Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-05-24
The Railroad CompanI.s and Small ,ote..

Ihe Richmond and Petersburg, the Danville the
Central Railroad Companies, together with other in.
.ternal improvement companies in the State we be
eve have published notices the public that they
will not receive notes of less denomination than five
dollars after the first Of June either in the settlement
of freight passenger fare This is not the woi st of
it though. Persons having dealings With those COM
panies, that passengers and those having freight to
pay, are duly notified that they will be expected TO
provide themselves with the proper amount to pay for
passenger.fare and freight, as the Company cannot
be expected to furnish the requisite amount of specie
for change. According to this arrangement, the per-
son who offers good Virginia Bank note in payment
of passage, is likely to be placed in an awkward fix
when the change not convenient as will happen in
nine cases out Of ten. He will either run the risk of
having himself set down on the track somewhere or
be so fortunate TO get his passage free grdti,
through the compassion Of the railroad conductor
The frequency with which the latter may happen
would prove rather on our railroad COM
panies and they would soon find that such compass
sion for passengers without small change would not
pay.
We saw from the first that the prohibition of the
lender Of small notes would subject the TRAVELLING
public togreat inconvenience for the greater portion
Of the fare lines of public travel is paid in notes of
denomination less than five dollars The difIcul,v
could be obviated to some extent with those having
notes oil the denomination of five dollars or more
provided that they had nothing more to do than to
tender them and receive their change from an
well supplied with the gold and silver coin. But
travellers are to learn that Virginia Bank notes won't
always answer their purpose, and that they are ex
pected TO make their own change and that too ont of
gold and silver coin where the amount is less tbop
five dollars, or fractional part Of the denominations
OF Virginia money. Perhaps those starting from
Richmond or some point where they can 90 up to
brokers' counter before hand and get their notes
shaved, may be able to comply with this arrange.
ment But what persons are TO do who get nm tho
line from various points in the country where thore
is no possible chance to provide themselves with b,
requisite amount Of specie for change" we are nj
loss to know.
These remarks are not intended to cast any censure
upon the railroad companies that have adopted this
regulation 1t is their business to endeavor to obey
the new small note law far as possible. II ,youII
be asking little too much Of them 10 keen n vauI, n,
specie on their cars fer purposes Of change Tbcv
could not get it, were they ever so much disposed To
DO SO very accommodating They have manifested =
very commendable lawabiding spirit in thus under.
taking to thro~ the responsibility of n violation or
the law, and the penalty for such violation on the
shoulders oil somebody else. Where the TRAVELLING
public are to get the specie to accommodate ,bo
railroad conductors with is another matter and ,bo;r
own look out IL is one instance which will sorvo ~
show the beauties Of the shnplaster LEGISLATION or
our late Legislature Let it be carried ont bo,yover
There is no better way Of showing the folly NJ that
legislation than trial Of it, y VIM