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


on tile Appomattox is also a tax. According
TO this theory, any charge for service rem
dered is tax. But whether these charges
be tax or not, it is very certain that the ex.
|, cessive charge made against the Petersburg
merchant to the extent of the amount above
the charge for similar service rendered to the
northern merchant is tar. go.
d Our friends of the Petersburg road MUST
not complain of Richmond people, if we do
grun,ble a little. We have not much to
be thankful for in the management and ad-
ministration of that road. Even as late as
1867, when the authority to construct the
connecting railroad through Petersburg was
obtained, proyiso was inserted that the
road should not be used until the connecting
railroad through Richmond was completed.
Commerce between the Carolinas and Rich
mond must he postponed until the entire line
was in condition to transport freightS and
passengers to the North
l here now repeat the declaration which
made on Saturday, because I believe that
the facts and records before the committee
justify the opinion, that this application by
MIR. Ragland and his associates is
MERE SPECULATION.
He desires to obtain this granJ of authority
to construct railroad parallel to the Fred
ericksburg road that he may sell out his own
road, with this new privilege, to the South
ern Railway Security Company, the bastard
Of the Pennsylvania Bucktails. Mr. Ragland
offered the Petersburg road to Scott and
Walters, who rather coolly declined the
purchase, rs the coveted right to run
to the Potomac was not appurlenant.
II Mr.. Ragland should obtain this grant
lie can afford to be cool in his turn to Scott
and Walters-sooner OF later they will warm
| to him. need not say to the gentlemen of
! this committee how much the Pennsylvania
Company and the other corporations which
arc on close terms with it, and especially the
Southern Security Company, covet this prize.
| have here very interesting map, published
by the
SOUTHERN SECURITY COMPANY,
it is said, con the sly" giving the various
routes and lines which they own, or control.
south Of the Potomac. This information is
from headquarters the president of
the company, G. w. Cass. He says as fol-
lows:
"The control OF the following roads has
| been secured by this company BY the pur-
chase of majority Of the capital stock of
each, amounting in the aggregate, at the par
value thereof, to SG,745,OOO, at cost of
So, 400, 900, being an average of 90 4-1O per
cent.-to wit:
Wilmington and Weldon. ........ 1Sl miles
Wilmington, Columbia and ALI
glista. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 1873 miles
Northeastern ................... 102 miles
Richmond and Petersburg. % miles
Cherlw and Darlington. ........ 10 miles
Charlotte, Columbia and Augusta 195 miles
East Tennessee, Virginia AMI
Georgia 2IO miles
| Richmond and Danyille TO Green's
DOrO' lJU miles
Making IN aggregate Of. ..... l,19l miles
of road, the construction and equipment of
which originally cost $4,000, 900 in gold, or
an average of about 81 1000 per mile. The
construction and equipment Of these roads at
the present day, owing to the enhanced price
of materials aud advance In labor, would cost
not less than $4,000 per mile. In addition
to the above, this company has secured con-
troll of the North Carolina railroad, from
Goltsboro' to Charlotte rin Raleigh, making
223 miles Of road, by lease having twenty
wears to run: and has made such arrange
meuts for the construction of that portion of
the Atlanta and Richmond Airline be-
tween Gainesville, Ga, and Charlotte, n. g..
rs will give full control Of the railroad of
that company through to Atlanta, Ga and
yield il handsome profit upon its conStruc-
ton. Thus it will be perceived that the
| Southern Railway Security Company has
| now under its own control The only direct
lines OF railway between Atlanta and Rich.
mond, Augusta and Richmond, and Charles.
| ton and Richmond
Such is the text Of Mr.. President CaSs.
Since its date, December 4, 1871, the same
company has obtained control of the Men,
phis and Charleston railroad by direct lease,
| while al ally of the Southern Security Com
pany--the Danvlle road has leased the North
| Carolina railroad, as have been credibly in
formed. The cost OF obtaining the control
of the roads named in the circular of Presi-
dent Cass was s3,47S,S5O; their gross eart-
ings, Si,111,947 their expenses, $780, 200
leaving net earnings, 81, ,461, ,40S.
In the same circular Mr. Cass says: "The
object and PURPOSE of this organization is to
secure the control of such southern railroads
as may be essential to the formation of
through lines between New York, Philadcl-
phia, Baltimore, Washington city, and the
principal cities Of the South; hy ownership
Of the capital stock of said companies, by
leases, and by contract relations"
See what al objective point Richmond is
made in this programme-from Atlanta to
| Richmond, from Augusta to Richmond,
| from Charleston to Richmond. Richmond,
it seems, is the gateway of all these lines,
now held or controlled by theeSouthcrn Se-
| curity Company. The keys arc now in lir.
| ginia's girdle. Will she surrender them to
the foreigner or TO the Foreigners interme-
| diary? If it must be, let them be given to
| the principal at once, and Virginia bow her
proud head to receive the price in her own
hand!
LOCAL FREIGuTs ONE HUNDRED PER CENT.
HIGHER THAN FREDERICKSBURG ROAD.
This Southern Security Company charges
local freights on all average one hundred per
cent. higher than the Fredericksburg road.
On last Saturday the newspapers informed
us that the Chamber OF Commerce ut Will
mngton had risen III revolt against them,
just rs communities at the North at any dis
tance from a point of competition are ap-
preaching insurrection against its Penn
sylyunia parent. The net revenues of
the Southern Security Company for
one Year on tllcir southern purchases
were largely more than one-tbird of the sum
which bought the control OF them. How
was that sum riisedI BY oppressive charges
on local freiShts. At points of competition
their rate, whether local Or through, is but
generally small enough, sooner or
later, to drive away the competition; and
then afterwards comes the harvest to them
and oppression to their customers. In Yir-
gnia these people are free railroad men, and
talk largely about the benefits Of foreign
capital and the necessity of Il railroad for
every township. They grow eloquent about
continuous lines aud consolidation, and de-
ride the wisdom that has anything like
n home affection. In New jersey they are