The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-12-04
The Central RAN Road Manssement-Let
ter from Superintendent Whitcomb.
OTrIcR VA. G.. r. r. COMPANY
Richmond, Nov. %. 1867.

i INC III W31t kO4Q mX0uB0m0nC-Lc'
ter from Superintendent Whitcomb.
Orr1cR Va. CIR. r. COMPANY
Richmond, Nov. %, 1867. i
NAL A. NJ. 'GARBxa, Ed. VALrnr vIna1s1Ax :
| Bear Sir, In your issue Of Nov. 90, ther
4 is an article entitled ssThe Virginia Centrs
Rail Road Management" It charges ths
the affairs of thc. Company are so managed q
to direct trade from Richmond to Baltimore
As charges directly the contrary have re
Gently been made, it would be we'll to Civ
specifications. The Company should hot dis
criminate in favor of Baltimore. I am no
aware that it does SO, and if such Is the case
the evil will be corrected at once.
! The article further charges that an "offel
which would have thrown $, 900 tons of freigh
on the road from Goshen to Richmond il
two days Cd was refused, because large
profit could be made out Of it." This refers
to an offer to pay the Rail Road Company
one and seventeenth cents per ton of 224O
pounds per mile for iron ore; the quantity
was to be about $4,000 tons per annum, and
the contract to last three years. The Offer
was declined for the reason that, not only
would the freight have afforded no profit, but
probably have entailed loss-if our expert.
ence in such matters is entitld to any credit
The Company has nosurplus capital to employ
in this way, even to enable gentlemen to sell
their property. The Company finds it difficult
to raise means to perfect its road and to increase
iteTolling stock SO as to meet its present bus.
Ness. The fact that the Railroad Company
was asked to transport the ore to Richmond
at such rates that It could be drayed to the
canal, loaded on boats and taken to the fur
mace, five miles Vest Of Richmond, as CHEAP.
y as it could be transported on the canal
from the same county to the same point on
the canal indicates one of three things-that
the Canal Company charges very extravagant
rates, that the railroad transportation is real
y cheaper, or that the price offered the Rail
Road Company was very low. tx
The Rail Road Company has contracted
with a party to transport iron ore from a
point near Waynesboro' to Richmond at rates
which are satisfactory, although greater than
the rate first mentioned, to that party, at rates
as low as iron ore is carried on the MARYLAND
railroads, according letters in the possession
OF that party, and at rates as low, / think, as
such freight can be carried over this road at
present. To be more explicit the rate will
probably cover the cost of repairs of machine
~ used-fuel, oil, the wages Of men employ
ed on the train, and other incidental expenses.
without counting ordinary repairs Of road,
depot changes, superintendent, and other
items which the company now has to pay for,
but which would not be materially increased
BY this additional tonnage. Il seems to me
that this is all that could have been expected.
The Company will make its profit, if any. on
increased travel and on increased consump-
ton Of freights which do pay profit.
If iron ore is worth in Richmond or Balti-
more as much as it is reported to sell for in
CINCINNATI and Pittsburg, these rates should
enable parties to mine at profit and shin to
either point, unless the ore beds are at a great
distance from the Railroad.
The Railroad Company has received in cur
rcncy, the past year, about four-ffths the rates
formerly received in. gold, or its equivalent
These have recently been reduced about 20
per tsnts While the sxpenseabof opsrstino are
necessarily gre ser than pseyious u 1861.
The experiI mont Il being tfied whether ! re-
agcfi0n IA rates Is Advisable, ana Il b hored
tlat Ne result viii prove thst Il Il 90. Ia!
ct time when lsadiag Iosthsrn rods find Il
necessary to advance their rates in order to
maintain their revenues, it would seem to be
good policy for this Company to be cautious
in approaching the minimum tariff. A slight
loss per ton on SO large q tonnage as this was
expected to be would be very onerous to a
company which finds it difficult to procure
means to 90 even the business it now has II,
after trial. it is found that the cost is less than
had been supposed, and that a reduction is
advisable to secure additional tonnage, 1 can
not doubt that the Directory will act with
liberality, as they ever have done.
Very respectfully, lfos
@ Your obdt serr't.
H. D. WHITCOMB, Gen. Supt.