Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-11-27

have been imposed on the through freights of
this compapy transported over the Va. and
Tenn. road, than are charged on the same
class of tonnage via Norfolk and Petersburg, and
to such an extent indeed as to regulate the
tariff OF charges on our own road ana ln eX-
cess of our local rates. 1t would be useless
tax on your time and patience to reproduce the
voluminous correspondence which has taken
place on the subject, OF to describe IN tull the
forms bv which this injustice has been perpe-
trated. Suffice it here to know that the policy
of making discriminating rates against our
trade at Lynchburg, and in favor OF that OF
the Norfolk line is rot denied on the part OF the
authorities of the Va. and Tenn. IL. Il. Co.,
but maintained in opposition to the written
protest of every railroad in interest constituting
the through line from Bristol to Knoxville,
Chattanooga, Memphis, and Nashville. These
roads have common interest with the Vlr-
ginia and Tennessee railroad IN the trade How
ring between their sections, and the great COM
mercial centres of the North, and recognize
the fact that at LyDchburg our line affords an
nnbroken communication by rail with Balti-
more Philadelphia, and New York, the
cars being able to pass through to these
cities without transhipment, or breaking bulk
On the other hand the line via Norfolk Involves
transhipment and transportation by water, and
the tax of insurance against the dangers or
the sea from Norfolk to New York. These
parties in interest arc not so blind as not to
see that two customers feeding the main stem
are more valuable than one, and especially
where one is all rail and direct, and the other
circuitous and involving the delay and cost OF
outside water transportation. The real purpose
and object of this discrimination at Lynchburg,
however it may be cloaked by other preteXts,
is to subordinate the interests OF the Virginia
I nv. 70 Oi
burg and Norfolk railroad companies and their
connecting lines of steamers to Northern cities,
To this purely special local and private end,
the large interests of the communities ofLynch-
burg and the Southwest and OF the line OF your
road in Virginia, are to be taxed and restricted
in the means and facilities of transportation to
the markets of the country. The State as
stockholder in all the roads cannot justly dis
criminate against any to subserve private and
local purposes. As question of dollars and
cents merely the interest of the State in the
stock of the Orange Alexandra and Manassas
Railroad company, represents more value, and
will bring more money in the market than the
stock held by her in the two companies from
IIynchburg to Norfolk. 1t cannot practically
concern the State whether the tonnage gong
through her territory makes the transit by Nor
folk or by Alexandria. The argument OF direct
trade and of commercial supremacy for Norfolk
does not exist out Of the imaginatons OF It's
advocates. 1t is we'll known that the bulk OF
the tonnage from Lynchburg toNorfolk is dump
ed directly from the cars which 1T ls trans
ported to the steamers plying between that
citv and Northern ports Upon what fair prin-
ciple then, should the power OF the State be
invoked to force trade via Norfolk from
Lynchburg, in exclusion OF its transportation
over the line OF this road? Has not the State
in the charter creating the Virginia and len
nessee Railroad Company, pledged its faith
that equal privileges should be enjoyed oy all
the lines connecting with that road at Lynch
burg, and did not your company upon the
faith Of this pledge extend Its road at
heavy expenditure OF cost to Lynchburg?
Is OF Alexandria a Virginia city, and are the
arre entercsts which the people OF the valley
and OF the Piedmont districts Ofthe state have
in the success of the Orange Alexandria and
Manassas Railroad to be dwarfed to promote
the selfish schemes Of Norfolk and Petersburg?
AS Virginia Company our line is equally enti-
tied to the protection of the state, with the
other, and its power should be exercised IN such
manner as to secure even handed justice to all
competing enterests. There is one other ground
upon which this policy OF consolidation and
discrimination has been rested and urged with
great zeal by its advocates through ottlclal
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cessitv of excluding the power OF the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad in its future designs to seize
the business of the Southwest and direct it
finally over it's main line to Baltimore. This
direful result it seems is to be effected through
the influence which the Baltimore Company
will exert over the line OF this railroad. AS
the first link in this chain Of speculation 1t Is
represented that the Baltimore and Ohio h. Il.
Co. already holds controlling power IN the
stock OF this Company, and controls Its policy.
But unfortunately tor this argument the baltl-
more Company does not appear as sharehol-
der on the stock books of this Company at all.
1t is true that certain parties who RESIDE IN
Baltimore do own large amount OF this Com
panys stock, but the whole amount so held IS
less than one fourth of the whole capital and
totally powerless to control the action OF the
Company. Baltimore capital may have been
invested in our stock and bonds because OF their
presumed prospective value, and the present
necessities OF our people compelling their sale
Would the Norfolk and Petersburg interest
object to similar investments III their stock /!
1t Is we'll known that Baltimore capital has
been liberaby contributed, when 1t could not
be procured in Philadelphia or New York, to
aid the reconstruction OF the Virginia railroads
Ger generally since the close of our civil war, and
the fact should be appreciated by those who
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1t has become fashionable too Of late in Ger,
tain interested quarters to refer to the line OF
this company as Baltimore road and to excite
thereby the local prejudices of the community.
That from geographical position ours is the
most direct communication by rail with Balti-
more from the interior of the State, and enti-
tied to carry the tonnage which may be for
warded is true, but it is equally true that every
leading railroad in the State, including the line
represented by President Malone, is carrier
f tor Baltimore businessi and in active competl-
ton with our line for that trade. But we
assert with confidence derived from official
statistics that Of the whole local tonnage trans
ported over our road going North, tve-slxths
is delivered at Alexandria, and only one-slxth
passes to Baltimore. Does the boasted "ar
/ Iine' of President Malone make similar con-
: tributon to the city OF Norfolk? The argu..
ment that the through business Of this road