Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1903-10-14
CORRESPONDENCE
A Word About Increased Toll.
To the Directors of the Winchester al


years friendship that has been highly
priced by me and hope this relationship
Will continue TO the end OF the chapter.
Because Of this friendship it grieves me
now 10 have something 10 say in regard
TO your official conduct which you NAV
not relish In passing through the toll
gate few days ago was informed bv
one of the lady toll collectors that nv
receipt for the coming year was ready
Tor collection and that p per cent had
been added TO the former rate. under
stand this has been done all along the
line If am correctly informed there i
something like $4,000 collected annually
from the public on this road a distance
OF IS miles, or over $3.50 per mile. l
have been an advocate Of good roads
and have been led 10 believe that from
$500 TO $500 per mile would give Us
turnpikes, say 10 feet wide. This dream
which have cherished for many years
and hoped 70 see realized some day. ow
vsnishes like Macbeth's witches into sub
stantial nOthings II the yearly cost OF
this turnpike amounts 10 $3.50 per mile.
then we can never hope 10 see general
development along this line.
Gentlemen, in private life YOU are
sympathetic; in your public capacity
your hearts are as soft as cast iron and
you are as merciless as old Shylock him
self. want to show you that YOU have
the most expensive institution 10 the
travelling public that Is likely to be found
in America today. ! shall illustrate this
10y citing my own case. When 1 have
anything 20 hall 20 the railroad I have
to use the turnpike I should say about
i-6 OF a mile, for this l am charged 4
cents for 4-horse team and broad-tread
wagod, and cents for narrow-tread. I'm
the first case at the rate of 81 cents per
mile and In the other at 3G cents FER
mile. In hauling from my farm no
Shepherds ford we use the turnrikc
about / miles. for this we are required
20 pay u cents for broad-tread and -
cents for narrow. and a. the mos, 90 ;he
hauling on this road is with th. arrow
tread wagon the cost j. lG - % cent, p,r
mile. There is deal of hauling done
on this road. the bulk o. the wood
brought TO Berryyille fromtle mountain
passes over this roa thus reducing tLe
value of each load p cents. want 90
ask Won frankly II YOU think there Is any
people i'm the world who can stand any
such tax as this and lives This is not
all, the people of Virginia prior 10 the
war, spent large sums OF money IN help
ing TO build railroads. canals and turn
pixies, and her debt today which Is quite
large, was mainly created in masking
these improvements. Two.dfths of this
road l. owned by the state The bulk
Of the taxes tor sta.e purposes is levied
TO pay the interest ON the debt thus
created. So tina, in addition 20 the tolls
collected from the people they are also
taxed 20 pay the interest on the debt.
You may think il your duty 10 pay q
dividend on this stock. no matter how
burdensome il may be TO the people. bat
| doubt If there j. another road in the
state ia pays dividend or attempt.
TO do SO. These roads were made long
years ago and suppose the same rat,
of toll has deem maintained a. when
first conducted. Everything else ha.
come down; why not tolls.
I 30 not know how often YOU gentle
men meet in the course of the wear {,
transact the business of the company
for this if am correctly informed vo,
get two dollars per day, drinkableS. eat
ables, hOusefuel etc, and have fairl,
good time | should say. take il tina
the business is not complicated, that j
does not require J. p. Morgan Il
! straighten out any taugles that ma.
occur, that the only and main question
Is, how much more juice Is there in tn
lemon, so that You may squeeze il dry
Furthermore if am correctly informe
you gentlemen vote yourselves free pas
sage over this road % of which belong
10 the state, for sll kinds OF vehicle.
horseback and the produce from YOU
farms by wagon. The lale Or Kerfoo
called YOU Sap Suckers. but am No
going 10 be 50 imp0lite a. thar, bu
simply 10 suggest that in fairness vo
ought te take the same medicine tina
you administer 10 the public. am mo
surprised that Senator Gold should hav
gotten this soft snap" for his brother
in-law, Mr. Barnett, 10 represent ia
state as a director on IA board. he him
self with the rest OF YOU gentlemen ha,
Ing 80 long enjoyed the luxury 81 fire
passage over these roads for ali purpose
would naturally like To have your rel.
tiOns in the same host. do NOT kno,
what the law is under which Won sc
Whist privileges YOU have under il. {
what extent YOU can 20 in resulatin
tolls etc, but DO say you ought 20 q
made 10 pay tolls a. other people.
your per diem is not Sufficient To pav vo
for the great sacrifice YOU make in ser,
ing the public with your fine busine,
capacity, then have il Increased TO ia,
and fair compensation. You gentleme
occupy an Nceptional position as q
rectors of this road, superior | shoul
say to those Rarons and MonOpolist
VIII" levy contributions upon the publ
to maintain their infant induStrie
They at least pay on what they couSun
but you levy on the public what yo
help TO wear out snd consume, and pa
nothing; you can well smile and say I
. Nnnr snnirl,1 ir,.r nj n.r,.,s-.,-l