Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-10-08
North Carolina Railroad.
PRESIDENTS OFFICE N. G. r. e. Co.
COMPANY SHOPS, n. c.,
October I'd, 1869.

Editors Wilmington Journal
GENTLEMEN It is not that am so much
influenced by your invitation of discussing
the management of our Railroads, and for
the purpose Of picking flaws in the man
agement of other Roads, as it is to be COR
reetly represented and to defend this road
from unwarranted assertions that beg
leave to reply to the article in your paper
of the Doth ult., in which, to say the least,
you do us inlastice by doing yourself what
you enormously accuse me of doing that
is, drawing a comparison between the Viii
mington and Weldon Railroad through and
our local tariff.
/ deem it only necessary to state facts to
refute your assertions that am prejudiced
against Eastern North Carolina, and more
especially the city of Wilmington.
But, Messrs. Editors, I don't know that
can blame you so much for saying so.
You know " a drowning man will catch at
a straw" and besides it's so very pleasant
to be sympathised with.
But to state the facts In July 1868, in
taking charge of the North Carolina Rail
road, soon found we were operating I'M
der tariffs transporting freights from points
on this and G. @. & A. Railroad to
points north ola Raleigh and Portsmouth,
and via Goldsboro' and Portsmouth,
for the same through charge and the
North Carolina Railroads proportion was
identically the same Uia Goldsboro' as Ella
Raleigh, distance nevertheless of forty
eight miles further. The route of the
freights being optional with the shipper
it therefore being left to shippers to say
whether the North Carolina Railroad
should transport their freights forty-eight
miles for nothing or not, At this time the
freights were about equally divided-about
one-half going U1a Goldsboro' and one half
ria Raleigh. Believing it to be but just
and fair that, for extra work and expense,
that We should have extra pay, we SO ar
ranged our Taritfs-not lowering them Ella
Raleigh, but increasing 0ia Goldsboro'. -
And just here, Messrs. Editors, comes ''the
tug of war ;" from that moment tho North
Carolina Railroad ceased to be O great
Railroad. Just on this point is the origin
Of all this complaint, and of your supposed
prejudice that I have for Eastern North
ShAO4AAAo ss4A WIG OAUJ VI " 1OE
previous to this nothing of the kind ex-
listed, and since then it has all originated.
Now, if any one can legitimately prove
why we should not receive more for trans
porting freights two hundred and twenty
three miles than we receive for transport
ing the same articles one hundred and
seventy-fve miles and if it can be proven
that it cost no more, then we will willingly
acknowledge that we erred in increasing
our Tariff on freights ola Goldsboro', and
until then we will not acknowledge it,
For, since by our last Annual Report, it |
is shown that we received and sent out via |
Raleigh and Goldsboro' thirty.nine thou
sand two hundred and eighty-six tons
through freight-thirteen thousand one
hundred and ninety-eight tons went Ola
Goldsboro', five thousand six hundred and |
eighty of which went Uia Portsmouth, |
the remainder ola Wilmington and |
the Atlantic and North Carolina Rail |
road, on all of which from or to points
west of Raleigh, we justly received an in
creased rate-tWenty-six thousand and