The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-26

| IN these respects mas ever been madel
been vaguely made that It has retarded
the development OF the territory
through which l,,l II passes. No facts
when and where this has been done.
and the statement Is not true It's
eauipment and capabilities in charac-
conformity. with the increase In the
volume and character Of Its business.
It's facilities are ample for all the
which comes to it. and always have
been.
tits assorted that Richmond and other
portions OF the State want competition
RE mo @ene and 9y po the
mac Railroad. Why. It may be asked?
It !, is nc. not alleged that the facilities now
a al or by rail- are insufleient. or the
this sort would be very rash. they could
be refuted, whereas the vague cutlery
for competition will impose on many.
!, The wrath which the opposition to
J ton on the ground that neither the
] interests Of the whole State aor any
part Of II ros onld be benefited by the
some great. moral principle was in
VOWED, or that great material benefits
would thereby II result to the State or
show that the taxes the newroad would
pay would nearly equal the revenue
the state now gets from the Richmond,
fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad.
What the. State now receives from
this road" is a fact: what it might de-
rive from another Is purely conjectural.
should allow a parallel road to the
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Poto-
!, mac Railroad, apart from any obliga-
ton which may rest on 1t by reason
Potomac Railroad Company,s issue OF
PONDS to Improve Its road, is one pure
Better e. the ne havn Of the State Is
, If So. why? Competition very often
has the effect of lowering rates. In
creasinY facilities. creating business
the region where 1t exists. Will 1t do
: any OF. these things In the territory
W5heTe re- 1t i Is hd now proposed to establish
that the, rates existing there of the
Richmond. fredericksburg and Poto.
mac Railroad were too high. even be-
effect. or unfair to any one; that any
favoritism was shown: that it's facili-
ties were inadequate, or It's service in.
z ferior In any way?
: monopoly Of the Richmond, Fredericks-
burg and Potomac Railroad there ap.
pear n,t no >. such &c !. a e
through which the new road will pas:
: is to be developed, or the business t.
Q be increased. Money, will, it is true
! erecting buildings and al! the con
. new, road built near the present one
as It 4 Is intended tended to be, and must be
. route. induce the establishment of new
i industrial Enterprises attract popula
ton increase the :, produce or the value
= Such results do follow. It is true
9 when railroad Is built into territor.
9 where !; none existed. but no reason be
in the case under consideration.
The truth is they wouM not follow
as constituted by railroad facilities
are or have been wanting, and SO ia
rs raroad taeites ali possbi
tons heretofore and now existing.
II formed its functions we'll. and to til
ii satisfa ction Of the general public:
Il to do so. and. as heretofore. t viii in
i. crease It's facilities in proportion
8 the demands on. It..
Va this bulldlngsof parallel railroad wi
~ have. We may assume that the rate
and service Of the present road a.
ede these aS
ne noimprovements could be looked for.
". lit may fairly be assumed ais
y. that the business would be event
e. divided between the two roads.
a. 1t to be supposed that with half tt
reeur any greater expense than t h
n Where then is the public benefited
y. There are two roads presumably eaua
y. ~ well built6and equipped. to be .lnal
~ aged, kept up and run, fixed charge
"a to be met, double the expense for Il
W same amountsot business, We say Il
4 able that there should be any increa'
one who knows the region throue
which the two roads would pass wi
~ venture to assert that any notlceab
increase In local. business will or cs
on take place. {unles by q rulnous redu
u, ton In rates that would land one
ut and perhaps not even then. No thrort
~ routes. What then will become OF Il
on. revenue which the State has for maj
OF years. received, in an amount whl
49, has largely increased IN later yea
M from the Richmond, Frederlcksbu
f6e ves, Ha o4
from the Richmond. Fred ericksbu
and Potomac Railroad, R$b2,64 o u sin
ant paid down to Is 1907 dlvidends in ca
lie amounting to $1,20S,47S, and also. al,
iii dend obligations to- the amount
49,ss total stock ana dividend Obligation
u being shs4 900. " q
70 The State would then have two5roa
.B in a y section, formerly ShnvinE&o ne, b
there would be little II any more hi
aSs mess than there was before the seco