Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-11-22
TIE RAILROADS. SIDE
WHAT OFFICIALS SAY ABOUT THE Al
LEGGED FREIGHT DISCRIMINATION.
They Feel Certain Of Their Ability 20
Show that Nothing Wrong
Has Been Done.

The officials OF the llchmOnu anu re-
tcrsburg Railroad Company do not appear
70 be ~ all disturbed at the idea Of having
their management subjected to an official
investigation.
On the other hand they profess their
readiness to meet the committee from the
Board Of Public Interests and to make
what they think will prove satisfactory
explanation%hy there is special eddi-
tional charge made for hauling lumber
from Manchester 90 Richmond.
Some of the lumber dealers are the per
cons most wrought mp on the subject;
which effects them very materially. and
the indications are that the proceedings
VIII be quite interesting when the commit
tee makes its inquiry-that Is, If o meeting
j. held and both sides granted a tulI hear
ing. a. viii doubtless be the case.
At their meeting Wednesday afternoon
tho Board of Public Interests. tOwhom was
referred the resolution introduced IN the
Common Council charging that the rail
road company had increased their rates on
certain merchandise between the two
cites. heard statements from two Of the
businessmen complaining of this and
other alleged unjust discrimination. Yes
terdav q DjsDq'ch reporter called on two OF
the officers Of the railroad, and sought
from them an expression on the subject.
THEN AND now.
when became president Of the Rich
mOnd and Petersburg railroad about tweu-
tv wears ago.p said Major Fred. Il. Scott.
- looked after everything. | saw that the
conductors and other operatives dis
charged their duties. inspected tie cars Oc-
casionallv 10 see that the wheels were all
right. and the like. But IN these days rail
roads have to be managed differently. and
each department has 10 have lts head.
Mr.. Sol. laa-, general traffic manager ot
the Associated Railways of the Virginia and
the Carollna.. looks after our traffic affairs
md makes the freight rates, ana he can
tell Won better than / perhaps why there 70
an additional charge on lumber from Man
chester to Richmond NJ Haas has sole
control of TINS branch % our business md
the details. the why's. md the wherefore J
have nothing 20 do wih.'
TuE LuuBCG AGENTS.
Major Scott. continuing, spoke Of the
trouble that the railroad company has ex-
perienced in its dealings with lumber
mcn-not the dealers with large aud com
modi0us vards, who Immediately upon the
arrival Of the timber consigned 20 them
move the same from its cars aud carry IT 10
their yards-but the commission merchants
who have no room at all, but simply an
Office. and when consignment OF lumber
comes to them have nowhere 10 carry or
store 10
"Tbose," said Major Scott, "are the
lumbcTmen who give MS trouble. | have
no harsh words for them and don't blame
them at all except tothlnk they are n httle
unreasonable, aud IN that way work 10 ho
cltys dctrimont. 7 heir object Is of course
to make money. and we heartily commend
them for their push and enterprise, and We
are doing our best TO accommodate thcm.
but circumstances are such that we cannot
afford them such facilities IN Richmond rs
they seem 10 expect without sacrificing
our other freight business, TO which We
owe our very existence"
THU TEoUBLE.
Here is the trouble" Major Scott said
further on. There is q law in North Caro-
Ina. where most Of the timber that we
handle is cnt, that requires all freight de-
posted at station to be removed within
five DAYS. Suppose o t.mber-gatherer hos
"a lot ready for shipment, he hauls II
on "a tramwav from his mil 10 the
railroad and consigns 1t 10 q Rich
mOnJ commission merchant; we send
down cars and bring the timber
here, and the merchant having no storage
room tries 20 sell 90 a resident dealer, and,
{
Failing here he has no other recourse than
to le4ye the timber IN our yard until he
fnds purchaser Meantime We hayo 20
lose the use of the car a. well as OF the
ward room. The trouble IL Richmond is
irving 20 grow 200 fast and there are too
many lumber agents for the home con
sumption, and we have been made to suffer
10y IT. ...
Some time ago there were complaints
made 10 the Railroad Commissioner. Tie
decided that the railroad company could
assess daily fine of fifty cents on each
car not unloaded within three days. Ihls
has done us verv little good. We are not
after the fines but want the room and the
cars that we need for other business that
IS much more profitable than the tTanspor-
tltion of lumber We have abundant yard
room in Manchester and are compelled 10
leave the carloads of lumber there untl
they can be- unloaded.'
WHAT Mr.. HAAS SAYS.
Mr.. Haas was seen later IN the afternoon
and repeated in substance what had been
said hy Major Scott. Ii the lunber-com-
mission merchants" said be, would re-
move their consignments promptly there
would be no trouble: but We have some
times as many H. one hundred cars here
and in Manchester loaded with timber.
and 10 keep il in Richmond would choke
up our ward SO As 10 retard al other
business. especially IN a busy sea-
son. We are obliged TO stop the
timber in Manchester until a carload
is wanted over here and then have 10 send
an engincthc and bring 1t over. entailiug
upon us heavier cost than the one aud "a
half cents per hundred that we charge. /
sce no other solution of the matter than
either 10 do a. we are now doing or 10 re-
fuse 20 make rates for lumber. IL IS COM
pctcnt for us TO do the latter. but we would
hate 10 do IL, as j. would greatly lucon-
venicnce the innocent. Under the
existing commerce laws We have TO charge
all persons at the same rates, and the per
sons who really suffer by the extra charge
from Manchester are those who give rs no
trouble either by holding the ears or occu-
pvng the yard-room. These are the lum-
ier dealers here who have their own
yards
Mr. Haas said when the investigation IS
held he will, if permitted, appear before
the committee and make a statement that
he thinks will satisfy them that the rail
road is doing nothing but what Is right.
The company has built sidc-tracks IN Man
chester to Seventh and Semmes streets.
and bv receiving their shipments there the
dealers would save this extra freight.