The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-03-18
Il PROSPEROUS RAILROAD.

Superintendent Dodamead Explains
the Detention Of Frefghts on the
Greenville and Columbia Railroad
An Uuexampled Increase of Freight
Business.
We find in The Columbia Caroliniau the fol-
loving gratifying explanatory letter from Sa-
perintendent Dodamead, of the Greenville and
Columbia Railroad:
Inotice you state 10 yonr paper of to-day
that ''seIious complaints are made TO you oy
merchants on the line OF the Greenvlie Rail-
road OF the intolerabls detenlion oil lreigets."
While do not perceive how making COM
plants 10 you can benefit them IN getting
their treighls forward, yet l deem IL proper, ln
Justice to this road and It's officers, to say lhet
while there has been considerable detention
of treights at Columbia destined Tor points on
the line of this road, 1t has been unavoidable,
and arises from the great incrase In the
freight business OF the road, unex-
pected and uDexampled In lts history,
and totally beyond the capacity OF its mo.
tive power and rolling stocks. On inquiry of
the officers OF this company, who will at all
times cheerfully furnish information, those
making these complaints would have oeen
convinced that In many Instances the most
serious detention has been before The frelghts
have reached this road and from the same
of affairs being general throughout the coun.
lry during the past winter, viz: an increase OF
fresghts above the capacity OF the railroad
lines to move promptly. Only yesterday
gentleman exhibited at our office bills OF
fading for some Ave car loads Of freight dated
lsts6n January, and early In February, lWo OF
which had Just arrived, and were sent forward
promptly tor him this morning. This company
has had It's own supplies OF oils, DC, slx weeks
on the way from Cincinnati after date OF bills OF
ladlng. Trains Cd this road have been kept
moving day and night, double crews Tor The
engines andGtrains employed, so as to keep
them moving all the time, ana every exertion
used on the part of the officers TO expedite
transportation. The fact OF what has been
and is now doing on this road In this respect
can be sscertained by the parties Interested
BY visit to the transportation ohces oil thls
company at Columbia, at any lime between
six O'Clock A. N. and twelve o'clock midnight.
to-day received o letter from an officer OF
the connecting road, whose headquarters are
some four hundred miles from Columbia. In
which he informed me That he himself, ana
his men In the freight department, had only
he'd six hours sleep the previous week.
The Greenville and Columbia Road has
made application Ia all quarters where 1t was
thought It might be likely we could buy or
rent additional engines, and have rented ssVe-
raj. At the same time We have had appllca-
H~~~S
similarly situated with ourselves. We have
also endeavored 10 procure additional new To-
comolives fromall the different builders To the
country, and the earliest date aC which any
deliveries could be secured ls IN the
month of September next. We think
that this plain statement of facts should
satisfy all concerned that while 1t Is to
be regretted that delays as TO the trans
portation of freight have occurred. 1t has
been unavoidable, and not the result of want
OF energy and industry on the part of the OIL
Gers OF the various railroads, and at least not
Of this one. There Is no merchant on the
line Of the Grsenvllle Railroad who has Deen
engaged In business upon 1t for any consider.
able length OF time who is Aot cognizant OF
the great and unexpected increase Of the
business over 1t, and Ii he has given himself
the trouble to look into 1t, OF the truth OF all
herein stated as regards this road.
Yours, very respectfully,
THOMAS DoDAMEAD,
General superintendent.