Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1862-09-10

| found 1t necessary to take direct charge of
ana upon which no rates of transportation
were ever fixed or charged to the Govern
ment, as the latter simply paid the en-
! ployees for their services and for the SUD-
Plies necessary to operate The roads. All
! the transportation of the Government
troops and supplies, was and is now. in
charge of the Quartermaster's Department
and L have never contracted for the ship
ment OF a regiment or of car load of
Government property over the Pennsylva-
ma railroad, or over any other line of rail
way in the United States.
" hlie l was acting as manager of roads
operated by the Government. bills for
transporting troops and equipments of
three months volunteers were being sent
III by the various railroad companies of
the country 10 the Quartermaster De-
partment for adjustment, embracing all
kinds of rates, from two cents up to four
cents per mile for soldiers and freight in
many cases double first class rates for rnu-
| mtlons OF war and supplies forwarded with
troops by passenger trains. One of the
officers OF the t2uartcrmastcr's Department
applied TO me for some schedule of rates
that would serve as n guide to prevent
overcharges III the adjustment of the nu-
merous accounts being presented. |.
therefore, prepared a schedule for that
purpose, which was intended only as a
maximum rate that might be allowed for
the collection of volunteers and their SUD
plies in the several States. and for the
transportation TO the city of Washington
when lower rates could not be or wercno
obtained by officers Of the Quartermaster's
Department and by that schedule no
company was permitted to charge more
than two cents per mile for passengers.
nor beyond first class rates for property
moved IN passenger trains, though individ-
uals did pay three cents a mile for travel.
and double first class rates for fpights
moved on passenger trains. 1t was not in
tended to interfere in any manner with
the JOINT rates of transportation over the
several lines of the country, and | was
much surprised in the month of October
to find that the schedule prepared by me
as guide had been made into the form
of a general order by the Quartermaster's
Department, and was still more surprised
10 learn that any Quartcrmaster in the
service should feel himself bound TO paw
those rates, or any others, when better
terms could be secured by him for trans
portatiOn of Government property under
his charge,
| may here state that the Governor of
Pennsylvania, and believe the Governor
of Ohio also, called a Convention of the
railway officers of their respective States.
and, after full discussion OF the subject.
two cents per mile was fixed upon as Il
fair and reasonable price for the transpor-
tation of troops. which was an abatement
of 80 per cent. from the usual rates paid
then and now by the business public on
nearly all the railway lines in America
The broad statement made in the iSUnd0g
Herald, few weeks since, that | ordered
rates by which the Government paid 80
per cent more than individuals paid. and
that the receipts of the roads of which
am an officer, through those rates from
Government, had been increased 10 per
cent. Is a gross error on the part of the |
writer. Bv careful examination of the !
books of this company from the COM
mencement of the rebellion TO the present
date, / find that our total receipts from |
the Government of the United States do |
not reach 1 Z per cent. of our gross receipts. |
or, about One-tcnth OF the amount alleged. |
Our receipts have been greatly increased |
by the closing of the Mississippi river, |
and by the demand upon the sea board !
for products of the West for consumption /
and for export, all of which has resulted /
in giving TO all the transportation lines OF
the country a largely increased trade and
advanced rates, in which the Pennsylva-
MA railroad company has shared in COM
mon with other routes, and am sure that
railway managers and practical business
men of the country will do me the justice
to say that the rates fixed from time TO
time for the general business of the coun-
try have not been in any manner affected
or influenced by the maximum schedule,
furnished by me as guide to the Quar-
masters Department for adjustment OF
accounts. / was not Assistant Secretary
of War at the date of that schedule, and
had no right to issue an order, even if so
disposed, and which l certainly never
thought of doing.
The insinuations of the committee, in
regard to the intentions Of the late Secretary
of Var, as connected with the railway
transportation, are. rs | believe, without
the slightest foundation in fact He never
did, directly or indirectly, authorize or di-
rect me to adopt any measure or give any
order to promote the interest OF the road