Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-02-27
To the Friends Of Open Handed
Justice.

EINDING attempt in the Daily PATRIOT of the 2Sd
f inst over the signature of some twenty persons,
of whom claim responsibility, to commit foul
SANDER upon my character, ask indulgence in the
presentation of few facts, touching the subject mat
ter of the above sanderous card. The gates on the
Nolensyile Turnpike Road have been let by the year
for family travel, and some years since, through a
mistaken policy Of the Co., those who Travelled daily
and those who passed but once month or less, paid
the price and upon the discovery of the nequa
ity and unfairness of this policy the Directory
solved abandon it and instructed me- their agent,
to let the gates by the year only on special contract
portionable for travel DONE And for several years
have been working to bring about their wishes, but
not having an Office on the Road, and the frequent
change of gate keepers rendered it very difficult to
learn amount of travel by the several years
men The last year. however, gate keeper of appIi-
cation and system was procured and was advised
that the close Of the he would be required to
class those who had travelled by the year, in four
classes; No. signifyng those who travel the most
and on until No. 4, which marked those who trav
eed least he accordingly marked each on the margin
of the yearsmen's Receipt Book and made note for
nv information to the effect that No. passed daily TO
tioce daily with few exceptions, some with horse
carriages and buggies, and that No. was but a
transient visitor. then raised the price No. l.
and in some cases slightly on No. 2, No. was I'M
changed, and in some cases No. was reduced
The highest price charged any one at the gate for
yearly family travel is Sl2 and if of these per
who advertise extortioner were charged
| as the Charter of the Road allows, they would pay
over s1OO where they now pay Sl2 but Of over halt
the persons whose names appear to this extraordinary
card truth compels me to state their tolls for yearly
of them take ii at all, and Of them have
passed the vehicles of those who have taken yearly
privilege in violation of justice and written contract
for the past year, without of ring to pay cent
Now to these gentry who pass the gate daily, lei
say but for the great pecuniary pressure, should
in Justice 10 the reposed in me- raised their tolls
much higher This Road cost over One Hundred
Thousand Dollars, and is now almost worn to shell
the last six months of 1850, paid n per cent
| dividend, and 2z the previous six months Does
any of these gents want their money out at this
rates Not they; and not 81 Of the original stock did
one of them take, and from the best knowledge and
information / have or eau get, but small pittance
taken by any of those owning the lands they now
hold. The public spirited men who built 1t, Jointly
with the State of Tennessee, and who pay thousands
| you, Though you assume the guardianship of oyeI
| 100 others), it out revelng in your
| wealth and pleasure, without paying something
| for it. The law contemplates gate across
| the road to be opened and the traveller
allowed to pass through after the toll is paid and
nearer approximation to Justice may yet be had Ii
your petition referred to in your card asserted
that you believed, was exercising unauthorized
power but in your personal interview with the BoarC
which you refer, you said in that you were wrong
and the Board approved my acts their own and be
lieved just and correct you would pay it and ceas'
| to murmur. But now you voluntarily undertake Il
| instruct the public how the owners and representa-
tiyes of the individual stock of the Nolensvle Turn
pike Road voted in their own private business, mat
ter in which the public have interest, and one il
| which you have no right to NEEDLE But for YOU
information will state tnat my sustained
by the owners and representatives of at least nine
tenths of the individual stock. depore the neces
sty of this response and deeply regret that any y
ing soul should attempt to bold me out to public gaz
extortioner. But by stubborn facts let me stan'
| or fall THOS. B. JOHNSON,
| Superinte adent of the Nolensvile 7 z. Road
Walnut Hill, 25th Feb. 1861.