Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-03-28
For the Journal.

For the Journal.
Mr. EDIToR--In your issue of the 14th instant, I
see certain statements presented in reference to
transportation on the Wilmington and Raleigh Rail-
road a stratagem, as have no doubt. designed by
the author and furnished with the view of drawing
YOU in as party to the controversy which has grown
out of the action establishing the exorbtant rates
now charged for carrying Rosin, and of enlisting
your efforts and influence in defending and sustain
ing said action in the public estimation. graft
fed to see how sgnally he has failed in his calcula
tions, if such was his object.
To your own comments upon those statements I
have but little to add at present, except to call at
tention to the absurdty of position assumed
to sustain the action raising the freghts The fol-
lowing statement is made to show that money has
been lost by carrying freight - During the last
year there have been regular freig trains passing
over the Road 10 times each week, while the mail
trains have passed over IA times, making in all "a
trips per week over the Road The cost of transport
taton and Railroad repairs have been, for the last
year, follows Transportation account, S99,0l7
Oh Road repairs, S71,973 %; half office expenses,
$3.50 II making in all S171,111 &C, exclusive CT
the charge for relaying the Road. To ascertain the
proportion of this sum chargeable to freighting
Sl7l,111 &C. the whole amount of cost, is divided
by "a the whole number of trains, and we have ST.
129 G5 per train and this sum multiplied by 3D.
the number of freight trains, gives the cost
S7l,296 So while the receipts from freight for the
same time have been only $7l,051 o. showing a
loss of S245 "a" -
Is it not perfectly clear from the above that the
author intended to convey the impressions that the
Road was passed over from end to the other ten
times each week by freight trains we'll as four
teen times each week by mail trains Most GER
tainy, all who read his statement will at once say
he meant us that very same and nothing shorter.
Is it not remarkable that responsible and we'll
informed man should make such statement when
it is we'll known that the facts very different .
The following will show pretty accurately the rela
tire proportion, in miles Tun, the freight and mail
trains bear to each other on this Road, when the
three freight trains all in constant operation,
which is not always the case by considerable.
The mail trains pass over the Road IA times each
week l6l ] miles, running 22G1 miles per week, or
1852 miles per year. One freight train passes
the Road to Weldon and back, once each week, |
running 1913 miles, one, say, to Wilson and back, Git
never goes higher,) running PIG miles; one to Ma
hunta and back, once each week. running 100 miles;
One to Goldsboro and back once each week, running
166 miles; one to Warsaw and back. once each |
week, running 10 miles. Here he has his 10 trips
run by freight trains, and allowing for them more
than they have yet done they have only run
1907 per week, So, 1854 miles per year; showing
conclusiSely, from his mode of reasoning and
apportonment of costs and expenses that instead of
Il loss of $245 "a, the Road actually made about
$4,000 last year by carrying freight, and that, too
under the expenses Of SAL per mile requi-
red to keep up the Road and while nearly IS per
cent less charged for carrying Rosin than now
charged
1t has been stated by those who ought to be good
judges in such matters, that it will not cost over
$500 per mile per year to keep the Road in good
pair for the next five years. after it is relayed with
the T iron. If the Road made money by carrying
freight last year, Gas is clearly shown that it did,
under all the disadvantages of the unparalleled ex
penses of Road repairs-and if the principal source
Of profit to the Road, freight was naval stores as
charged form view of all the superior facilities for
carrying freight cheaper in future, ought not the
rates to be reduced on Resin DISTILLER