The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-27

New York September PA Pl;la-
delphia special to the New York World
saws.
John II. Devine. head of a large COM
mercial printing house in this cisy. has
sent the following letter to the PRES
ident of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company:
philadelphia. September %. 1910.
Mr.. James McCrea, President Penn
sylvania Railroad. Philadelphia:
Dear Sir.--As a stakeholder of tiss
Pennsylvania Railroad, / have been
greatly surprised to learn there Is
an account long overdue for trans
portation furnished by 1t to Theodore
general knowledge. SO / learn, that
this account amounts to more than
100000.
Whether the person owing such ac-
count be President or d former Pres
ident. or whoever he may be, the
interests of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road. 1t seems to me. demand that
there be settlement. Wiz you advise
me IL I am correctly informed aria. Il
SO. is there any reason why this debt
should not be paid? VIII you also
kindly inform me what steps have
been taken. II any in behalf OF TIP
company to collect the amount due,
and what prospect there is, IL any. of
Its settlement?
Very truly yours.
JOHN H. DEvINE.-
iheooore Roosevelt's extraordinary
travelling at the expense of the stock
noiders OF the railroads during the
hrst four years of his presidency ra
suited in Congress appropriatins sos.
600 a year to meet the cost OF necea-
sary presidential travel In the future.
NO provision was made, however. ia
reimburse the railroads for Mr.. RoCs>e-
Velts extravagant use of snecS,l
trains. which were furnished for his
pear hunts his turkey hunts. his eat
ein-alive lion-killing expeditions. for
ms social engagements, his home.
goinss and comings, and for the trans.
portation of his friends. his servants
MS horses and goo is.
Burden on Pennsylvania.
on the stockholders Of the Pennsv,.
. Haiiroad the burden fell mos,
seaVlly' since nearly all of the pres,
.. JuhKets started out from Wash
!aston over mat company's lines. To
II fell also the lot OF furnishing al, Of
the transportation between the White
House and Oyster Bay The pennsv,.
vania furnished Mr. Roosevelt with
over 100000 in free transportation.
and In inner railroad circles 1t has
been common knowledge for several
years that this remains unpaid.
Publicly the Pennsylvania officials
viii not admit that Mr.. Roosevelt owes
the corporation anything. They say
the transportation was furnished with
out any expectation Of payment. that
there is no account against Mr..
Roosevelt, and that the items" were
charged up to advertising
Among themselves high officials OF
the Pennsylvania have discussed the
Roosevelt account when there have
been fulminations about "cinching the
corporations and bringing them to
time"
1t was the custom to carry the Presi
dent of the United States as free anu
honored guest The railroad could not
very well discriminate between a bear
hunt and trip OF the President to
dedicate monument so no request for
transportation was refused. Mr.. Roose-
Welt rode IN and down the lines at his
pleasure. There may have been rail-
road officials who believed that tho
President. who was even then gleeful-
accept as courtesies to- thS presidential
Office the expenses OF his purely per-
sonal pleasure expeditions. Such op.
3timistic ones were doomed TO disap-
rious--it has been so for years--tha,
officials of many of the trunk lines
always regarded this transportation as
debt, not a courtesy. Bu>. could they
dun the President of the United States?
Respect for the presidential ofice---to
roughness OF the always impending
Rooseveltian 'c.nch"--repressea even Il
breath OF a suggestion that the rail-
roads stockholders might object 10
the continuing drain upon their re-
sources Consequently, M steps were
taken even to intimate that the bills
might with propr!ety he settled.
Determined to Investigate.
Mr.. Devine who is a STOCKHOLDERS of
the Pennsylvania Railroad, has taken
up the subject with the intention OF
finding out exactly what Is the status
Of the Roosevelt account with his
road. FIe desires to know why the
stockholders OF a private corporation.
should hsye had to bear the. public
burden, not only Of safesuaaIrding, the
travels. but Of carrying him free of