The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-01-31

| by me for the purpose Of getting the Board
| 10 provide improved transportation between
| Weldon and Baltimore. Our cars were daily
| brought into contact with those of the Bal:i-
| more and Potomac and other roads, and
thought the comparison rather unfayorable
| TO us. 1t was also oarrange timetable. A
| most extraordinary condition of affairs had
existed previous to that time. Trains from
New York were rarely or never on time in
arriving ut Washington. In one month
(Novembcr), if my recollection is correct,
the New York train was never on
time. -Four times it was five minutes
late, and at Others from forty minutes to one
ana hllf hours late !; consequently our
trains were late in arriving in Richmond.
We tried to equalize matters by making
trains leave Washington one hour later.
After the lunch which Mr.. RaglaDd spoke of,
and when all the parties had gotten up, we
were Standing in corner of the room then
1t was, | think, that the conversation took
place. 1t was as the gentlemen were leaving
the room Mr. Ragland, as | understood,
| asked me If the Richmond, Fredericksburg
| and Potomac railroad would carry cotton to
Baltimore. lie may have said at tariff rates,
but my impression is that he mentioned twen-
ty.1ire cents per 100 pounds. Ny answer was
that we would not, hut the conversation was
hurried and so desnltory that paid no at
teution to it whatever. / did not suppose
tic question to Ec serious, and never thought
it would be made use OF until short time
before the meeting Of this committee, when
heard that il was one of Mr.. Ragland's
points. against Ine Il: refusing to make a Ia
rll. Had cotton been offered it could not
not have been carried into Baltimore, and
,,nf fi,a tor
of the Baltimore and Potomac railroad is
three miles il not more from the business
centre OF the city. The Richmond, Frede-
ricksDurg and Potomac Railroad and the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Compa-
Richmond as far buck as the 9Th of
last August. 1t was made by Mr..
Drill. freight agent of the Baltimore and
Potomac and Alexandria and Fredericks-
burg railroads, and Major Myers, supcrin-
tcndrnt of the Richmond, Fredericksburg
and Potomac railroad. In this tariff the
rates were forty cents for first cllsS, thirty
five Scents for second class, thirty cents for
THU d class. and twenty-five cents for fourth
ca,s. These were the rates between Rich
mond and Baltimore. Within ten days,
when came to examine the tariffs, found
ing this on c,lrsory examination, [ wrote
to Mr.. Drill that there WAS an error In the
classification of cotton. II is bulky, and n
car can carry only limited weight. On al!
southern roads it is placed as a high class,
or on special rate. Accordingly, with Mr.
Drills assent, the tariff Wis altered to second
cass--thirty-ii c@nis.
Mr.. Lyon: Did you haye the tariff a>
altered reprinted:
AIr. Robinson: 1t was not necessary, it
was so elsly altered wit:iapcn.
Judge CrInlp: IL WAS not distributed en-
tCn>ivcly before being altered?
Mr.. Robinson: tnnk not.
Mr.. Lyon: Is The alteration made on The
one which you hold in yCur haudi
Mr.. Robinson: 1t Is.
MIR. Lyon: When was that alteration
made!
Mr.. Robinson That WAS done since the
meeting of this committee. | brought 1t
here for exhibition. These distributed were
altered at the time Of issue, and the altered
tariffs lave been the guide and rule OF the
company ever since.
Mr. LYON: Have you the letter of Mr..
Drill with your
Mr.. Robinson: haven't it with me, but
it is at the office, and | can produce il.
Mr.. Daniel: II has been al every other
meeting of the COMMITTEES, and we will have
it here.
judge Crunp then asked whether any
other railroad in lie country was carrying
cotton as low ~ - cents for l"G mites?
Mr.. Robinson replied that probably some
roads carried il at rs low rates in competition
with extreme points; but the colton-ratc OF
the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac
railroad WIS established especially with refer
euce TO Richmond becoming Il cotton market,
and was therefore placed at II very low figure,
as will bc seen Ey Il comparison with rates of
roads south Of Richmond. Twenty-Five cents
pav siy-tcnthS OF Il cent per bale per mile.
Thirty-Iyc cents, the rate to which it was
altered, paid Hinc-tcntlls of cent per bale
per mie. The rate existing Oh the Peters
burg and Weldon railroad il two cents per
bale per mile.
judge Csumo: |: Mr. RaSiand understood
YOU to decline 10 carry the cotton at all. he
misunderstood youI
Mr. Robinson Yes, sir.
Judge Crump: Ii asked to name rate
you would have given him the established
rate?
Mr.. Robinson: / would, but 1 never be-
Iicyed it was anything but cltch-question
since ! have heard my answer was to he
brought into this investigation. At The time
I dismissed il from my mind.
Being asked about his conversation with
Mr.. Sprigg in which he is said TO have again
declined 10 make through rates, Mr.. Robin
son stated that his conversation with that
gentleman was Ike that With Mr.. Raghnd,
lesllItory, and did not command his attcn-
ton. 10 the best OF his recollection Ii took
place on the Fair Grounds ut Weldon. In re-
uly to sulne question Of MIR. Sprigg's he had
said that the Nic!lmoEd, Fredericksburg and
Potomac railroad would carry frcishtaS low
as the Seaboard and Roanoke.
Mr.. Daniel: Did You not know at the
time of both of these conversations that cot
ton could not get within three miles Of the
business part Of Baltimore If carried over
the Baltimore and Potomac railroad!
Mr.. Robin son Yes: owing to the nom
completion of the tunnel Of that road the
transportation Of freight was practical inn
possibility. The drayage was too long and
too expensive to induce merchants to ship
by this route. When this tunnel is finished,
and the traius run into the Calvert station,
and then only, is transportation Of freight
practicable.
In reply to further questions, 1Ir. Robin
son reiterated that he did not regard Mr.
Ragland'S question a. Il serions one, and that
he attached no more weight to Mr.. Sprigg's.
Mr.. Lyon here asked 4 question il relation
TO Mr.. Robirson'> lrttc.' to the General
Assembly, which, though dated December
81. 1872, WIS not laid OF the tables of the
members until the 9Th of Jaruary. Mr..