Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-10-10
r. r. Commissioners Hill at Boyoe
REPORTED for the CouRrkR.l

sioner, arrived at Boyce Station Wed
nesdsy night in n special car, sccom-
panied by General Superintendent
Cassel aud Division Superintendent
Low, of the Norfolk and Western
Railroad; and in Pursuance of the
independently given, met on Thurs
day morning very large number of
both races, who thus testified 10 their
interest in the matters before him.
After an examination into the
physical condition and operation of
the railroad, aud an Introduction to
many of those present including some
handsome matrons and large bevy
of beautiful young ladies, Gen. Hill
took the chair and called the meeting
to order IN the passenger station, and
stated that the public should certain
ly have freight depot built, and
that they should substantially have
what they had further requested.
General Superintendent Csssel then
announced that the right of way of
the turnpike should be kept clear,
and that the discrimination against
MIR. Ford should stop, and ordered
that he Immediately have his car
placed at his warehouse; he also an
nounced that the railroad would build
u spur track for loading cars and
that he would make note of the IL.
ligal rates on freight from Riverton.
Mr.. Cassel then stated that the
railroad would build a fifty foot
freight depot adjoining the passenger
station on the south in the space of
twenty eight feet now occupied by an
old freight car on stills. Objection
being made to this absurd PROPOSE
ton and demand being made that it
should be located at the turnpike
crossing or near thereto, which Mr..
Cassel seemed unwilling to concede,
General Hill announced that he
would take the matter under cousid-
Grafton and formulate his opinion on
bis return to Richmond, and that he
would then give notice thereof. and
that unless the railroad gave him no
tice IN sixty DAYS that work was com
menced be would take such steps to
enforce obedience as the law provid.
ed He then adjourned the meeting
Certain particulars Of Mr.. Casse1s
conduct on this occasion have the
strong disapproval of our people, and
Will no doubt lead to an application
to the Legislature to increase the dig
nifty of the office of Railroad Com
missioner aud to prevent any intru-
sion by railroad officials between the
Commissioner and the public and to
make the Commissioner entirely in
dependent of the railroad officials as
to his coming and going.
The people saw with deep regret
that their great Tribune now wore
the livery of the Norfolk nd West
ern Railroad, to come and to go as
General Superintendent Cassel direct
ed; and the voice that had so often
and so effectively pleaded their cause
now sounded another note; aud yet
"Some other Dumourier may arise to
lead the armies of the Republic to
victory"
Our Senator, Hon. Thos. ID. Gold;
our Delegate, Hon. A. l.. Warthen,
and p. II. Mayo, ESQ.,, all filed letters
with the Commissioner warmly en-
dorsing our people and their efforts.
MIR. Warthen was detained by the ILL
ness of his wife, but Senator Gold
and Mr.. Mayo, by both presence and
argument, helped the good Cause
along, and many others in one or
both particulars lent kind assistance.
including Drs. Stone and Green, of
Washington; Supervisors Page and
Levi, Charles Mullikin and Edw. G..
Butler. Esqs., as well as number of
our leading representative colored
people.
1t was shown also to the satisfac-
ton of the Commissioners and the
General superintendent that the rail
road practiced gross imposition npon
our people In the matter of freight
rates, the instance cited being rates
on cement from Riverton, the rail
road rates being thirteen cents per
ton per mile while the statute pre-.
scribes that no railroad on any class
of freight shall exceed eight cents
per ton par mile, with few trivial
exceptions.