The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-02-20
ErERrARY 18th. 1873.

FEBRUARY 18th. 1873.
The committee met at 10 O'Clock in the
morning, Colonrl Taylor presiding, and
Judge Uud resumed his argument.
Mr. Chairman and Gcnl.mcn of tho Com
mittCr. In the conclusion OF the remarks
which bad the honor OF addressing to the
committee al is last sitting | cndcavored 10
show that the City Point route was the ma
iufal and profitable outlet to the Petersburg
road. and that even if another railroad, orany
u,nu!,cr If them, were constructed between
Petersburg and Baltimore, heavy frcights
wpt!id not hc sent by such route; that il
would bc a loss 10 the Petersburg road itself;
i.r, ly The City FONT route. if the Peters.
tllIg ro.d should b" projected to that point,
Il W"ud receive $l.l2 per bale, while IN tho
rIian.,lncul Of an ail-lail line TO Baltimore
il w"uid receive only rs cents, such being
ia, proportion Of it, 81 miles and that it
w.,- a>kln. too much even Of our crcduiiy
"a bailey, That The Petersburg Railroad
authorities really seriously contemplated
The adoption Of a route by which their
IrrriIt> upon the same amount Gf
lrrt> would h" diminished onc-halr. Dut
wlrn W. ur%r such views ;l> these we arc
!u,i hy thr aycrncnt that at City Point, as
we'd ~ al Richmond and in York river, Mr.
Robinson stands with tuurnqlct in haud.
II j. NOR" difficult to sustain charges than TO
m3k"l lhcIn. Even if Mr.. Robinson has un-
limited power al City Point, which we siren.
uourly deny, yet if lie does not exercise it to
tie driv!nirut ul the Petersburg road there
l. nn real ground Of complaint. 1t is said
HAT MIR. Robinson is Il director in the Pow
t.g',t tn ul,1 | !
taniy dee, moi follow hcca,Sc hu is one Of
s,vrrit directors that h" therefore controls
the ljl1us ot that company. We have his
own uncuntradirtCd statement that he has
iUl little or nu attention 10 The affairs of
that company, and has not attended a meet
my "t the directory III six months. The in-
i"ntionS of people are 10 bc gathered from
their acts. If Mr.. Robinson has applied
The ioUrniquci, when, where, and under
what circumstances was it done When
sensible gentlemen are addressed, it
l. not sufficient to say that the
t"urniIht has been applied because Mr..
Robinson i>a director. That might do in a
popular haianGuc at Fredericksburg or else
where, but not in this presence. 1t is in proof
before tins committee that the cost of trans
p"!iltion hy the Powlatan Steamboat Liuc
from City Point to Baltimore is the same as
that from Portsmouth to Baltimore, although
u" Portsmouth route, controlled by Mr..
Robinson. has the advantage Of some fifty
mics. We find this state of facts, even
though Mr.. Robinson is president of one of
The routes and Il director in the other. Tie
truth Is that Mr.. Robinson. instead of insist
ing upon the natural advantage Of his route,
- found TO acquicScc in the rule Of equality.
l. is also fact well worthy Of being rcmem-
h"r"d that before the days of the Robinson
dyiGtsty," a> it is termed, the cost Of trans
ior!alnn from City Point to Baltimore was
higher than that from Portsmouth TO Balti-
more. 1t seems that the to,irniuuet has
worked TO the advantage of the Petersburg
road.
Mr.. Robinson. in his circular 10 thc Lcgis-
laturc, in responding to the charges made
r1aInst him and the Fredericksburg road,
declared that they were vague and unccr-
tain. Are they any less SO now, after Mr.
liN=land lis had the opportunity of present.
ln- any proofs he might have to sustain
them: did suppose, when these vague and
Urt"raln charges were subjected to the
scrutiny Of sensible and slgacious men, that
the! would be supported by something else
lnan
lEGs.
Without intending any persona! imputation
upon lhc gentleman | cannot refrain from
SAYING That such course is tritiing with the
committee. ask the committee il this lan-
E"i-c Is not justified hy the fact that Mr..
LYON has charged Mr.. Robinson with mn.
IMi'Ui'tlnS against him 1T City Point, when
Tie proof shows beyond Il peradyent,tre
l,np ft.,n Il
SilIr rates at City Point that Mr.. Robinson
hi> AT Portsmouth? l say that all this is
IEI>c ciam"r-rrt and parcel Of the same
''iH hdN h>>atcd the ears of the good PEOPLE
81 tin, Commonwealth tor many years past
VITA respect TO the Fredericksburg road aud
IL lmtiugcrs.
Mr.. ltayiand first came before the Legisl,-
'Wra> All individual, and then as president
"i The Petersburg road, asking the privilege
~ making line of road which would cost
over = ',"dc,oO0. And vet the parties who
an 'h!H privilege, and who of course by ma
h'lE the application certify their ability to
'"">Elhnatc II, ale constantly complaining
u"W The cXactions of the ten.mile road FROM
'''rf>hurG TO City Point, and of the "taX"
Enros"d Oh them 10y the little steamboat that
iL1dl> the AppomattoX. They represent
sNrndiiure Of S25o,0O0 they could reach, by
''INr"ad of their own, City Point, or ut the
,'>' "i some S25, 900 purchase an Appomat-
WV steamer OF their own, and thus have the
!" III "i the most profitable route, and be
90 10" same lime relieved of the so-caIled
,'A'> OF which they complain so loudly.
an hrrayng these facts, Mr.. Chairman, !
I'' '''r PURPOSE Of showing that there never ,
Wv, ','> 'ccn and Is not how IN honest purpose !
"' ..c part OF the Petersburg Company TO
,',i,,tna ,Ii,i this interior line. Ii will not do
,H' ,no,, ,ir'e gentlemen to say they have no a,-
,nn,,n: n! u run steamboats,. 1t is very easy
"",i". ,'"rr 20 Obtain that authority. But if they
.,,'n ,.,' o'hc' methods, it is just US easy to
,ii' I>' 'Ii'o contract relations with those who
,l-.! ."t haie Obtained or can obtain the au-
'Ly. The sauie line Of remark about the
O'f'4uet ut City Point will apply to the
u fANciFuL TouRsIeuEr AT RIcnaosp.
'm' DO you think, gentlemen Of tho COM