The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-01-27

than the entire sum the Chesapeake and
Ohio railroad will receive for its proper
ton Of all the freights thus secured.
In Cincinnati, Tor the same purpose, is
also an agent employed at an annual salary
Of thirty-six hundred dollars, with assist
ants, office rent, &C., &c. as also in Louis
vile, KY, and nearly all large cities of the
Union, from which freights might be Sc.
cured over this line at almost any price for
transportation.
Another matter that perhaps it would
be well to call the attention of those
for whom this letter is written, is the
small number of old employees of the
company now in its service and their pla-
ces.. supplied by new and untried men at,
in many instances, double the com.
pensation 0. their predecessors. 1t is idle
to, suppose, as many persons, argue, that
salaries are small item in railroad expen-
ses. If you increase the salaries of en-
ployees fifty thousand dollars it is as hard
to raise that additional amount to pay them
as if it were for locomotives or cars, or to
be expended in buildings. The amount is
the same for whatever purpose raised, and
to remove old, tried and experienced
men, familiar with all their resective
duties, perfectly trustworthy, relia-
liable and fixed at home, and to put
in their places others at largely increas-
ed salaries from purely sectional motives,
think not only shows want of admins
trative ability, but a disregard Of the inter-
ests of the owners of the road.
This changing of men on the road Qor
nearly senty-five per cent. of the
old meu have been removed with.
in the last two years. the stockholders, and
others pecuniar''y interested in its
affairs, will fii.d injurious if considered in
other light than the additional outlay for
salaries for it has already produced dis
content among its patrons, and the course
of the officers who made the changes has
been much animadverted upon by persons
in Virginia interested in the success of the
road.
Just here perhaps it would not be map
propriate to instance one station on the
road lat Staunton) where the depot agent,
his assistant, the yard-master and division
superintendent, as well as division train
dispatcher, are from localities north of
the state Of New York.
Another evidence Of want of proper
management and of serious loss to the
railroad company is contract made by
the general superintendent in May or June
last to continue. think, twelve months.
1t was with a company owning or con-
trolling boats ON the Ohio river. 1t was
stipulated that the boat company should
run their boats daily Except Sundays be-
tween Huntington and Cincinnati, to make
close connections with the passenger trains
arriving at Huntington. The boat company
was to receive fixed price for transporting
through passengers between the points
named per passenger, and q pro rata price
on all through freights. Local freights and
passengers were the exclusive right of the
boat company and in consideration the Ches-
apeake and Ohio railroad company guaran-
iced to the boat company twenty-seyen thou
sand dollars per month in case their charges
should not amount to that sum /; any excess
Of that amount the pro rata might yield the
boat company they were entitled to. I
| think | may say here that not more than
one land ! am not sure of one) month since
the making of that contract have the pro-
rata Of the boat company amounted to the
sum guaranteed, and with the exception of
one month the railroad company has sent
checks monthly to make up the guarantee
of from ten thousand to fifteen thousand
dollars, and this money was Of the amount
borrowed from time to time in small sums
by the vice-president at twelve per cent.
per annum on negotiable paper.
In November, however, the boat agents
came to Richmond, the paper Of the rail-
raid company in the meantime having gone
to protest, for the purpose of settling up
their accounts and renewing or continuin z
the contract.
In consideration of the general changes
occasioned by the financial troubles of the
country, the vice-president was unwilling
to continue the contract with the same guar
antees, but telegraphed the general superin-
tendent, who was out on the line Of the road
that if similar contract were made it would
be to the exclusion of the payment of other
debts of the company contracted since the
financial troubles, and asked if the con-
tract should be continued as formerly; to
which the general superintendent replied
in the affirmative, and since that time the
railroad company has paid over SIS, 900 for
the first months deficit.
have said enough upon the subject of
freight transportation without making this
letter too long, but will at another time
instance cases with particulars where par
ties have been grossly insulted in the Office
of the general superintendent, whose BUSH
ness there was to make special contracts
for Transporting the products of their own
and of their neighboring farmers, so will
write a few words about the passenger
travel charges.
Tickets for the first fifty miles out of
Richmond are five cents, for the first one
hundred miles four and one-half cents, for
the first three hundred miles four cents,
and through to Huntington three and three
quarter cents per mile. From Richmond
to Huntington therefore the charge is fifteen
dollars and eighty-fve cents, or a round
trip from Richmond to Huntington thirty
one dollars and seventy cents, while there
is constantly on sale at Richmond one
thousand mile tickets, good for six months
from date of purchase for twenty-five do.-
lars, or a two thousand mile ticket for
forty dolars-thus passenger purchasing
the milage tickets, and going to Hunting
ton and return would save in actual outlay
six dollars and seventy cents, besides hold
ing ticket to travel four. hundred and
fifty-four miles, for which he would have
to pay if purchased at the Office, six dol
lars and ten cents, clear saving to the
purchaser in travelling one thousand miles
of twelve dollars and eighty cents. What
will the stockholders think of this amount
given away at the option of the passenger
who travels only one thousand miles,
while if the two thousand miles ticket be