Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-03-02

damages-the assessment was regularly made and
afterwards of necessity paid by us. The former
president or the treasurer could have informed the
chairman, if he had enqured, whether high assess
ments at Raleigh or elsewhere were unusual, and
what difficulties invariably attended such proceed
lngs
The case of Gen. Tro!linger, at Haw Rivers
next
This was an act of the board, deemed by them
just and right, of the propriety of which, as the
chairman has enquired into no connecting circum-
stance reason take the liberty of saying, he is
wholly incapable of Judging justly and truly. lie
speaks with manifest ignorance and preudise. In
proof of which, take one single sentence-he says,
"your committee learn the water is of no value,
being only two miles from Graham and four from
the shops" Judge O. his capability to enquire and
pronounce when state fact well known to the
board and to all men the road, except perhaps
the treasurer he would have mentioned it to the
chairman, that this worthless water has, during the
dry summers, been our chief dependence for 90
miles of road next to it for the running of all
trains without it must have stopped work
provided other supplies, rs the expensive station
wells totally failed In this way it has paid far
above its cost to us.
Next is the chairman's section on the cypress
truth which is really absurd throughout, and
displays such unmitigated ignorance of the subject,
correct the ms-statements- will give brief ac-
count of this service, without reference to his state
ments
This second service of passenger trains was COM
nenced in March of 1857. The reasons which
caused the board to put it in operation these:
The mail train lett Charlotte carly in the morn
ing and passed through the line by day to Colds
boro' in the evening The mail train of the Char
lottc and South Carolina Railroad, our southern
connection, arrived at Charlotte in the aiternoon-
As consequence passengers coming through
detained from or o'clock p. NJ. to o'clock A.
NJ. more than II hours at Charlotte, going north.
The same was the case when our train reaches
Charlotte in the evening, and the passengers had to
wait until o'clock next morning, or more than -
hours, going south. This caused very great dis ais
faction and as much complaint against the board as
the chairman makes if possible, but it could not be
remedIed. We offered to divide the night running
with the Charlotte and South Carolina Road but
they were unwilling to subject their people along
the line to this Inconvenience to way travel. We
had the same difficulty, and finally after much con-
sultation both boards agreed to put addition
al Service-the express train-as the only possible
means of accommodating the conflicting demands Of
through and way travel Last spring we concluded
it best to make the most of this second train by
running it OH through connections of time with the
Soulful Carolina Road, and the northern trains at
Weldon by way OF the Raleigh & Castor Road
This running with through connections perfect we
entered upon on the 9TH of April last, and continu-
ed to the carly part Of January-as my report
states, when, considering the proportion of time al
lowed me less than it ought to be- and not thinking
it good policy to make this speed, while the unuSu-
al winter hard on the road, and might en-
danger the trains, reduced the speed for time.
This explains the service of the Express Train, its
policy and necessity, we had either to run one day
train connecting where by II hours, or to run al
together at nj ght to put this Express service.
KS to its additional cost, the chairman chose to
enquire of the office men, and master mechanic
rather than of myself This WAS of course to make
ont, If possible, that my statements concerning it
were incorrect.
These the facts: For the service of one train
only, there is required an equipment of seven
gincs-our maitland twelve passenger coaches; for
both trains ten engines and fourteen pasScn-
ger coaches, with three baggage cars. The actual
additional expenditure pc: month for the second
tTaln does not exceed my statement of figures,
which he refers to- The statement he gives as that
of the master mechanic was never given by him as
its cost, but is the chairlnans account aade mp
from separate questions to the master mechanic.
The chairman cannot comprehend, and this is not
his faut--how should hc.--that two trains on IL road
are not obliged to cost the double of one train, for
the reason that the two services united may be ope-
rated more economically and with a smaller equip
ment for both, than relatively for one.
His estimates and comparisons as to the passcn-
ger traffic are, in the same manner, wholly errone-
Gus. The express train did much to save us from
the same falling Off in receipts last year, which oc-
CURED, almost universally, upon all roads in the
country, by giving us some through travel and by
anring greatly increased facility to way travel; so
that road was of the few which actually in
creased its receipts in 1.-THE panic year"
But what docs the chairman propose? That the
Shnl llaSS tO 1nfn fl,a
running of trains the North Carolina Railroad or
appoint him. for his learned chapter thereon super
ntcdent of transportation the part of the State?
What a commentary on railroad policy and manage
ment, is this disquistion of the chairman! That
difficult thing, which has engaged the thoughts and
labor and years of able in practice and study,
which has been not often successfully accomplished
anywhere, which has caused many to fail, few to
succeed, this whole matter is mastered and clucida
ted by reading the very good letter of our former
chief engineer, which, | am sure, he expected
to work such wonder, and by few questions and
estimates in a committee room.
Next follows his remarks on the only loan debt of
the road-the eight per cent. bonds
This sufficiently explained in my report Of
late date to be easily understood by all who
desire to understand it, and do not consider it
cSsary to repeat what was then sad. The chairman
this, and correct common mistake referred
to in my report, that upon the memorial Of the
board the last Legislature passed an act "author-
izing the directors to issue bonds" &c. 1t seems
the chairman will not know the tenor of this act
which was only to authorize the rate Of interest ;
the authority to issue bonds being granted by the
charter He can learn more of this loan matter than
he seems to know by reviewing my report which
am afraid his labors have caused him to neglect
As to the sinking fund therefor, he is again, as
usual, mistaken in thinking he discovers matter for
ccnsurc of me in the second action of the board :;
these bonds were some time ago set apart but not
registered, which is the last order of the board
The objections, complaints, and observations
touching this loan are so manfestly in spirit of
captiols faultfnding that let them pass for what
they are-worth.
The next subject is-the Company Shops. The
chairman, like some of his friends on the line, seems
to be rather unamiably disposed towards this place,
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