er-say Fl 900
NJ Taylor, as President OF he Baltimore Steam
Packet Company, will be ionnd as surrey 10 The
contract fred in me Department Mr.. Pearce nc
daub. overlooked This when writing his report
When the Baltimore Steam Packet Company
entered into this arrangement with the new Vir
ginia steamboat line, Tor the transportation 0
freight a nd passengers, il was intended 10 CONT
nue A line Tor transporting passengers goin!
North and South, and each parry were 10 act 10
the mutual interest OF the whole, AMI 10 continue
policy which had previously existed between
these Two companies Tor one or more years-iht
effort being 10 compete with The railroad travel
To DO this, agents were stationed at dltfrren
points TO solicit travel, and watch over The inter
ests Of the llne-to give through tickets, &C.. anC
this arrangement, according 10 The terms OF IN,
contract was 70 continue so long as The mail con
Ifp ri ND hlp ths Y
sting contract lasted. Some time in March il ap
pears the Bay Company or a majority offs Stock
holders found il TO their interest 10 sell their STOCK
10 The amoHn, OF go 600 10 Nj. Moncure Robin
son and Other gentlemen largely interested in The
Railroad line. The policy is Immediately chaEgeL
The interest OF The old line or Bay line being nc
longer what i! was. SO Tar from fostering and
building up this river and Bay route, every efior
is made 10 crush il, by dischargine agents and
breaking up through tickets, &c. Then comes
the effort 10 break up this mail arrangement. Il
is true that the Bay line, previous 10 his, had sig
niiied, and, indeed, desired US 10 rellnqnlsh The
contract, which we were unwilling 10 do-belcv-
ing them as We still do, lha had The arrange
merit been carried out in good faith, il would
nave proven most judcons Undertaking.
Ii seems by Mr. Pearce's report, that this Bay
Company are sill wiling 10 rciInquish the mai
and il seems, as oac reason Tor dong 50, that they
have los. money; AM Il is asserted that We have
been alike unfortunate. II this b. ihe true cause
o: their anxiety 10 get rid Of H. why DO hey a.
tach any condition 10 II a which condition is
that il sha | be restored 10 the railroad. Is it moi
apparent that the stockholders in this new pur-
chase on the Bay line, being stockholders in The
Potomac Steamboat line, or IN The Railroad Com
pany, may very well afford 10 give up The small
CT sum paid ioJ Bay service for the greater one
by Rallfoai-parlicularIy il The Bay line is 10
continue The mail a, - 300 for local service,
thereby securing both conrac,s2 II the Bay line
are really disposed 10 give up the mail on The Bay
lie, them say So and will engage that IN Ten
to twelve days they shall be relieved BY another
line OF boats BY no means inferior 10 me present
boats on tha, route. One worl in relation 10 cur
losses By he transportation Of the mail. ms
seems to be Strange how Sl60 900 for service
which actually costs nothing additional Except
for carrying mails over The CIy Point Railfoad]
is a loss, since our boats are running al the same
hours aud under The same circumstances lhey dld
before having he mail; and il The mail be restored
10 the Railroad We shall continue 10 run as here
lotore. ANY loss we have sustained IS mol aufi'
bu,able 10 any such cause. As before stated We
are engaged in most spirited opposition, and me
mail pay is a great auxiliary in our etois' II IS
also true, that we had much expense e incur IN
the commencement, BY chanering boat, 10 cary
out orr undertaking, which continued I'll We soi
onr own boats in readiness. We PAID as h'2h as
50 10 500 per day Tor weeks
In conclusion, would remark, i i By no
means my desire or purpose 70 embarrass The
community in their eiiof. 10 gel The mail restored
u The Railroad Far from il. Indeed, should
be willing il shout! be 80 restored II Congress
should in its vision, deem !, proper; bn', cer-
la;ply no, without being pai. damages Tor con.
,ract which we entered into with foil delclmi.
ma len 10 perform is requirements, and winch, II
allowed 70 pe:form, sbsl! receive our best efforts
We have been a, all times ready 10 surrender
The mail whenever the Pos, Master Genera should
require il, knowing that he would guard our il.
t.rssi, under all the circumstances, as far as ne
could a. public officer.
On this point, however, have no fears 10 me
contrary.
Having AREA j. said much more than was my
nurpose when commenced this article, VIII
conclude by requesting the editors Of The Enquirer
10 insert mis- communication in their paper, al
heir earliest convenience b. DONG winch they
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