Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-09-25
Totaltransit chargesfroln


Totaltransit chargesfr from
Lynchb' gto Richm'd- 1900 s62 50
Upon this most remarkable paper NOW
in our Office, subject to the inspection of
any one who desires to be informed as TO
our accuracy in the matterl we desire
to make a few comments In support
of the allegation we have made against
the james River and kanawha Company,
viz that their high Tariff Of Tolls, or
high tarcs on labor and capital. I'm transit
charges) is injurious to the Company it.
SELF and oppressive, gricvously oppressive,
to the producers of tonnage.
According to our arithmetic. sixty-two
dollars and eighty cents is a fraction over
eighteen per cent on three hundred and
thirty FIVE dollars and forty-fvc cents. l.
not this monstrous-that in the year of our
Lord. ono thousand eight hundred and
fitfy-one, after over six and quarter mil
lions of dollars have been expended to
cheaper the transportation of the Agricul.
tural products of the Valley Of the James
Riverthat it should take eighteen per cent
of the value of Wheat to carry it (by Ca
nal to Richmond We say it is mon
strous,-we say more; we say it is grie-
vous oppression, which cannot. and should
not be borne patiently. 1t is tax thai
never could be collected by the Sheriif's o
the country. No; resistance, outright re
sistance, would assuredly be the conse
quence Of any attempt to collect such q
tax in the ordinary way; and yet, because
our worthy friend Mr. Mckinney is called
Receiver Of Tolls, and sits quietly in his of
fee to get his lawful dues, instead of run
ming about town, with the law in one hanc
and no mercy in the other. demanding "you'
taxes" Of every man he meets on the high
way, hs is paid without so much as /
murmur. We have never recommended
resistance by violence to any law, and Goo
forbid we should ever become so unmind
full of our duty as citizens of this Republic
as to suggest such remedy. Bot we do re
commend to our fellow citizens to resist, il
all legal and proper ways, the longer con
tinuance oflhe onerous taxes imposed by
the James River and Kanawha Company
in the shape Of transit charges on the pro
ducts of labour and capital. We woule
not be misunderstood, and therefore w,
will occupy little more SPACE yet in thu
in the inves,igation of this practical subject
and first, we propose to show that no othe
people are so burthensomely taxed for the
same thing-Caaal transportation.
| Before proceeding to do this, We vii
observe that to the frs, item Of charge ii
the account of sales of the 400 bushels o
Wheat, we make no objection four ane
one half cents is low enough for the car
riers labor and risk. We have said tina
the transit charges were fraction over Is
per cent on the value of the article, and W.
now exonerate the carrier from any part
cipation in the extortion practiced. 1t i,
against the high tolls that we enter our pro
test it alone is thirteen and one fourth pr
: cent on the value Of the Wheat Now te
the proof that the people. of the Valley o
James River, and all those who carry theiI
produce down the James River and Kara
wha Canal, pay higher transit charge:
than any other people for the same facility
Transportation.
If 406 bushels of Wheat had been trans.
ported on the Ohio Canal the distance from
Lynchbnrg to Richmond, (say lac miles,
1t would have paid .-..-... S26 Is
In Va. it paid. --.. "A So
Excess oftaxesin Va over Ohio SIS "a
If the Wheat had passed the same dis
lance on the Pennsy lvania Canal. it would
have paid -.--.-.-..-- S25 81
In Va. it did pay. "A SO
Excess oftaxcs Of Va. over Penn. $40 90
II the Wheat had been transported on
the New York Canals, it would have
paid .---.- ..-.--..----.-.. SIS 0S
In Va. it was taxed .... Al SO
Excess of Va. over N. Y. taxes 500 As
We repeat this is monsterous oppres-
sive, and should not be borne without m
effort to take out ofthe hands, of those who