The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-26
Rittmond 0ispatth.
20, 1871.
THE CIRCULATION OF THE DISPATCH
Is LkRGNR THAN THE COMBINED CIR
CULATION OF ALL TIKI OTHER DAILY
NEWSPAPERS OF THE CITY.
FIAT JUSTITIA.
RICHMOND, FREDERICKSBURG
AND POTOMAC RAILROAD
COMPANY.

and foStered by certain parties, in the
minds of the Legislature and Of the public
generally, against the Richmond, Freder-
icksburg and Potomac Railroad Company,
makes II proper, us measure of mere JUS
tice and fair play, to inquire into the origin
and alleged causes Of that prejudice. One
OF these is the oft-repeated charge, made
without proofs, that it's tolls exceed those
OF other railroad companies, and ire op-
pressive.
| TOLLS AND FARES.
1t might be sufficient, in reply to this, TO
: refer to the tabular statements already pub
liShed, comparing the rate of tolls over this
company's road with those charged on
other roads entering this city, and showing
how much lower this company's tolls are
than those Of other companies in the State
upon the chief articles of freight trans
ported over their roads. But it may be
proper farther to remark, that the geo.
graphical position of this company's road,
extending across, instead of arith, the tide
OF produce to market, or of merchandise
to the interior, and crossing three large
naylgablc rivers, necessarily precludes it
from enjoying any large or lucrative freight
business, and would have made it not un-
reasonable if its tolls on the chief arti-
ces Of produce and of merchandise
had been higher, instead of so much lo,cer,
than they are on roads 50 much more favor
ably situated for enjoying, and which do
f actually enjoy, freight business many
times greater and more lucrative. Nor can
it lie deemed unreasonable by just and can
did men that company thus excluded by
nature from any large and profitable freight
| business should find it necessary to make
its fares for Transporting passengers some
what higher than could be afforded on roads
sustained by large and lucrative freight
business also especially if, az in the case
4 Of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Po-
+ tomac Company. additional and greater fa-
I cilties and accommodation be provided by
additional trains for the local or way travel
along its road such as are not
: afforded on those other roads. And
Iyet the fares on some Of its trains
/ livery slightly exceed the fares on those
other roads, and on none Of its trains do
: they exceed three, ,fourthS of the rates which
r its charter allows. And this, too, although
= its stockholders have received no dividends
d from their property since the war, and the
= | general railroad lap itself allows them to
charge the full rates authorized by their
charter until their dividends shall exceed
fifteen per cent. pei, annun. How unjust
and unreasonable, then, is the prejudice
and clamor against this company on this
iaccount, when so many others, charging so
much higher tolls on freights, and not so
much less on passengers, are exempt from
/ such prejudice and denunciation;
PECULIAR FRANCHISES.
Another alleged ground for this feeling
and denunciation consists Of what are call.
ed the peculiar privileges and franchises of
: this company.
, One of these, the exclusive right to trans-
Il port passengers between Washington and
: Richmond for thirty years after the compile
), ton Of this cOmpany's road, has expired
. some three years since, leaving this compa-
ny, since then, in that respect at least, with
no advantage over any other company in
the State. 1t was originally freely offered
and granted, instead Of the usual State sub
I ScrptiOn Of THREE-FIFTHs Of the stock by
. the State (who had failed to induce others.
= without some such offer, to embark in this
hazardous pioneer enterprise), in the form
Of the following solemn compact:
And arhereds the rail lroad authorized by
this act will form part of the main north
crn and southern route between the city of
\ Richmond and the city Of Washington, and
the privilege Of transporting passengers on
the same, and receiving the passage money,
will, it is believed, be strong inducement
to individuals to subscribe for stock in the
company and the General Assembly con-
siders it just aud reasonable, that those
t hereafter be deprived Of that which forms
chief lnducement to the undertaking:
"3S. Be 1T therefore enacted and de-
clared, and the General Assembly pledges
: itself to the said Company, That in the
event Of the completion of the said railroad
from the city of Richmond to the town of
y Fredericksburg within the time limited by
this act, the General Assembly will not, for
the period of thirty years from the compile.
tion of the said railroad, allow any other
: railroad to be constructed between the city
of Richmond and the city Of Washington,
, or for any portion of the said distance, the
i probable effect Of which would be to d.
1 minish the number of passengers travelling
between the one city and the other upon
the railroad authorized by this act ; or to
c compel the company, in order to retain such
passengers, to reduce the passage money!
And yet, before the expiration Of half the
time stipulated in this contract for the con-
tinuance of this franchise, the General AS
sembly of Virginia did" allow" and author
ize the construction between" "the city
of Richmond and the city of Washington -
, and especially between Hanover Junction
r and Richmond, of "other railroads." "of
which" not only "the probable effect
, would be-" but of which the actual and
necessary consequence was, "to diminish
the number of passengers travelling be-
: tween the one city and the other upon the
railroad authorized by this act, or to COM
pei the company, In order to retain such
passengers, to reduce the passage money"
And because this company sued for and re-
, covered in the courts of the Common
wealth the income which was diverted
from it by the roads created by this
latter act, and which had been guaran-
teed TO 1t by this solemn pledge and
compact Of the State, this, too, has