Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-01-25
Office Va. Central Railroad Co, |

Richmond, Jan. 9th, 1909.
NeSsrs. Jno. j. Bell and 1H0s j. Reeder and
others Gentlemen | have received your COM
munication requesting that the arrangements for
running the trains may be changed back to what
they were previous to the late winter arrange
ment, and have given to it the respectful consid-
Grafton to which it is entitled. My answer is
delayed day or two to embrace an opportunl-
ty for conference with the Superintendent OF
Transportation.
am happy in believing that You do not be-
long to the class who take pleasure 10 complain
ing of the management of the Company, and
therefore trust that you will be prepared to be-
lieve that the Superintendent would not wan
tonly subject your community to inconvenience
by any change in the running of the trains
That officer, as well as myself, appreciates the
Importance of making the Company popular,
but am sure you will agree with me, that pop
ularity ought not to be sought at the sacrifice OF
the interests ofth stockholders The schedule
of running one set of trains on d Railroad cannot
very readily be appreciated with all the reasons
calling for its adoption, by those who are not ia
miliar with the various details, each operating
on another, and consequently we have to
ask of those who do not approve, that they will
not suffer themselves to believe that change
would be made without adequate reasons there.
for. i H.'"
The most important object to be obtained in
working Railroad is the saving of expense {;
gross receipts may be large, but If obtained by q
disregard of expense there will be no profit /!
These are the considerations which have induced
the Superintendent to reduce the number of
trains which are run during the winter; and If
it does result in denying to your community
some of the conveniences they enjoyed in the
summer, I hope they will not complain, when
the Superintendent assures me-, it could not be
continued without serious loss to the Company.
The same consideration has recently required
that the Night Train to Charlottesville should be
discontinued, The anxious expectations of the
Stockholders to receive some dividends, which
they have just claim to expect, forbids the
continuance of any arrangement which does not
promise some profit.
am told that for some time past, the passen-
ger receipts from the Car running with the
freight between Waynesboro and Millboro have
been insufficient to justify the expense of run
ming. | am also told by the Superintendent,
that the stopping of the Freight at night at
Greenwood, promotes the convenience and ad
vantage of operations in the Tunnel. He also
saws that it saved some extra running.
You may rest assured, Gentlemen, that il
would be very agreeable to the Superintendent
as well as myself to crafty you in all these ar
rangements, if it could be done consistently with
the interests of the Company. That officer is
held specially responsible for effecting all the
iudicous economy he cen in his department,
and trust your good judgement and good wish
es for the Company, will sustain him in his eff
! forts.
regret that you cannot be gratifed in this
case. CSigned,) Very respectfully,
E. FoNTAINE, Prest.