Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-11-03

o. We copy, from the Savannah Georgian, an ar
tice with reference to the difficulties between the
South Carolina Railroad and the Postmaster-General
1t will be that the press in Georgia takes nearly
the same view of the matter that we do In all such
the tendency of opinion is against the General
Government without any examination of the facts OF
the case That this should be SO, in South Carolina,
is only natural but others, placed at distance from
the local influences that felt in that State, are
enabled TO view the matter coolly and impair
ally--and rejoced to see that they are speak
ing ont We commend the article to the attentions
of our readers:
From the Savannah Georgian
The Mails aud the south Carolina Railroad.
We agree with evening contemporary, the Ne,cs,
that-in view of the Directors OF the South Carolina
Railroad at their meeting in Columbia on Friday
last: having resolved to to carry our mails after
the 1st of November, if the present schedule be
changed-a delegation OF the Chamber of Commerce
should be sent to Washington. At the same time,
however we think that the Postmaster General should
be waited upon by the gentlemen composing 1t, as
he would certainly not turn a deaf ear to the com
plants emanating from such body when personally
presented to him. Charleston Courier.
We think the Courier and the Ncs propose send the
delegation from the Chamber Of Commerce to the Ur0ns
place. Such delegation should be appointed, but instead
of visiting the Presndent the United States and the Post
Master General they should wait pon the President and
Directors of the South Carolina Railroad The Company
should be impressed with the proprety of conforming the
of their contract duly signed instead of avang them
selves of their position and the necessities of the public to
sxtort from higher compensation than
which they agreed take and higher than that paid
similar service any road either north south Of them
The Post Office Department wishes to expedite the
ments of the Southern mail to gain twelve hours
business day This only be done by change in the
running the South Carolina Railroad The right
order such change without increased compensation
the department making the contract with the
Company The following the language of the Postmaster
General the President of the Road the correctness of
its statements has not been denied by the latter:
"Al the Railroad Companies interested, except
your Company are either running
or ready to rup to carry out this Improvement
and the chief impediment is on your road, where
you decline making the desired changes of hours OF
the present trains, unless allowed $500 (insead of
S2374) per mile for two daily trains each way The
expedition in question, of course, actually requires
but a change of your schedule wtout additional SER
vice, and such changes daily made throug hout
the country, in order to expedite mails by keeping up
due connections, agreeable to express stipulation in
all contracts, without additional pay This Depart
ment had therefore just grounds 10 expect that, like
other Railroad Companies, your Company would
adopt schedules suited those connecting routes,
and not allow the great mails TO be delayed, what
the accommodation of local interests, and il is deeply
regretted that your decision has been otherwise"
He adds -
Deprived of the right to change schedules, with
out additional pay, he efficiency of this Department
would be most seriously impaired improvements
of its service, however important, would constantly
be liable to defeat by objections at single point in
long chain of connections
Again says Mr. Campbell.
The contract between your Company and this De-
parmen Internationally provides foC two daily mails
from Charleston to Augusta and back, at the present
rate of pay (2373 dollars per mile.)
Yet notwithstanding this, the P. NJ General did offer tc
increase the compensation for the required service from
$237k to $3.50.
This, said Judge Campbell to Mr. CALDWELL President OF
the Road,
/ Will make your pay equal to that other roads
conveying equally important mails twice daily, OF
oftener and it will be than is paid on the ma
orty of the principal roads in other sections OF the
country for similar service.
For instance: on the great routes from New York
via New Haven and Springfield 10 Boston, nineteen
weekly trips are made each way, at $3.50 per mile
On the Hudson River Railroad the pay is 1925 pei
mile for the same number of trips, while it is bu
5000 on the connecting routes from Albany to Bufa
| TO- and the same from New York to DunkIrk $500
a mile is also paid from Philadelphia to Pittsburg
Penn, and from Baltimore Harrisburg, for twelve
daily mails.
Since Inc transfer OF the great mall 10 the WI
mngtOn and Manchester Railroad, The pay you
route between Charleston and Branchvle has beer
continued at 1921 80 per mile, although the highes
rate elsewhere for similar service is but $l0O Pc
mile. Indeed you that the Georgia Cen
trail Railroad conveys mails twice daily at Sl75 pc
mile, and the Western and Atlantic daily at 500
per mle-the latter having large through mail. Ii
other sections the pay is still lower. for instance
S133 per mile from Boston to Providence twice dal
ly, and Sl25 from Springfield to Albany twice daily
Speaking of the mail service the route from Charesto
to Branchve the Postmaster General takes occasion
remind Mr.. Caldwell that
Since the lst of February, only local mail ha
been conveyed there, for which you were entitled
500 per mile per annum at most being the rate c
pay for similar service on the Macon and Western
Muscogee, and Western and Atlantic Railroads i
Georgia. No reduction, however, made; an
you continued to receive the full pay of 1927 SO pc
mile for first class service-beng clear departur
in favor OF your Company from heretofore tlxe
and invariable rule of this Department. You hay
thus been paid for one daily local mail $62 so pc
mile more than the allowance for taUo daily mails
the same class the Georgia Central Road, an
S137 so per mile than the pay for much la
ger mail on the Western and Atlantic Road.
worth mentioning is that the price rejected by til
South Carolina road, for mail service from Augusta
KingSyie precisely that charged by the Georgia
for the service from Augusta to Atlanta and by tt
Wilmington and Manchester road, for tie same service
from kingsvie to Wilmington.
Are not right then in concluding that the Company h
taken advantage of position controlling ndpensb
link in the chain between the north the
exact compensation creates than that authorized by the
contract, and greater than that paid the ne
Their Immediately West or Immediately East of them!
We led devote this much attention to this object
the present time becaues of almost immediate
q of great public Should the Railroad
pany carry out their purpose throwing their contra