The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-09-19
RAILWAY DISCRIMINATION.
ACTION OF The CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE BOARD.

A called meeting OF the board of directors
Of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce was
held yesterday evening at 6 o'clock. Pres
emf; Hon. George l.. Christian, first vice.
president: Mr.. :. II. Halves. second VICE
prcsidcnt; Mcssrs. T. y. Garter, John u.
Cary. W. u. Chcsierman, Arthur Il. Clarke,
John ID. Crump, W. +. Hancock ~ H.
I.anderkin. T.. q. Leigh, Jr.. ;. y. IraNers'
II. wallerstcin. and l.. {. Younger, direc-
tors.
Excuses were made for the absence oil
Messrs. John Il. Purcell, W. Il. Vuaries.
George A. smith, II. Il. Taliaferro, and l..
ID. Taylor.
OBJECT or THE MEETING.
Iodoe Christian. occupying the chair. eX-
,laincd tina; the object of the meeting was
10 consider report from the committee on
,ho Ihcsapeake and Ohio and its connec-
tions. and MIR. :. W. TraNers, chairman "i
The general committee on INLAND Uaue'
then laid before the board the loiiVWink'
which was signed by Mr. EgOert IT, l'e'Sn'
chairman: ..,,t,r o,,.
..p.ar ~ir.-Since its last report the Ion-
mi,,oe ON Chesapeake and Ohio railroad ana
it, connections has considered nuHoei Oh
questions of interset,i investigated complaints
of shippers. and settled many differences
he,veen them and the transportation CENT
many. In nearly all Of these matters ine
committee have been met IN spirit OF lair-
,,oss Inv the authorities Of the Chesapeake
"a ohio road. As a result Of conferences
fourth-class freights to all points between
This CITY and Clifton Forge, including the
latter point have been hNeu AT
rate that enables Richmond 10
successfuIly compete for the business
..rhe committee, however, regrets 70 na.e
10 report the future 10 secure Just ana eli,'-
able rates from Richmond 20 points on the
v,r,,inia Midland road. the Baltimore and
ohio and the shenandoah Valley roads
Thc valuable trade along those lines Is
forced by an arbitrary policy almost entire
IL to foreign markets.
MET The COMMISSIONERS.
..on the 18th day OF June, 1880, pursuant
"a an arrangement reached under resolu-
lion of the board Of directors. meeting
WAS held al the Office Of the Railroad Noih-
missioner I'm this city, with view oil per
feeting better connections between the pas
senger trains Of the Chesapeake and ONO
and the Virginia Midland, shenandoah al
lev, and the Baltimore and ONO. Al 'his
or A subsequent meeting all the ROADS
named were represented, and schedule
was agreed upon subject TO the approval OF
the authorities Of the roads, when, II
carried ont. would. at least IN measure,
have redressed the shameless abuses Which
now prevail. IL was understood. unless
disapproyed, the schedule would 20 mo
,fIect about the lst of July last, me Sne-
nandoah Valley road simply IGNORED lllc
acbedule entirely. without even rtporlih-
10 the Railroad Commissioner. so Tar rs Il
Known. or any Of this committee. that the
plan agreed upon would not be carried OUT
A letter was addressed TO the Railroad ON
missioner upon this matter. and al such IL
stance that official wrote to Mr.. flckwlr' SUI
perintendentO Of the Shenandoah Valley, VINO
then for the first time notincd nm that the
schedule would not pay, ana, therefore
would not be observed. 30 practically
nothing has been accomplished towards re-
storing the valued personal and business
relations that subsistcd between this city
and the great counties of Orange, "rcch.
Madison, Culpeper, fauquier, AlbemafIe'
Augusta, Rockingham, Page, kappahan'
mock. Shenandoah, Warren, Nelson, Am
bersf. and ROckbridge prior 10 the exist
ence Of the railroads.
BROKEN RELATIONS.
GThese corporations, whose oihce IL
should be 20 perfect those relations, nave
deliberately broken them. II Is proper 10
st9te that the demands Of the committee
unon these roads were simply that Rich
mond should be placed upon an equal loot
inc with Baltimore with respect 10 The sec
lions trayersel by them. and that these
sections ohould upon such equal terms have
The privilege of choosing the market which
offered the greatest Inducements
This demand involved proper PASSENGER
connections and the removal of freight ais
examinations. In answer 90 this Mr.. Ihomp-
son. speaking on behalf Of the Virginia
Midland road. declared that Richmond was
moi the natural market for the counties
along his line. II this be true, his road
could lose nothing 10y granting our demand
sor left free trade and travel, true 10 the IN
terest. will lind It's natural channel. IT, on
the other hand, Richmond oilers 10 Inc
growers of grain and merchants oil thai
section las she undoubtedly does by reason
of her proximity as great. or greater, III
duccments than foreign markets, II Is no
mar, of the function of public highway
iy the creation Of a pr0hibitory tolls ana
bad connections, 10 deny such benefits
UNJUST DISCRIMINATION.
.JJpon what ground the Virginia Midland
charles a farmer or merchant at orange
Courthouse the same rate on Richmond
freight taken AT GordOnsville ana hauled
eight miles that it charges Baltimore mer-
chant fer hauling the same freight one nun
dred and thirty-nve miles or upon What
Courthouse, distance of eigbty-ilve miles.
is maintained at double that II Is from Bal
timore. one hundred and thirty-iive miles.
does NOT appear. While the rights of the
public are still utterly disregarded, II cannot
i,e said that the efforts OF the committee
have been wholly without good results. The
discussion Of this matter has arrested pub
lie attention, and large correspondence
throu shout the state shows plainly enough
XuIlS lI
reason of the manner in which these proper
lies are operated. i'm entire disregard ol
fbeir charters and Of the rights OF The pub
lie. and ia now becomes a matter OF con-
Germ TO give this awakened sentiment intel
ligent direction Otherwise II Is evident
that the unrest throughout the country VIII
manifest itselfin extreme ana huriiul legIsla-
lion 10 our railroad interest. Against so great
"a calamity this Chamber should place every
,nard in its power, and having put IN mo-
zion This force for reform, an obligation
rests upOn it, as far as possible, 10 temper
81 with a spirit OF conservatism that Will
,uard equally aud Justly the interest OF the
Transportation companies ana the public.
while il seeks TO reconcile them. In view
1 OF the matter it is suggested that conNen-
\;op be called. 10 be held H. this city
day Of November TO consider the hallway
|. Service Of Virginia"
RAILROAD RKGr LATiONs.
This convention should be charged with
.Aduty Of formulating some plan of state
s ~ zion OF railroads, 90 b. presented 20
slature at It's next session. IL
'uo IL nder the auspices Of the Cham
rno"'" Approximations and Farmers
~, s,,;. 60 and Qerchants throughout the
Aii,a aa,,, IL b. Ndtcd TO send delegates
upon, a, basis as o. eonS,She Of tho Board Of
Directors. 1t is confidently yeI th4i
The calm delberatiOn Of sach IA \dy would
result in good. Certainly no harniSOuld oe
worked by a full and free discussion OF tins
subject, Of such vital I impor'a dnS
4, seems wise and proper that
the source from whence the roads
derived their large grants of power should
now place such proper guards upon the eN-
ercise of that power as the public interest
demands. This matter il clearly going TO
the Legislature, and the only question Is
whether il shall reach that body a. the re-
s,llt Of a discussion and delibcraion, such
as is provided for IN the suggestion