The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-02-07

that cotton on all southern roads on account
of it's bulk was placed in q very high class,
but generally made special; and with MIR.
Drills assent the tariff was altered to second
class, 35 cents.
Mr. Lyon: Was it reprinted?
Mr.. Robinson It was hardly necessary TO
reprint an entire tariff for what could be SO
easily altered with pen. a tariff is a very
expensive thing to print. It was not re-
printed.
Judge Crump: Had it been distributed ex-
tensively before it was altered?
Mir. Robinson: think not, sir.
Mr.. Lyon: Is the alteration on that one
you have there?
. Mr.. Robinson: The alteration Is on all Of
those which are in the company's service.a
Mr. Lyon: When was the alteration made
on that one?
Mr. Robinson: That was done sometime
during the meetings of this committee.
Sir. Daniel: When were the tariffs dis
tributed to the agents Of the company
|alteredp
MIR. Robinson: At the time Of issue.
Mr.. Daniel: Which was within ten or
twelve days after that tariff was printed.
Dir. Robinson: Yes, sir. ~as
Judge Crump: The tariff with the corrected
latCS, ll.adC "lluih bSn 0as5 tutcI IL Msfo
printed, has been the guide and rule for
every officer connected with your. company
ever since? .s ~ =:
| Mr.. Robinson: Certainly. c<
Dir. Daniel: Was it equally so with the
Baltimore and Potomac an6 Alexandria and
Fredericksburg railroads? >2re .H,9
| Mr. Robinson: Certainly. 4s &; ase
Mr.. Daniel: Those altered tariffs were dis
| tribrted all along the route
Mr.. Robinson: presume MIR. Drill did
so; he was aware of the fact. 81
Mr. Lyon: Is your letter to Mr.. Drill
here? ., ;.,r,.,g.
Mr.. Robinson / have had it here at every
meeting of the committee except this.
| Judge Crump: You have stated an Incl!
dental error upon the part of these gentle
men. Is there any railroad in the United
States that carries cotton at such rate as
twenty-five cents per hundred for 15G
miles?
MIR. Robinson: think 1t Is very probable
that roads carry cotton at as low rate as
that in competition between extreme points;
but the cotton rate on the Fredericksburg
road, which was established with reference
to the probability of Richmond becoming
cotton market, was placed very low, indeed,
as will be seen by contrast with the rates Of
the roads south of Richmond. The rate Of
IS cents would have paid the Richmond,
Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad six.
tenths of cent per bale per mile the rate
of 81 cents would have paid but nine-tenths.
The rate as existing upon the tariffs of the
Petersburg and Weldon road is cents per
bale per mile.
Judge CruInp: Then the application to
you TO carry cotton at six-tenths of cent per
bale per mile was made by road which was
then carrying cotton at two cents per bale
per mile.
Mr. Robinson Yes, sir.
Judge Crump: You say that If Mr.. Rag.
land understood that you meant to decline
to fix the rate Of st thrty-tiye cents ii
was an entire error upon his part -
Mr.. Lyon: have not understood him u
say So.
Judge Crump repeated his question, to
whichsMr. Robinson answered, Certainly.
Judge Crump: And If then and there he
had asked you what your rate upon cotton
was you would have given him an an
swer establishing rate between you and
him?
Mr.. Robinson: Yes, sir, would but /
huve never believed that this was anything
but catch question, for dismissed it from
my mind at the time, and have taxed my
memory ever since understood that this
very desutory conversation was to be made
the basis Of this investigation.
Dir. Daniel: understand you to say that
your understanding of Dir. Ragland's inquiry
was whether you would carry cotton accord
ing to the printed tariff, which, uncorrected,
gave you G-10 of cent per bale per mile9
Mr.. Robinson: Yes, sir.
Mr.. Daniel: And that that conversation
which has been fixed by other evidence was
on the 2lst November, and rs early as about
the middle of August you had corrected the
tariff by correspondence with Dir. Drill9
Mr.. Robinson: Yes, sir.
Judge Crump: Will you be good enough
to tell the committee what conversation took
place between yollrselfand MIR. Sprigg about
which he testified?
Mr.. Robinson 1t IS very difficult to rccol.
lcct conversation as cursory as that. Ii
was, think, on the Fair Grounds Mt Wei
don, when to some question of Mr.. Sprigg l
replied that the Richmond, Fredericksburg
and Potomac road would certainly carry
freight as low as the Seaboard and Roanoke
road.
Dir. Daniel: understand you to say that
at the time both of these conversations oc-
CURED, aud up to the present date, cotton
transported over your road could not get
within three or four miles Of the business
portion Of Baltimore.
Mr.. Robinson: do, sir. The condition
of afiairs as they exist at present, owing to
the non-completion Of the tunnel on the Bal
timore and Potomac road, in the city of Bal
timore, renders the transportation Of freight
to Baltimore practically impossible, for the
drayage is too long and too expensive to in.
duce merchants to haul from the temporary
station. When that tunnel is finished the
trains can be run into the Calvert station, and
then only will transportation of freights be
really practicable. This tariff has been used
only 10 the carriage of live stock, which is
driven to this station on the edge Of Baln-
more and loaded at that point.
Mr. Daniel: You gay you really attached
very little importance to either of these con-
yersations. Did the fact of the practical ina-
possibility of seuAipg such freights profta-
bly over this line have any influence upon
your mind in thinking it was hardly prae.
tical question:
Mr. Robinson: I Regarded the question as
having no special meaning whatever, for In
the case of Mr.. Ragland's question, had be
asked me further, be would have learned, Il
he did not already know, that the Baltimore
: and Potomac railroad was not completed ex'
cept to the edge of the tunnel; and in the
case of Mr.. sprigg at Weldon it was mere
! conversation in the midst Of . great many
other subjects. There was no serious re,
, quest to make any tariffs whatever. ] did
: not regard it as such, nor would 1t ever have
occurred to me again in connection with any
disposition on tile part Of that company To
make rates unless l had found that It was
intended to be introduced as testimony here
!, Mr.. Lyon: Your circular Is dated 2Afh
Decemher Il Ia II matter OF fact that II Wae