The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-02-07

Imporfas. Deetsion-Riehmosd, Frederieks.
burg and Potomac Railroad against the Viygiaia
Central Raiiyoad.-The Court of Appeale have
at length decided the controversy between the
above railroad companies, and In favor of the
Richmond and Fredericksburg Railroad Com
pany. That our readers may understand the
history of the litigation, which has been pend.
ing for years, we will endeavor to give an
outline.
BY the charter Of the Richmond and Frede.
ricksburg Railroad, that company was grant
ed the exclusive right to all through travel
and freight between Richmond and Wash
ington for the period Of twenty-seven years.
Some years after, the Louisa Railroad (now
the Centrai) was chartered to the juno
tion in Hanover, from which point Its freight
and travel was brought 70 and from Richmond
on the Fredericksburg Road After that, the
Legislature granted charter to the Louisa
Road to extend its line east to Richmond and
west to Covington. When the Central Road
was completed to Gordcnsyille, that company
formed a connection with the Orange and Al
exandria Road, and thus virtually established
a through line to Washington, though II only
gave tickets to Gordonsville.
Against this the Richmond and Fredericks-
burg Company applied to Judge Meredith for
an injunction, to prohibit the Central Road
from carrying through travel" alleging a. a
reason that their chartered rights were viO.
lated by the Central Company, in thus taking
from them the business that had been guaran-
teed to them by the State. The motion for the
injunction was argued with great ability, after
which, Judge Meredith refused to grant il; and
from that decision an appeal was taken to the
Court Of Appeals.
In tie decision given yesterday, the right of
the Legislature to grant the guarantee, was
recognized by the Appellate Court, who de-
cided that that guarantee was of the through
travel between the cities Of Richmond aud
Washington, and that the arrangements BE-.
tween the Central and Orange and Alexandria
Railroad Companies for the transportation Of
through passengers comes within the inter-
dict Of the guarantee. The Court therefore
grant an injunction to prevent such future
ericksburg and Potomac Railroad Company
during the period guaranteed to them by their
charter.
In reference to the past the court order an
account to ascertain the amount Of through
travel heretofore distracted from the Rich.
mond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Company.
They give to the Central and Orange and Alex
andriH Companies the benefit of the travel du.
ring the period when by distractions prod uced
by ice the r., F. & Potomac Company were un-
able to accommodate it; and they further de-
eide that with that exception) all the through
travel abstrscted by the Central and Orange
and Alexandra Companies primd taeie belong
cd TO the R., F. Il =. Company, andth the
burlhen Of proof rests on the two former com.
panies to show that there are any circum-
stances which take such travel out OF that ca
tegory. They further decide that the amount
Of damage thus ascertained is to be paid by the
two companies in their respective ratios; or IL
not paid by both, then to be paid BY either Of
them.
The damage to be recovered may probably
amount to 250.OUO-more or lees.