Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-28
II ui0a aud dispatch.
MOBILE AND OHIO RAILROAD.

Its Sinking Conditional Further In
sight into its TrOubles-SPeeuIati
Stockholders Charged With Using IL
so Their Private AdVanfaGe-rhe
BOndhoIders Urged 30 Interfere
System of DamaabIe Freud aud Cor
ruptiOn Alleged
Abram Murdoch, who succeeded Milton
Brown in the Presidency Of the Mobile
and Ohio railroad, and under whose man
agement the road has got into its present
difficulties, is a resident Of Columbus, Mis-
sissippi-a merchants planter, and we
believe manufacturer in small way.
The Columbus Inder, paper published at
his home, on the 24ih inst. presents allega-
tions Of fraud and corruption in the man
agement of the road, which go far beyond
question Of few months arrears in the
pay Of laborers, and indicate condition
that involves the entire interests Of the
company. The Iader says:
We think it may be confidently predicted
that the affairs Of the Mobile and Ohio
Railroad Company are rapidly approaching
a crisis, and that in all probability the
road will pass into the hands of the foreign
and domestic bondholders before the close
of the year.
1t is the general belief that the principal
stockholders, having no hope of paying off
the Indebtedness of the road, and that its
falling into the hands of the bondholders
being but question of tine, are deter
mined to use it in the interval for the
81 r -. -. e.
speculative purposes. We have no doubt
whatever that this impression is correct.
There is no denying that the road is, and
has been for some months past, con-
Quoted in utter disregard of the clearest
rights and interests of the people from
whom it principally derives It's support.
The rates of fare and freight are far be-
yond all reason, and cannot be justified by
the necessities of the road. A sound policy
would seem to dictate reduction in prices
at least to the standard adopted by other
roads in the South, and TO secure the con-
fdence of the public by a proper regard
to the interests of those who patronize it.
But few accommodations are shown to ship
pers, and the company positively refuse TO
pay any losses of freight that may occur by
theft or negligence while being transported
over the road.
Besides this, the employees are them
selves treated with great injustice They
have not been paid off for months, and we
have it from good authority, that this
needy class have been made to suffer
seriously by the internal spirit of specnla-
ton that seems to have taken possession of
all who control the affairs of the company.
The current expenses of the road are very
large, and the wants of creditors afford a
splendid chance for speculation to those
behind the scenes" and they have not
been slow to take advantage of the oppor-
tunity. This may account for the milk
in the cocoanut," and afford a solution
of the cruel policy that denies to the needy
employee his just reward for his arduous
labors.
Ii is pretended that the road has no
money with which to pay its current ex-
penses. Then where do the earnings Of
the road go No important debt, foreign
OF domestic has been paid, unless it be the
Tennessee interest, and that has been paid
but recently, II Il ali. Naihlnz elee az any
importance has been Iiqnidated, and there
can be no honest excuse for this refusal to
pay of promptly the current expenses.
If this road we're under the control of
wise and good men, our people would nat
urally oppose its passing into foreign
hands. But under present circumstances
we honestly believe such change would
be highly beneficial to the public at large,
and would be cordially acquiesced in. The
wants of the people demand cheap trans
portation. Impoverished by the war, they
were never SO unprepared to bear the
heavy burdens which an inscriptions and
selfish body of men have been permitted to
saddle upon them, and they will rejoice to
have those burdens removed. Their ener-
gies have been cramped and their prospects
blighted as much by the rascality and ra-
pacity of the Mobile and Ohio railroad
robbers, as by the unsettled condition of
political affairs.