The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-06-05
route may be mentioned A. F. Fleming,

route may be mentioned A. F. Fleming,
a prominent merchant: L. B. Adlsins,
big country dealer In all kinds Of
goods: II. P. Baker & Company, big
sawmill men: Phil Ttce, flour and
corn miller: j. M. Flanagan, merchant;
A Fl. Mayo, merchant and extensive
farmer. and dozens of others. includ.
ing not q few indignant women.
Tho country merchants. sawmill men,
mining men, lumber cutters and others,
who are dependent upon the rural free
that go out from Scottsvilie. Dillwyn
Arvonia. Esmont and various other
places are equally as pronounced In
their criticism and condemnation OF the
new schedule as the people I have
told about, and to write up the ex-
periences and observations at these
points would be but to repeat the
general picture found at Columbia.
On the tour Of investigation I met
on the trains several Richmond trav-
elers. or drummers, and they tell me
that from all over the territory COW
cred by the free rural delivery fellows
and the star reuters there Is universal
kicking against and condemnation Of
this new system. The country mer-
chants are telling the Richmond drum
mers that they cannot trade in a
town that is thus arbitrarily thrown SO
far away from them and must seek
another market. One drummer ex-
hibited to me his book and showed me
where he had lost four big orders In
two days. and all due to this slight
and apparently unnecessary change in
a railway schedule.
also learned that the most vigorous
kicking and the most disturbed people
in all the territory SO badly done up
by this move are the folks In Buck.
ingham and Fluvanna and Albemarle
counties who are served by the rural
mall carriers from Scottsville, and the
Scottsville people, too. are very much
up in arms.
Cause ana Effect.
The natural supposition was that
the Chesape and Ohio people had
some good or at least some decen,
reason for making such a radical and
such an unpopular change In it's pas
senger schedule for just one train.
and acting upon that supposttion I
called upon the officials of the road.
that Is such of them as could find
at home in the passenger department.
where passenger train schedules are
supposed to be made. but got no in
formation that was worth cuss. In
short, the only information obtainable
was that President Stevens was just
about sailing from New York for
Switzerland; that he would be cavort-
ing around In the high mountains OF
the European continent until some
where near about frost time, and that
quite likely nothing would be doing
until his return.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
is pretty big thing in Its way. and
must be kept going every day in the
week. regardless of the absence Of the
president. His absence surely will not
stop the pay rolls. or the workshops
or the running of the trains. Why
should it head off the complaints of
the people as to an inferior mail SER
vice, an inferior service that seems
to be nothing more than the result OF
railroads.&c. whim? While president
Stevens is having good time on the
heights of Switzerland 1t may be likely
that the State Corporation Commission
Of Virginia may take hand and re-
quire the presidents subordinates to
get busy and at least explain what Is
the necessity for radical change ofa
schedule that puts 80 many citizens
of Virginia and patrons of the line
to such serious Inconvenience.