Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-12-15

Exhibit H.
NASHVILLE, Oct. "a, 1860
Hon. James Glthris President L. d. N. r. H. Co.,
Louisville Ky.
SIR: Under a resolution of public meeting held
| at Nashville IN reference TO the Louisville and
| Nashville Lailroad, on the 10th instant the un-
| undersigned We're appointed committee to devise
and report to a future like meeting a proper plan
| for relief from certain grievances complained of
The terms of this appointment left action in the
| premises to our discretion. Friendly to the road
and excepting a last resort, deprecating public
| complaint as contrary to its best interests, we
have deemed it proper before making any report to
or taking any action before such future meeting to
lay before you President. and through you before
your associate Board of Directors, the cardinal
points complained of by those represent. hoping
by this means to obtain prompt redress of all in
justice and the removal Of all cause for further agi
tatiOn of the subject in public The main causes of
complaint may be embraced under three points
| follows:
| First Our shipments from Louisville over the
road have for several months past been irregular
! and uncertain OF delivery to an extent causing
| great Inconvenience to, and we believe justifyiug
much complaint on the part of shippers; further,
such freghts have been delivered by the road we
| are advised, have inexcusably often come without
the proper manifest of charges on them These
cases have produced confusion in its BUSINESS,
subjected the road TO damage in reputation and it is
feared to large liability fer many probable ossesi
While those we represent may and do distrust the
competency Of the present superintendent of freight
transportation yet do not feel it incumbent on
us to indicate to the Board of Directors remedy
for these improprieties; but in behalf of parties
holding common interest in the welfare of the
road we have thought it proper under the circuu-
stances to make known these facts respectfully to
the powers controlling the road.
Secondly. 1t is complained that by the present
tariff of freight charges of the road shipments are
made from Louisville consigned to our Southern
roads for destinations South of and beyond Nash
vile at Oluer rdte of charge than is exacted for
the same articles when shipped from Louisville to
Nashville" We will not particularize the extent of
this discrimination III dollars and cents though upoa
many articles it is deemed oppressive The po1e-
as right on the part of the road to discriminate
one cent or one hundred dollars against the Nashville
freghts in such instances above, is alike denied
as wholly wrong in principle and warranted neither
by the spirit or letter of the charter 1t is en-
phaticaliy claimed by the Nashville shippers that
whenever they ship from Louisville over the entire |
line OF the road they are entitled, and of right
ought to do at the minimum price charged others
for like shipments" 1t may be urged on the merits |
Of the case in support of this position, that the |
trouble and responsibility the and tear of the
road is in ech Instance The same and 1t is difficult to
find reason in justice why those whose have
in part built the road should be charged more for |
the same service shipments than others who have
in no manner contributed to it.
The feature the roads charter relied on by the
advocates of the discrimination alluded to is an |
amendment to the original charter of the road pass
ed by the Tennessee Legislature 18th March, 1860 !
follows: " Be IL enacted That fEe third section
of an act entitled act to incorporate the Louis
vile and Nashville Railroad Company, passed 4th of |
December. 1851 shall be so amended as to author
ze the tariff of charges for freighs and passengers
to be less through business. and through business
coming from other railroads and transportation |
lines, than on treights and passengers to interme
date points between Louisville and Nashville. Pro
Il Ut,S 81
points between Louisville and Nashville shall
be equal and pro rata in proportion to mileage. |
whether going North or South" 1t is conceded by
virtue of this amendment the road is empow cred to
discriminate in favor of through over lsqy freight
but it certainly is not destined that any dscrmina-
ton is warranted in favor of through freight over
another of the same description and should such CON
struction be forced it is clear there is authority
for the discrimination complained of. for though
the wording of the above amendment embraces |
through business coming from other railroads and
transportation lines, mention is made therein of
through business going TO other railroads trans
portation lines.
In concluding this point we are convinced that
nothing less than the unequvocal abandonment of
the claim Of right the part of the road to make
such Determinations against the frelghts of Nash
VILE will satisfy the shippers and commercial inter
ests Of this place We assure you these discrmina-
tons, if persisted in will be referred to the Courts
for settlement, and we believe all such claims on the
part of the road will. when judcially tested be re-
buked and denied by the laws.
4. LaSly-Is is suggested that in view of the i'm
portance of Nashville as terminal point of the
road it is proper that this community AID especial
ly the merchants of it. should be allowed voice in
some proper person for the appoint
ment of freight agent at this point, since from the
extent of their business with the road it woul1 be
more satisfactory to tiem to have their business
with person knowing and known to
them. and probably much to the profit of the road
to afford arrangements agreeable to the public, and
thus more strongly commend the enterprise to per-
nanent patronage The denial of this favor though
not so material wrong others has yet been felt
by our merchants, violation of that
courtesy to which they were entitled
We hope it viii accord with the pleasure and !
sense of right of those having the control of the
'oad TO make prompt correction of the grievances
We have indicated, and with view of affOrdng tins
or your consideration of these subjects, though !
here is considerable anxiety manifested by some Of
'ur citizens for prompt further public meeting on
he subject. We propose to postpone such meeting :
o Wednesday. 3lst instant, by which time we hope
0 receive such answer to this communication as :
will render all further action unnecessary. !
Respectfully, N. HAMILTON, :
ANEs WENTWORTH, I
r. IL. GARDNER :
XII. MoRRIs,
GEORGE Nancy.