Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-11-02
[OUR RAILROAD INTERESTS.
MR.. BURNS REPLY TO JUDGE WHIT.
W0RTH---LOUISVILL AND NASH
VILE RAILROAD.


MEssRs. EDITORS: My attention was
called to an article published in all the city
papers by Judge JAMES WHITwoRTH, com
missionerand proxy TO cast the vote of David
son county, at a meeting Of stock holders Of
the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Com.
pany, held in Louisville, to elect directors
for the ensuing year in the said road, together
with his letter Of explanation, published in
the Nashville Dispatch. A copy Of the report
of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Company to the stockholders in the road
was furnished me, wherein are set forth the
grievances of that company against the Of
fcers Of the Nashville and Chattanooga and
Nashville and Northwestern Railroads. Ir
defence of myself and the officers of thesC
roads, / offer this reply to the structures
made in the report of the Louisville anc
Nashville Railroad Company, and to Judge
WHITyoRTH, who, in my opinion, has put
himself forward as the apologist and defender
Of that corporation against the roads in his
own county and city 4; for do not think the
report of the management of the Louisville
and Nashville Railroad justifes him in max
ing an attack on officers of other roads, with
out at least hearing what they had to say in
defence Of their policy. Deprecating news
paper controversies with any one, much les
with one of our own citizens, for whom / al
ways entertained hehighestregard, am still
inclined to think an intelligent public viii
bear me out in the opinion that this contro-
versy was forced upon me.
now give the grievances complained Of
by the Hon. JAMES GUTHRIE, President o.
the Louisville and Nashville Railroad COM
pany, and his General Superintendent, A
FINK, Esq, gentlemen who stand high in
my esteem. President GUTHRIE, on page
ten of his report uses the following Ian
guage:
The great restitution in the Southern
States, growing out of the result Of the war,
and some difficulty with the Nashville and
Chattanooga Railroad as to transfers at Nash
vile, and rates beyond Nashville, have af-
fected, disadvantageously, our Southern bust
ness. We have not been able to arrange this
satisfactorily, either as to transfers or freight
although We think it the interest Of both
roads that charges for transfers and freights
be as low as possible to all points beyond
Nashville"
This is the whole of President GUTHRIE's
illusions to our roads and managements
Now does il justify Judge WHITwoRTH's ar
ticles? President GUTHRIE gives his opin-
ion as to the manner in which certain things
should be executed. / differ with him, and
will advance my reasons for so doing.
Mr.. FINK, General Superintendent, says
in his report, pages As and AZ:
"ln the endeavor to establish satisfactory
connections at Nashville, through which
shippers would be enabled 20 send goods
through to Atlanta and points further South
with dispatch and at low rates, we have
hitherto been unsuccessful. The Nashville
and Chattanooga Railroad and the Nash
vile and Northwestern Railroad being I'M
der the same management, freight from
JOhnsonville is sent through Nashville
without break of bulk or charge for transfer,
while this Company is compelled TO pay at
the rate Of ten dollars per car load for the
use of half a mile of road between the two
depots. Thus, for example, the charge of
ten dollars per car load of corn, which is one
of the principal freights shipped South, for
passing over one-half mile of road through
Nashville, is equal to the cost of transporta-
ton over forty-three miles of the Louisville
and Nashville Railroad. 1t would lead too
far here to specify in detail the difficulties
which are now, and which very likely will
satisfactory through connections at Nash
vile; but the subject is of sufficient impor-
lance to seriously engage the attention of
the Directors and Stockholders, as we'll as
the business men of Louisville generally"
In the foregoing are all the grievances of
Mr.. FINK, as far as the officers of the Nash
vile and Chattanooga and Nashville and
Northwestern Railroads are concerned, and
may be considered only harmless piece of
i'bunkum" on the part of the Superintend-
ent Of the Louisville and Nashville Rail-
road to his Directors and Stockholders, to
excuse himself for the falling off of his bust
ness for the last six months, as compared
with the first six months of the current fs-
eal year. to the amount of Sl,0l1,762 81.
Who would not endeavor to lay the blame
On some other than himself?
As the Judge failed 10 furnish his readers
With the remainder Of Sec. SO, in the char
er of the Nashville and Northwestern Rail
Dad Company, which is similar TO the one
# the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad
company, / will do it for him, and shCw
he public what our rights are. | commence
where he left off in his quotation from the
ode. Section 3S, of an act passed January
I'd, 1852, has the following provided the
ompany shall not be compelled TO receive
aid cars on their road, unless they are con-
tructed in the same manner, and are of
quail strength with their own cars. OF this,
he Engineer of the main road shall be the
ldge. Provided that the company shall |
ct be required &c receive any cars from such |
ranches without receiving payment for at |
east twenty miles transportation. And |
III 81, IL I IL L.,
led in all respects to similar and equal |
rivileges on such branches, constructed to
mite with their road, with the same re-
RANTS"
Now it will be seen from the portion of
ur charter which the Judge did no. quote,
nat we are entitled to at least twenty miles
for such transfer, and / pro-
eed TO show that we have not violated our
harter in any particulr for any such trans
II, even at the rate of ten dollars per car.
Now, as to the facts, it is well known that
ne main trunk Of the Nashville and North
estern Railroad leads from Jacksonville to
ollege street, opposite the Louisville and
nashville Depot, and belongs exclusively to
rst named road that the Nashville and
northwestern Railroad Company alone
laintain it and paid for II; that no loaded
lrs of the Louisville and Nashvilic Rail-
BAD can pass TO the Chattanooga Depot
ithoEt passing over it; that the conn ection
etween the Nashville and Chattanooga and
and Northwestern Railroads is
wned by these two roads, and was paid for
Y them; that the Nashville and North
estern Railroad pays for the right of way
yer the ground the trestle stands on, and that
lie Louisville and Nashville Railroad never
attributed one dollar towards the building
these roads or trestles, and contributes
othing towards their maintenance, but
ant their use, as / understand it, for moth
x, and thereby, as far as they are con-
aTned, making Nashville a way station OF
bout equal importance to Fountain Head
: Rocky Ridge Station, on the Louisville
nd Nashville Railroad.
Judge WHITwoRTH, in his explanation
lblished in the Dispatch, does not, as far as
can see, throw any new light on the sub
Ct, further than 10 disclaim any intention
! his part, TO charge the officers Of the Nash
lie and Chattanooga and Northwestern
ailroads with keeping a toll-gate over one
our great thoroughfares for the use Of one
more individuals But in the first article
? says:
"The Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Is chartered rights, and if these rights are
ed to their own benefit, and the people of
! am not disposed to complain;
ID further, would not complain Of any ad-
Intage taken by them under their charter,
zen if it gave them advantage over their
,ighbors." | wish particular notice to this,
/ think facts will bear me out that | do
4 take advantaoes that I MIGHT appordin0 1