The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-01-17
OFFICE VA. CENTRAL RAlLROAD't
RIcHxoND. Jan. IL, 1850

p. ME-. I'll e..
instant not.cs ? Communication. from YOU to the
President and Directors OF the Nlfgini1 Centia'
Raiiroad. which requires some noLce !" = am5 anmas'
In the iirst place sou say that tiietG ate ~ no
heavy grades upon the Central hGaa, Sieh s4a
OF TWO nd = half miles in length, OF So ieet. per
mile, WIZ Ell is worked as a separate DIVISION OF the
road ~ engines peculiarly constructed LOT sho
AGAIN, the ruling grade west of the Blue Ridse)
coning east, is - fset per mile. Tins IS consider
ed by enslneers IS a hedry sraas.. Asain, !ot say
that the irelsht tram IS nearly J0r[y- sieat hob's
actual tine IS "a hours, which includes croSSfh:
m. mountain track. and a delay OF eight and a hail
hours at Greenwood, rende red necessary Tor ms
proper connection 81 the trains, deoucIlng "hich,
and tie ordinary stoppa ,eS at stations, ueiaSs III
meeting passenger trains, &c. makes tle ruhn'ns
time OF the trains twelve miles per hour, Wlilcii IL
the time maze upon the roaG.
.Again. you sly That the freight trains on tue bai.
li.'s !" ana ono ht,,ioao h I'm fn LAWN y txtIact
from tine report of the President and Directors 81
that road, for the year endlns Sept. 5otl. la1!' VIII
best show the present facts as regards tie running
OF the trains upon that road.
AT the commencement of the year 1t was pal,
pabie from the general prostratIon OF business, ana
the large financial engagements OF the COMPANY
that in ORDER 10 produce satisfactory results 10
STATE, every. Judicious economy IN inanagenenE
should be effected. Accordingly, the attention OF
supervision Of the economy OF detail IN the expen-
ditures OF their respective departments, aud the
great reform Of refnCgd and skoto Spee0, with heotH
tHrdea trains. and moderate and sale speed on
passenger trains, was introduced. The ,speed Of
heary freight trains was reduced nearly q per
cent, viz: to eight and nine miles per hour.
Again, you ask how i, is you tthe Virginia Cen
trail Railroad charge $40 per car tor sheep ana
hogs; yet. when It comes T. cattle much heavier
load for sheep trcm Jacksons River To Richmond,
By the present trei-ht tariif-which went into ope-.
sheep put into a car Is lett to the discretion ! the
owner, but Is usually from 40 to 90, derenoing on
the "a "a and tatnaSs nf the sheen and the weather,
Only one car load was sent from oaAiand' during
the past year which contained 50 sheep, or at the
rate OF 60 cents per head.
tory obtained the assistance of Charles Elicit, Jr.,
in connection with railroads is well &nown. Inc
Board being DESTROYS oi encouraging the trans
%portation Of live stock upon the road, requested MIR.
t.llett to PAY especia atten ION to hxing a rate as low
as could possibly be ali ,rded. The rates charged
as a standard for Il slIhiiar distance. and tielr rules
and re equations IN regard to the transportation OF
live stock were adopted, with the exception Of
some slight notifications, winch are IN favor OF
those Shipping live stock by this road.
Now. as regards the running OF stock through
from ia hsoDS RIver. YOU VIII recoiiect tilht on
your application | have offered to carry your stock
throus n By express freight train, without stopping.
at any time THAI goa would furnish eight OF ten
car loads AZ one time, and have done So on one oc-
casIon, when You agreed 10 furnish ten car loads,
bat only furnished SIX.
tached cars containing stock 10 the mai tram. so
as 70 prevent 1t from BENZ delayed upon the road.
WHY old YOU not inform the public that You pur-
chased the az head oil cattle and 700 sheep during
TIE fall. e~xpectlnE TO obtain from the citteetS u
RGchMOn1 Il large advance OF prices during the
winter; but being disappointed IN It rise oil prices,
sou were compelled To drive them TO AUGUSTA
county, for the purpose OF obtaining corn To iced
them upon, and alter ieedin9 TO them some twelve
or fourteen hundred bushels OF corn, prices con
tinuing low. YOU preferred to send a part OF them,
at least, to Richmon and sell them at a less which
put you in rather a bad hnlnor a part Oh Which
you seem disposed To vent upon the railroad:
Now, while the Board of Directors are desirous
of rendering every facility IN the transportation
OF live stock. the quantity offered i2r transporla-
ton IS so limited that 1t does not justify the running
of exclusive stock trains; consequently, !, must ie
carried by the regular freight trains, ana cannot
be transported so expedltlousiy as 1t would be, II .
sufficient quantity offered to enable us to run such
trains.
were only lS3 head of cattle shipped from Oakland
to Richmond, "a part of these were carried both
WAYS. tree Of charge. in coming to and returning
from the Agricultural Falr.) 1s7 hogs and 81, sheep.
making "a car loads, or only about one IRAN LOAD
for one Of cur largest class freight engines. There
were only .2u3 head OF cattle transported on the
road coming East during the year; Ci these only
Sis head came from stations West, OF the Blue
Ride The 'ota! trelsht on those brought from
West of the Blue Ridge would not exceed some
fifteen or sixteen hundred dollars.
In regard to the serdins of a nand to take care oil
stock. would say what Is well known 10 YOU, that
the company do not require any peeson to We sent
with stock; out II IS customary nor a sne ms snap dT;ve 70.
with their stock. which Drivers are carfted Jfee,
when accompany al. the stock.
In making tAe present arrangement fof the
freight trains. Il number OF the stock drovers of
Au-usta COUNT were consulted IN regard 10 the
transportation OF stock, and The Arrangement OF
the train as was conlormed as near as practicable TO
their views ia THIS respect. AS the quantity 81
stock offered for transportation increases, every
effort vii he used 10 eXoedtte ITS carnage that can
be done, IN the judgment OF It's officers, consistent
with 9Tuaer economy in tha WORKING OF the road.
" Is much mere a-rseabe 70 them 10 ne able 10
piegsS all Wao li&E have occasion To use the Todd,
aud they always erieavor TO do so AS lar as tneir
duty 70 the interests OF the compaag VIII admit;
rut they ind, unfortunately, sometimes, that those
to whom they end0aVor 10 extend the greatest &C
commodations IN their power, consistent with
tlelr duty, are The most ready to ind fault.
Yours, very respectt0iy,
TffOS DODAMEAD,
ia lit General Superintendent.