Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-02-15
BALTIMORE AND OHIO RAILROAD.
MI e ting Of the Directors.
SPEECH OF PRESIDENT GARRETT.

The regular monthly meeting of the Directors o
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company was held
at Camden Station yesterday-J. W. Garrett Esq
| President. presiding.
| The attendance of members was unusually full
Full reports were made by the Master of Machinery
embracing the statement of the Master Mechanic al
| Mount Glare, regarding the withdrawal in a body
| of some 200 machinists from the service of the
! Company at Mount Clare. This action occurred
without any memorial being presented to the Master
of Machinery, or the Board in reference to any de-
mands or grievances, and based upon a require
ment of addition tn the rates heretofore maid Inv
| the Company which had been by an allowance of 2=
per cent. advance for night work. and 50 per ceut
| advance for Sunday work.
1t further stated that the business of the Conn
p8ny mad largely decreased has been the case with
railroads generally during the winter and that the
Company having large surplus of machinery, had
continued these nachinists in their employment far
beyond the necessities of the service for the purpose
OF i9rnlshng them employment in winter, in pursuit
OF the usual liberal policy Of the Company to its
| ployees The Master of Machinery also stated that
the company could use adyantageousIy but a s1na
portion OF the number of machinists who have been
| heretofore employed.
After full discussion of the subject, the Board, by
nearly unanimous vote, adopted the following nre-
amble and resolutions, which had been Recommended
| by the unanimous action Of the Committee on Trans
pOrtatIOn, viz:
| Whereas, the Board has considered fully the re-
ports ade by ITS proper officers of the circumstances
OF the recent strike at Mount Clare in the machinery
| department.
| And ochereas. the pay and compensation allowed
to the men IN this branch of the service of the Com
pany at Mount Clare Is fully equal 10 that allowed
oy the Northern Central Railroad Company at their
machine shops IN Baltimore, and the same rules re-
Eardng allowances Ter extra time have been in salts
factory operation in the service for than 20 years
ana 1rhereas, no memorial, showing the reasons
why different rule of compensation should be here
apphe! or ASKING any change in the mode of COM
pensatlon, had been exhibited to this Board when
the SAID occurrences took place. although the Board
has been always ready to consider in Just eouit-
kindly
in its employ.
And e7hereas, under such circumstances, refusal
70 90 duty can have no moral justification, while at
inc same time 1t may endanger the well being of the
whole service:
Therefore, be 1t resooed That this Board approves
iuy the conduct of John G. Davis its Master of Ma
chinery and of Edward BosIey, its Master Mechanic
at Mount Glare. in the premises
Resol0ed, further, That this Board recognizes with
great pleasure, the fidelity and zeal of the men and
apprentices who remained at their post of duty.
A communication from the machiniSts who had
LETT the service of the Company was presented by
member OF the Board and referred to the Committee
on Transportation.
The President stated that the surveys for the route
from Point of Rocks via Bladensburg, to Washing
ton. had been completed, by which saving of dis
lance (as compared by the route via Relay House,
of forty six miles could be effected and also that the
location of the line from Point of Rocks directly
INTO the city Of Washington, in the vicinity of the
present station OF the Company. nearly perfect
ed and that by thistime, the distance would be but
to-ty-two miles, thus securing reduction of the dis
lance from the west and all intermediate points, Of
forty nine miles.
He, added that the Mayor of Washington had pro-
posed on behalf of that city to obtain the necessary
legislation, and make satisfactory arrangements, so
as TO secure to that city the latter route.
The committee on construction recommended the
acceptance O proposal for portion of the heaviest
work on the Metropolitan Branch Road. The engi-
neer by the unanimous action of the Board, was au-
thorZed to close the contract for this difficult part of
the line upon Summit Cut through PARIS Ridge SO
that the work OF this important enterprise viii be i'm
medlatey commenced.
The supplement to the charter of the Baltimore and
OF lp
Legislature of Maryland giving it power to alter the
location of its reads for the purpose of Strengthening
and improving the line between Camden Station, in
the City OF baltimore, and the western boundary of
the State of MARYLAND, was submitted to the board
and accepted. resolution was also adopted re-
queStnG the President to such examination of
the line TO be made, as would show where the loca-
ton OF the same can be altered advantageously,
70 dispense with unnecessary curves, and that such
work and alterations are authorized by the act be
progressed with as rapidly as may be deemed neces
sary.
Under this action is designed to proceed prompt
ly in improving the line in the vicinity of Baltimore
and at other points on the road.
Communications were presented from the leading
steamship company upon the European continent
(North German Lloyd in relation to the establish
ment of line of first class steamships to run betwixt
Bremen and Baltimore; which communications were
referred to the Committee of Finance with the object
the establishment of the line.
The regular business being through the President
addressed the Board as follows:
GerLemea:-The Board will remember, that in his
annual message of January 3d. 1865, to the City Coun
ellis, the Mayor of Baltimore made an elaborate as
Sauit upon the policy and management of the Bati-
more and Ohio Railroad Company. His statements
then made were so contrary to fact and bis assertions
reckless, that it was deemed proper that yolr COM
mttee of Finance should be instructed to consider
sage which related to the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road Company, its past and present management, its
relations TO the city of Baltimore and to the works
otinternal Improvement referred to in said message.
You will remember that the committee then com
posed posed q thG foli&9wlng low genfemen namely: Me5srs
Dunlop, ). w. Smith, j. ). Nicholas KObt Turner,
John S. Sellman, W. W. Watkins and JOS Shriver,
made unanimous report, most carefully thorough
ly and accurately reviewing all the allegations and
statements Of the Mayor. proving concuSively their
injustice, their error and their direct conflict with
That report was published in pamphlet form, and
largely circulated It's incOutrovertible statements
dSsipated all effects of the mis-statcments of the
just action of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
pany, upon the various subjects in connection with
which the Mayor had attacked the Company. Under
such circumstances, it is not little surprising that
the Mayor, whilst failing to renew many of the asser-
tlons made IN that message, should have again pro-
nounced IN his message to the Councils of the 18th
the past MONTH another elaborate assault upon the
Company.
His statements upon the subjects he presents are
apparently designed mainly to create prejudice
munty to involve itself in millions of expenditure
in building practically parallel line of road to the
city of Cumberland. Whilst his errors and mis-
statements are SO gross and so palpabe that those
who have the slightest knowledge of the subjects
Of which he treats, perceive his absurditieS yet as
be a grave official paper and rs failure to call the
attention of those who have not the leisure to exam
inc or anayze his statements might lead to the in
yolvement OF the tax payers OF Baltimore in most
severe and damaging obligations, it again becomes
duty to review those statements and expose those
misrepresentation.
1t is also proper to supply omissions of the most
important character, of which the Mayor has again
been guilty in failing to present in his annual mes
sage those great financial facts involved in the rela
tions of the city Of Baltimore, and its taxpayers
with the Baltimore and Ohio Road, which are essen
he tli,,cr nft
involved.
The Mayor calls attention to the fact that the city
holds three and half millions of stock in the Balti
more and Ohio Road. He has failed, however to in
form the tax payers that the city has received during
the past twelve months, two semi annual dividends
Of per cent each, the Government tax of per cent
having also been paid upon these dividends by the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, and that
thus $50 600 were again, during the past year.
trbuted bv this Company for the relief of the tax
payers Of Baltim0re. He states that she he city
also holds five millions loaned this Company in 1881.
1t is known to you that half a million Of this loan
was retained as a sinking fund-the Company having
received but four millions and half; and we have
paid the interest this loan, and that the Company
having paid the interest the entire five millions
that sinking fund has already accumulated to S97S
059l4; that the loan now, instead of being five mil
lions, is practically reduced to S402l ,9iOS6 Under
the system thus arranged tho entire debt of principal
and interest of this five million loan will be paid
prior to the maturity of the principal by the Balti
more and Ohio Company.
The Mayor alleges that the city authorities Tex
acted, as principal condition on which this loan
was granted, that Il double track should be made
from the coal fields of Cumberland to Baltimore, in
IS months from the date of the loan. What are the
facts? President Harrison stated the requirements
of the Company, for proposed work and payment Of
the debt, at the period of the loan, to be 81 1922
1t will be noted that the Company received but nomi
nally four and half millions from this five million
loan, and having paid discount the negotiations Of
the city stock (Sl 10, the Let amount actually
received was but 81 i,326, 1880.
The committee of finance presen the facts show-
ing that against this receipt the Company had actu-
ally expended in the payment of then existing debt
for second track, real estate. arching tunnels etc
SSS1 $40 Oo, thus showing an excess ofexnendture
from the earnings of the C0mnauy on the very OBJ
jectS named by President Harrison of 81 555 ll6l6
over the amount realized by the Company from the
loan of the city and thus demonstrating the good
faith of the CompanyS appropriation of the entire
loan" The Mayor mistaken in his allegation that
the condition stated was ''exacted" by the city No
such condition appears in the ordinance. and the
only reference to the double track is in the title of
that ordinance. No contract or engagement what
ever made in relation to its use nor did the
to of the objects named in the title of the ordi
nance"
1t will be remembered that such was the state nF
the money market that 1t was impossible to- :.
the city loan, except at great saorif- negotate
tracted period. ,ce' 1or a very pro-
and - ~spondence betwixt the city authorities
- :, .ne company an important point upon which
a. Ina{ tme much stress was laid by the city, was
Suetner the Company could pay out of the earnings
VI the road, dividends to the stockholders to the
amount OF per cent before or after the desired aid
was granted The suferings of the Taxpayers when
Ine company tailed to q reysnue unOn the