The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-02-02
8ittutond 1ispattlr.
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY ., 1871.
THE CIRCULATION OF THE DISPATCH
IS LARGER THAN THE CONFINED CIR
CULATIoE OF ALL THE OTHER DAILY
NEWSPAPERS OF THE CITY.
Communicated ]
HE EFFECT.

FAST-FREIGuT LINES were introduced on
the Pennsylvania road in 1863. They were
urged by the President of the company as
4 necessity, to enable the road to compete
with the New York and Erie and the New
York Central roads. He stated that the
principle ecas arrong, and that the measure
was only used as the earliest means OF put
ting down similar organizations upon the
part of other companies.
But, although the principle was
wrong" it was found to be profitable to
! somebody, and the Pennsylvania company
, continues to this day to parpctratc the
! wrong, notwithstanding an effort on the
part of its competitors to abolish it. Mr..
| Scott, the Vice president Of the Pennsyl-
vania company, alone opposing the pro-
/ position (Which required an unanimous
votc), and killing it by negative vote.
! 1t is now the "scttled policy" Of the
; Pennsylvania railroad to interposc these
/ transportation companies between itself
and individual shippers, thus compelling
them to pay Il rate which, it is plain, must
afford profit to both the road and the
! transportation company.
| 1t is undoubtedly the " settled policy"
of the Pennsylvania company to introduce
this system of eXtortion upon all roads con-
trollcd by them, and the "principlc,7
though rroug, will govern them here, as it
does now in the West and North. For,
SAYS their Nicc-President, "thc results
from these lines haze gircn rs better rates
than re get from individuals on similar
trGfic.'
! The wrong was profitable to somebody,
aud the proposition to abandon the system
; was voted down by the Pennsylvania COM
pany, Notwithstanding it was believed by
some to be " contrary to the best interests
! of the public, and contrary to the interests
! Of the stockholders, lnrOlrtng unnecessarily
tie payment Of these extra agents, and also
q ycry large amount to pay the heary diri-
drnAs arhich these transportation companies
are earning, all Of rhich as taken either
from the stockholders or the conlnaunity.'
1t is not the "policy' of the Pcnnsylva-
niu company to allow any traffic within its
grasp to he carried by any other line, nor to
find shipping at any other harbor than
Philadelphia, and we shall see our hopes OF
building up Virginia cities on our Scaboard
vanish like the baSclcss fabric Of vision''
when that road shall have secured to Itself
a highway through our State.
The steamship lines of Richmond and
Norfolk will no longer be fed by the full
cars Of the Virginia roads, and the splendid
steamship now being conslructcdat the poIt
of Richmond may as well be launched from
the top of the AlleghlnoS rs upon the
waters of james river.
\ dealt, blow TO the prosperity Of Rich
mond and Petersburg and the scahoard
cities OF Virginia will lie struck; and the
waving of the grass over Virginia railroads
will tell Of the folly Of placing our dcal est
Interests at the mercy Of the "wi>c, cXpe-
ricnced," and graSpng Pennsylvania COM
! panv. whose " settled policy" it Is to per-
pctratc any number of wrongs, provided
they are profitable to Philadelphia, and to
= the UNION AND EMPIRE TRANS
PuRTATION COMPANIES.
| The competition between Philadelphia
on the one hand, and New York and Balii-
more, on the other, impcs the Pennsylvania
company to secure this highway of ours.
Their sole use of it will be in the interest
! Of Philadelphia. That is their L" settled
policy"