Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-06-19

specially with an eye to its publication, will
nevertheless, feel confident, substantially meet
| the allegations of the other side, and vindicate
the action taken by our Company in the premi-
ses. JOHN S. BARBECUE.
June 18th, 1850.
President Of Kiayinia Central r. r. Go.
| Dear Sir The severance of connection OF
our trains at Gordonsville having been ordered
| by you during my recent absence from the State,
! Offending Railroad Convention at Chattanoo-
ga,) and finding npon my return home that our
GeBeral Superintendent, Mr.. Vandegrift, was in
correspondence with you on the subject, have
| delayed any personal communication Of my own
in the hope that the very reasonable proposition
submitted by MIN, would have been accepted,
and the existing difficulty adjusted and removed.
In this, however, | find myself disappointed from
the purport of the answers returned by you, and
must conclude that it is a foregone conclusion on
your part not to make any concession, however
moderate, which would enable our train to
make the desired connection at Gordonsville.
The point of your demand is, as understand
it, that to maintain the connection with your
trains, the morning train from Alexandria must
reach Gordonsville at 1915 a. M, instead of
1l.05 a. m, as required by the schedule prior to
the first day of June last.
Now, as you well know, our arrival at Cor
louisville in the morning depends upon the time
we can leave Alexandria. But for this fact we
could readily get to Gordonsville as you desire.
We cannot, however, leave Alexandria until the
arrival OF passengers and mails of the Baltimore
cars, which come into Washington now at o.
clock a. M, and are delivered here only in time
to enable our trains to leave att 90 a. N. Your
trains reach Gordonsvile before ours for the OBJ
vious reasons that you leave Richmond at $50
q. m.-nearly one hour in advance, and have
only 70 miles to run. We leave IS minutes
later-have 80 miles to run, with line which
| involves transhpment at two Railroad functions
| (Manassas and Warrenton) of passengers and
| baggage, and consequent delays therefor, and
having also an additional number of stations to
stop at-corresponding to additional number of
miles run. 1t is thus apparent why our trains
cannot arrive at Gordonsville al early as yours.
although it is well known that our road is run
| faster than any railroad in the State @l3
| Anxious as we are to make the connection and
to accommodate the public convenience as far as
1t lies n our power, we are unwilling to increase
our high speed, and to run a break-neck chase
| to crafty what we regard as an unreasonable
and unfair demand On your part. glptes
The only gain to you as alleged is, that your
passengers going West, may reach the stages at
Jaeksons River few minutes earlier, and those
| going to Richmond may reach the Banking
| Houses before B O'Clock OF the day Of their ar
rival. The connection with the Petersburg
trains am informed, has been made readily
under the old schedule.
| For these comparatively light considerations
| the connection at Gordonsvlie has been broken.
the travelling public seriously Inconvenience.
and the Interests of both roads materially dam.
| aged. Every effort has been made on our part
TO avoid the contingency. We have used all the
mesns at command to accelerate the transit to
our road from Washington-have solicited the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to come in 10
minutes earlier; without effect no far. Oar
Superintendent has proposed to you at some
sacrifice OF interest and the risk of increased
speed, to reach Gordonsville fifteen minutes
earlier which only involves difference of five
minutes time upon your own schedule, and has
received perelnptory negative in reply.
The answer made by you that we had this
schedule last year, and what has been done can
be done again, is disarmed of all point when we
have your own letter to show that though the
attempt was made yet we failed to comply, at
| time too when the Baltimore train came to
Washington ten minutes earlier in the morning
than it does now.
| cannot well see how public agent like
yourself, clothed with so much power in this re-
spect can be willing upon such slight grounds to
adopt 8 line OF policy operating SO much injury
to his own, and connecting railroad and 10 the
public at large. | am however unwilling to
leave anything undone to remove the evil, and
have another proposition to submit
Let the whole case be presented to the arbit
rament OF the Board OF Public Works, and we
will accept such schedule as they may rule; or
you may take the umpirage of any competent
Railroad men to decide what is right and fair
between the parties, and we will abide the re-
suit
IL the meantime let rs avoid the break Of con-
nections at Gordonsville until decision can be
had. Our trains shall arrive under Vandegrift's
proposal at 1850 A. NJ, which only involves
deduction OF five minutes from your own de-
mand. 'f
The public expect connection of our trains
at Gordonsville, aud have right to demand it,
and trust that you will at once recognize the
Importance of the issue, and the equity of the
proposal submitted tor its settlement. 5s
am respectfully, your obedient servant, 'as
]. S. BARBOUR, JR., Prest.
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