The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-09
chamber of Commerce.

A special meeting OF the boalu Vi h"'r
tors Of the Chamber of Commerce was helu
Yesterday alternoon-president McLance IN
tbc chair. Present: Messrs. John &. spots,
5. Horace Halves, =. G. Coghlsn, secretary
Thomas Potts. Claiborne Watkins, H. T..
BIankrnshp. Il. w. Pickrell, William Is.
IsaacS, and +. .. Noting.
The President announced that the special
business of the meeting was the appoint
ment Of a committee on the Improvement OF
james river to cooperate with the Councli
committee on the same suolecf.
On motion Of Mr.. SPOTS, 1t was ordered
that the Chair appoint the committee.
The Chair appointed the following com
miitec: Mcssrs. Isaac Davenport. Jr., 4. Il.
RE,ukcn.hip, George w. Allen, +. y. No!t-
tng. John Il. Childrey, William B. lsaacs,
and Z. Il. Starkc.
The President read TO the Board q letter
from Mr.. Frederick Il. Scott, president OF the
Richmond ard Petersburg railroad, in rela-
lion 10 u statement published that certain
lot of goods shipped from this city were two
months and eleven days reaching warsaw,
NC. The letter states that the goods were
not two months and eleven days, nor even
eleven days, in reaching their destination.
The goods left Richmond on the 18th OF
February and reached Warsaw, y. c., on the
10th Of Murch-a delay OF ten days, WHich
the President says will not soon occur again.
sir. Pckrcil, from the committee 10 whon
wa. referred communication from Messrs.
K. +. Williams Il Co., with regard TO the
unjust discrimination made against Rich
mond in favor OF northern cities. by spec'al
tariff of tolls and frcigbtS established by the
James River and kanawha Canal Company
.tNppp i,tNpr wit
as shown by the accompanying table Of rates,
reported that the table of rates submitted by
McsSr-. X. +. Williams l. co. is correct, and
Is the same rs established 10y the canal COM
plny aud now in use by said company; that
in the opinion OF the committee the existing
tariff OF tolls and Greights on through
freight from the North to Lynchbur. c,a the
canal, di>criminateS against Richmond and
in favor Of northern cities; that such dis
crimination is serious injury and draw
back 10 the trade and growth Of our citys
and has already been felt by her merchants
that Richmond, under the present special
tariff, derives no benefit, or very little, from
her ncarucss to Lynchburg, or from being a
Virginia city and the metropolis Of the State !;
but on the contrary her merchants have to
pay more freight aud tolls on goods shipped
by them to Lyuchburg than is paid by Balti-
more merchants from Baltimore over the
same canal to Lynchburg. Upon conlerring
with the president Of the james River and
kanawha Canal company in regard to this
matter, be stated that the existing tariff was
made at time when the trcights from the
North to Richmond Uaking Baltimore as an
cxampIe). added to bis special rates for
through freight from Richmond to Lynch
burg, amounted to exactly the same rs the
present rates Of freight and tolls from Rich
moud 10 Lvnchhur@- which we regard, aud
it Is equivalent, to saying to Lynchburg mer-
chants and beyond. the james River and
kanawha Canal company will bring your
merchandise from Baltimore to Lynchburg
as chcaply as we will from Richmond.
The President states that at the time Of
fixing this tariff their object was not to dis
crimnate against Richmond, but were care.
fuI TO make the freights from the two points
CRallimorc and RichmonU the same: and
their object in making this through rate was
to control part of the freight going from
Baltimore to Lyrchhlrg over the Washing
ton City, Virginia Midland and Great South
crn railroad; and, further, that the tariff had
been established for pinety days, at the expi-
ration of which time they would see what
good had resulted 10 the canal in the way Of
increased revenue; that the condition OF the
canal company absolutely required that they
should have an incre:>e of revenue, and they
must make every effort to control freigbts.
The President expresses himself warmly in
tcres,ed in the welfare of Richmond and de-
>irouS of doing all in his power to advance
her commercial prosperity. He would be
clad 10 meet your Board, should you so de.
sire, and explain the matter in hand more IN
detail.
The report was adopted.