The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-01-30
RAILROAD COMMISSION.
ouIvnrR COMMERCE. COMPLAINTS.
Mr.. II. A. Dunlop Makes Correction OF
the Report Heretofore Published "na'
the Chamber Thinks Should lie Done
Editor Of Tho limos.


morning. does not clearly and correctly set
forth the complaints which the Richmond
Chamber of Commerce has to make IL refer
ence to the policy of the railroads IN tie
State and in support Of the Kent bill. / ask
the privilege Of revising that statement so
that the views Of the Chamber may be clearly
understood so far as J was called upon IN
my official capacity 20 express them.
I commenced my remarks by stating that
the Chamber had thought the prima iacle
evidence of grievances and evils was SO clearly
recognized that no such statement had been
prepared IN the argument by r. Tucker on
this matter and that now. since one had been
called for the Chamber would not stultity
itself or insult the intelligence OF the commit
tee by limiting Its grievances 70 the llhheo'-
ate present IS no such legislation AS was con-
tanned in the bill should be based upon the
exl erience Of a week. month or even Tor a
year. and that did not propose % limit my
inquiry to any such period that when We last
appeared before the committee one OF
the members Of the Chamber Lsd
stated his own case: that he grew
about 1900 bushels of wheat within ten or
fifteen miles OF Gordonsyile. that the
rate 10 Gordonsville was so high that
in order 10 snip his wheat 10 Richmond,
where he could obtain for II the best price,
lie had purchased wagons and teams To maui
II 10 Gordonsyilie and thence 70 ship 1t To
Richmond by rail that at the next harvest
he had been approached by the rallrs al
agent of the Virginia Midland. who offered TO
give him satisfactory rate 10 Gordons.
vile but that for that part OF the maui
be had no longer use for the rail-
road. / said, though this case OF dts
elimination no longer existed, 1t was q
case IN point, because II best Nus
Al. rNrF.U a al HTI
facilities 10 shippers VINO were FOL any reason
independent OF them. and 10 deny those
facilities TO such ship ers as were not. tor IN.
stance TO such as raised fifty or one hundred
bushels of wheat and could not auOrd 10 Duy
teams 10 do their own hauling. or probably
20 hire them and that II was Just such cases OF
small shippers whose business IN the ag2re-
gate was important which TINS bill proposed
10 protect, as they were most IN need OF pro-
lection.
then went on 10 say that a traveller could
not take any road leading ont OF Richmond
and fa! 10 be struck with the appearan OK
des0latl0n and lack of prosperity IN the c0uu-
try adjacent 70 these road and that at every
junction point arbitrares and Influences were
reported 70 exist 70 force trade and travel IN
the direction that the railroads thought IT
ought to 90 and to restrict shippers IN seek
ing those markets which IN many instances
they desired 90 seeF: that this was speclally
=
70 prove il read from "a letter from prOml-
nent railroad official 10 the Cham or. 10
which he said IL fully appreciate the
tact that there - no business inter-
changed between Richmond and points
up 70 $50 miles west on our nam
line. The Virginia Midland and Shen-
and0ah Valley. running north. are ali III
terested In taking the freight and passengers
into Washington and Baltimore and We can
not control their action. As tar as the busi-
ness Oh our own line ID concerned, there
seems to be none. IL IS very serious prob
lem what we can do with this country. All
last summer and fall ran IN early morning
train st the solicitation OF a committee of
your Chamber, and there was not one day IN
the week III whichlt paid expenses. 10 was the
most utter failure you ever saw and ! would
not like % try II again without guarantee
as to the expense" Ills statement Is IN
error US 10 the train having been run az the
instance Of the Chamber. / think 1t WAS at
the instance OF the new papers and II cannot
be considered a fair testOI the question. hav
ing been without the cooperation OF the
roads crossing the Chesapeake and Ohio
then stated that IN 1890 we had taken up
the subject of connections had invited a con-
ference of tho railroad authorities at the
Office of the Commissioner OF Railroads and
had agreed upon the best schedule which
seemed at that time practicable that the (ir
gnia Midland, rs far As We knew. had ell
deayOred 20 carry out the arrangement re-
lating e. It's line, tn ugh grave complaints
had been made by some travellers of mis-
connections at GOrd0nsyille. due 10 some
cause that in reference 70 the Shenandoah
valley the arrangement proposed was not car
ried out according % letter written 10
General Iii the Railroad Commissioner, be-
cause the shenandoah Valley had no facilities
al Basic City tor turning M engine M that
point and that 1t would not be good practice
to run an engine hauling passenger train
backwards alter night that the representative
OF the Valley branch OF tho Baltimore and
Ohio had stated ID the commissioner
ONCE that tho difficulties in the way # his
making satisfactory connections ut otauntln
WIS that the road bed was m condition That
would not admit Of his passenger tram rum
ming "a q speed that passenger trains should
be expected 10 make when necessary that
these reasons m the opinion OF the Chambers
committee were not deemed valid ones 80 Jar
as the Shenandoah alley ana Baltimore ana
Ohio were concerned. that M reference % the
Norfolk md Western road passengers have
been forced. coming rom the Southwest. TO
reach Richmond via Petersburg. when the
natural route was via Burkeville. and that
had proper connection been made az Burke
Vile passengers could have reached Rich
mond IN the time that 10 took them %
yet TO Petersburg. where they would
stl have twenty miles 20 come before
reaching Richmond. that evenly this circuit
Gus route passengers coming from the south
west were frequently subjected % the most
rexatious delays ~ Petersburg because there
was no competing route ut that time whereas
passengers coming from the East. that Is
Norfolk were always brought 10 Richmond
promptly. ecause there was q competing
route from Norfolk via the Chesapeake aud
Ohio that In consequence OF the most active
agitation in respect ID this grievance the
Richmond and Danyille had put on a special
train 10 make this connection at Burke
vile. and that though Their trains
waited forty minutes Tor the Norfolk
and Western the Norfolk and Western
only waited ten minutes Tor the Richmond
and Danylile trains and the connection was
missed at BurkeVlle on an average once IN
ten DAYS for u number Of months and that
then. and not till then. the Richmond and
Petersburg railroad had issued orders that
uuon arrival Of the bound train If the
regular tram from Petersburg had LETT pas
sengers should be Immediately brought over
ID Richmond by q special train. j MS train
Of the Richmond and Danylle was known as
mo So ami Notwithstanding ali proper
Ell ITS on the part OF the Richmond and
Danyliie 70 work the travel that way, IL had
finally 10 he taken OF. presumably for the
reason that the Norfolk and Western pre-
ferred 20 influence travel via Petersburg
ln regard 10 ireights cited instances on
the Chesapeake and Ohio where "a rate 4
"a, cents on a certain class OF goods from a
certain depot az which there was competition