The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-02-19

FEBRUARY t9, 1919.
portation from Weldon to Petersburg the
same amount which is collected from the Bal
tirnore merchant for like transportation from
Weldon to City Point, but ii refuses to bring
to Richmond, for the accommodation OF the
Richmond merchants, produce at the same
rate per mile that it charges against the Pc
tersburg traders, extortionate as that Is. So
that it discriminates twice against the citi-
Zens Of the capital Of the State. The north
ern merchant is first in its regard, next the
people of Petersburg, and last the citizens
of Richmond. It puts the Petersburg mer-
chant under a disability SO far as the rates
charged against bimare compared with those
charged against the northern shipper. One
would suppose that this was disability enough
for the Richmond merchant. But it seems
not. It will not transport for the Petersburg
merchant at the same rate per mile as is paid
by the Baltimore merchant; and then, to add
to the injustice, as if careless about sitting
the trade of Virginia, it refuses to carry pro.
dtlce for the Richmond trader even upon the
extortionate terms paid by the Petersburg
people. We have bad experts here to eX-
plain this wonderful anomaly, acd you
witnessed the exploits of this railroad
savan. You saw his efforts to convince
you that the price which the Petersburg
railroad had to pay for service rendered to it
beyond its terminus was tax unjustly
wrung from the Petersburg Company. The
managers of the Petersburg road compel the
Petersburg merchant to pay as much for q
shorter line as the northern merchant pays
for longer line and because they cannot
appropriate the excessive charge in the last
instance as they do in the first, but are CON-
PEELED to pay that excess for fair service rem.
dered beyond their line, they call that charge
tax, and send railroad saYan before this
committee to satisfy them on that subject.
When heard him could not help thinking
of that incident in the, life of the great Ma
poleon, when, under the pyramids of Egypt,
he exclaimed, "Savans and jackasses to the
rear" ..a
Much has been said before the committee
about the
CAPABILTTY OF THIS INLAND LINE 81.
for the transportation of freight. l know
that this question is ain exceedingly difficult
one, compounded as it is of so many ele-
ments. On this subject, persons who do not
look very carefully ut all the facts are apt to
be mistaken in their conclusions. That this
| inland route, even since the two gaps ut Pc
| tersburS and Richmond have been closed by
| the liberaiity and energy Of the friends anC
supporters of the Fredericksburg road. is
not practicable for heavy freights has beer
abundantly shown before this committee. Il
is well known that the present terminus a
Baltimore is some three miles from the trade
centre Of that city. Why, then, talk abou
| ,,f, ,r ho II. H.,
road in the matter of the transportation o
freights, when even now, as my colleague
| says, no man, even in his midsummer
night madness, would dream of making thi
line subServient TO the transportation o
heavy freights.
But, MIR. Chairman, it has capacities as
passenger road, and such is its true destiny
| You may have four double-track railroad
from Weldon to Baltimore, and neither on
of them would be of any really practical us
for the transportation OF heavy freightS.
cannot be that a road 240 miles in length ca
compete in the matter of heavy freights wit
a road Of 100 miles, especially il the latter
as is the case with the Seaboard, has muc
lower grade. The laws of trade, sooner 0
later, however much you may divert ther
for awhile, will be obedient to great gee
graphical truths and facts. This inner line
passenger route, and perhaps is well enoug
| adapted to certain classes of light frcights
Passengers by this route may reach Bait
| more two or three honrs, it may be, soone
than they can by the Bay Line, and proba
bly, enough, there may he certain percent
| age, of travellers who prefer TO accomplis
| tlcir whole journey without any chang
from car to steamboat.
On the other hand, the
TRUE FUNCTION OF THE sEABoARD ROUTE
is the transportation of heavy freights. Il
that service the difference of q few hours i
matter of comparatively small moment
while difference of distance Is everything
Speaking for myself only, have no hesit;l
ton in declaring my conviction that the Sea
board line is better enabled to compete sue
ccssfuly with the inland line for the carriag
| of passengers than the interior route viii
ever be for the transportation OF heav.
freights. If the common managers of tn
Seaboard route and the Fredericksburg roat
have come to these wise conclusions both 0
the past and the present, and are pursuin!
The proper means of their accomplishment
who can Justly complain? Is not the tru
function of each thereby more properly a
well as more proftably fulfilled than if .th
respective managers OF each rushed into nj
insane competition, which would necessaril.
result in loss and injury to both without an.
real benefit to the public?
| In this view of the subject 1t Is immateria
whether the lines be competitive or not. In
force of the argument is in no manner iln
| haired, whether these two lines contron
each other in necessary opposition, or whe
| ther each one las IN appropriate but diner
ent policy. If they are enemies, a dcstruc
| tive warfare is fatal to both. If they ar
| friends harmony and concert are their tru
duties, if the public are not injured by thel
co0peration. But l do maintain that the Sea
bolrd route is peculiarly adapted to th
TRANSPORTATION of our great southern staples
as well as of all heavy freights that are boun.
northward, while to certain extent, thoug
certainly in a lesser degree, the inward lin
NAV have an advantage in the carriage of pas
sengers and light freights. Is it the rart o
wisdom to give play to these respective nd
yantases or to obstruct them!
| Standing here in my place before this com
mittee to-day, ! declare as the conviction Q
my private judgment-unWarped, nope
by the relation of counsel to the Frederick'
burg Company-a conviction when nav
held for years. that the prosperity ana USE
fulness of the Fredericksburg road depen
upon its maintenance of friendly and hal
monious relations with the Seaboard route
that lust IS you cement the bonds OF connet
ton between them do you increase the avail
ability of each; and that the maximum
strength and efficiency to both is attalne
when wise, sagacious, and homes
head controls both. l may be i
error. / make the statement as th
result of my calm and conscientiou
conviction. Upon that plan alone, unles
the elements Of the problem vary very muc
from the present, can the Fredericksbur
| road be made profitable to its stockholder