Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-03-16
A GARD.

To the EdNOf q W' -1f'e'"u'" '"-''"
The recont action of the Corn Ezchsnge'
relatiye to the management o. me tTahSe,
hIeys7dria snd Manassas :.Railro. d, maEeslI
naca:sarv that | should submit, on pat q INC
anfhorities Of the Company, Il wort pt e&lIa-
nation, As regards tho GLAMOUR "h'ch h"s
haen raised against ths rates imposed On III"
transnortation of freights over the railroad, ~
discriminating against the interests Of alex,
andria and the State Of Virginia, / feel "cii
assured it is without any just foundation III
fact. and is for the most part but M cclo !t"!''
the cave Of rival and competing railroad llhe:.
If such Iii; examinations really exist, how docs !
tonnen that fur GttEs Of the tonnage III the
roaad is delivered at or received from the Iity
81 Alexandris, rs the books Of the Company
show AS q practical result TINS Tact Is worth 4"
thousand resolutions and speeches. GTe!l Dear
mo The imprimnLur Of tha Corn Exchange
"A expects the charges on through iIelghts,
which are transported between points hcJohi
ia line of the road, and where Competition e.
i.ts il is we'll known that our Company CANNOT
establish the rates, but must take lrelGhi on Nc
tnrms which competing lines adopt, or lose Tie
hnsiness. Why Alexandria should d;sITc 10
Surrender the profit to the Company winch =
5arivod on this class of trans portallon. ana ash
tbet il be transferred TO the rlvs! roads OF nor
folk and Richmond from her own tai'ro&a, ~
- d;Nicult to perceive or reconcile Win reason
n,J common sense If similar resolutions lad
annanetpd from tho Corn Exchanges OF hlch-
o,ond or N Norfolk, instead OF that oil AleHaI-
dria there would have been less occasion Tor
criticism or surprise. Inc weslt':.ese iail' nMI
onrnorstions Of tho country actively solicit "lG
oonrneto for the transportation OF through
Fra;1bts Of rates much lower, relatively. lhsn
those charged on local business, ana II IS 10
norceiyed upon whist good reason the w.; a. y
81. K. R. should be deprived OF ING prIY;aGsa .
doin~ the same hing-neitherth the financial con-
ditiun of the Company, nor tho o6ligatiohS
Witch ia management owes to the stockho!ders,
would Justify any such course of solF-abncgat
. ton, to crafty tho caprice or sc!nShhess oI
partisans ct home or outside. But 80 INC lSsuo
has been made, and the attention Of the public
called TO the subject. l have, upon consultation
with nv associate directors, conc !udod to invite
a committee, selected from principal points
upon the line Of the road, and composed OF
centlemen Of unreasonable standing and in
telligencc, to meet at the Office of the Company,
in Alexandria, during tho present week, ana
examine and enquire into the matter q! dis
I eliminating rates operating to Inc INJURY o.
Il Aleyandrla end Virginia, rs charged Dy inc
resolution Of the Corn Exchange, and to report
the result of their deliberations. Ii TRIBUNAL
Tins constituted, and whose interests arc ldcntl-
!, aed with those of the terminal cities, the inter
mediate country, and the Company, md thnt
the rates imposed do not accord with equit? ana
sound policy, the management Of tho road, |
am confident, will accept the result ana cheer
fully make the proper modlfca tlon:. The plo-
nosed committee will consist of the following
names: John l.. MCDANIEL, and I. :; Fer
| UlSnn LVncDDUEp, -. L. -hasS'CI y 80 w.
Vile; K. Il. Cunningham, CuIpeper; General
Epps Hunton, Fauquier: 5. Shacklett; Kock-
inppbsm: M 3. Buck, Warren; ant William
Gregory and B. II. Lambert. AleXandrla. SUCH
a committee all must concede Will pc represent
tstive in character, the exponent Of no special
interest, or locality, free from all personelprclu!-
dice or bias. and possessed OF ample lntcIll-
gencs, experience, and patriotism, to pass IN
reyiew and dispose OF thi; veXed question OF
discriminating rstes-:he night mare oi certain
membors of the Corn Exchange. II this com,
mittee, in their wisdom, should oe able to sug-
pest any chan &c in the tariff sheet OF the C3m
pany, promotive Of the interests CT Alexandra
and of tho State, without imposing unnecessary
and increased burdens upon !oea' tFeisnEI, OF
impairing the revenues and ability of the Com
many 10 psy its large annual interest account,
and current working expenses, / shall be happy
to learn the lesson and apply tho remedy
Before concluding this communications, /
beg lcsve to notice that part 0! the preamble
adopted by the meeting Of the Corn Exchange
on the 10Th Inst. in which the belief" IS express
ed that the discriminating policy complained
of proceeds from the Influence Of y powerful
forelpn corporation'' uponihe EanAgeL enL uithe
o, 4. s. ii. r r, understood AS referring 10
the Baltimore s. Ohio K. II. In answer to this,
I can only reply that individusl1 OF the Corn
Exchange havo the rightt0 believe or not what
they please, and it is not for INC t" prescribe
| their creed On any ElO]e2l.
But if alleged Is u fact that tLe present udIn!n-
%istration of TIE company has neen controlled or
induced to adopt their rates on transportation
by the foreign corporation referred t.. / pro.
nounce the charge as grh!ultouS, Auu "ituo"I
the shallow of found alton. On the contrary !
have never heaId or perceived the slightest m
timation Of Il desire on the part Oh The auElori-
ties Of tho b. " @. Z. 4. Co. 20 interfere with
the tariff Of our road, And do not 'oeItoEo lhnt
they really know or care what rats are charged
hy This COMPANY Oh its transportation. Their
n5ein TONNAGE is TRANSPORTED III Il different GIrGc-
ton, and any interest taken in the matInr OF
TRANSPORTATION over the G., 4. 4 VI. Ii. Il. has
only beenmaniiestedbyt tn ELL rs Tar as lam aware,
when applied to for some abatement OF current
oherocs hctwcca Baltimore and Washington,
to ensble us TO compete successfully with r.
val lines and secure business to our road when
would otherwise be lost. As the connecting
road at Washington with our llne' IL Is !inpor.
tant to the interests of our c0mpsnyio cuitt,Valc
friendly relations with the b. q. 4. H., both
~ regards TRANSPORTATION Of freight: AID pas
sengers. ALL know now much difficulty and
| obstruction may be interposed where m uil'
friendly Co. holds the gateway between tile
terminus OF one road, and the Localities from
whence its valuable business Is derived. Our
Company had falt the influence OF this fact in
its Southern connections, and could not aioFGa
10 block it, pathway North. a. g practical
fact, can the g., A. ~ Nj. K: b: Co. "li1rd to
surrender the advantages Of It's location AMI al!
rail communication with Baltimore. and secure
sufficient revenue at the same time to preserve
its property from ruin? Is there q Kallroad IN
Virginia, whether 1t terminate at h!chlnohd, or
Norfolk, that has not is connecting steamers to
Baltimore. or that is not engaged in active
competition for Baltim ore frelghts?
Is it any benefit to AleXand TO SEQ this Dusl.
ness diverted through other channels? And is
it reasonable TO expect the o., s. Il NJ. L. F.to
| give up the &dvan!s<e which it possesses Of
| having the only all rail connection North from
| Virginia, for the benefit Of rival lines. whose
| business must take tho more circuitou7 route By
| water? The proposition involves no antsgonism
| with the true interests Of Alexandria. Lot hcr
! merchants take such trade IS AlcXandria has
| capacity to handle, and let the residue pass on 70
| other citios, as The laws Of supply and demand
| may require, and attract. as is dono elsewhere
over the great transportation line: OF TIE coun.
try.
| which has been evoked TO the contrary, l claim
hat the investments which Baltimore capital
| lists have made in the securities of our company
| have been essential TO save its credit, and TO
n,o;ntoin its verv cornOrate existence.