| Virginia Central Railroad |
| General Superintendent's Office |
| Richmond, Va., February 15, 1864 |
| |
| Major F. W. Sims Q. M. &c. |
| |
| Sir, |
| The Q. M. General has ordered
that for all goods &c lost by the Richmond Companies the market
rates for such goods at the time shall be paid. |
| I do not know the date of the
order, and wish to know whether he includes those goods lost previous
to the date of the order. |
| We have a large amount of
those claims to settle, some of which are for goods &c lost twelve
months since. Major C. M. Smith thinks the recent order covers those
claims. As we were ready to settle whenever called upon, and would
have had to pay only cost and charges, if the accounts had been
presented, I can hardly think the recent order is intended to apply to
these cases. |
| I trust moreover that Genl
Lawton will resend his order. We do all we can to protect the
Government property & so far as our road is concerned I cannot
advit that the increased penalty will increase our vigilance in the
same proportion {hole in paper} so
if we were allowed to employ white brakesmen & watchmen for the
trains, and if then our compensation was increased to something like
the rates for private freights the order would not seem so hard. It
would even then be more stringent than our custom with private
customers who have to be satisfied with the repayment of cost and
charges. |
| The cost of coffee, clothing
& some other articles is nearly or quite the value of silver
before the war. Many other articles approximate that price but no one
would have expected any R. R. Co to carry silver at such rates as we
now carry these articles for the Govt. Add to this our want of power
to protect, and the condition of our cars, & more than all the
inducement to steal from very want and the order seems very hard. Nor
will it bear equally. Corn is worth say $4 in Georgia it is worth $25
in Richmond yet we receive precisely the same compensation. |
| Would it not be better for the
Government, the only party having the power, to protect these trains
& to assume all risks contracting with the Companies simply for
the work? It seems to me a very fair proposition. |
| If the order if continued I
must respectfully ask for increased compensation sufficient to cover
the risk. I do not hesitate to say that our losses since this order
was issued will more than consmure our rceff earnings from
transportation of freight and my opinion is that it would nearly
absorb all the gross receipts from this source. I am sure the Q. M.
Genl. does not intend this, nor can he expect that this Company can
submit to the order without ??hance. |
| Very Respectfully |
| Your ovt Sevt |
| H. D. Whitcomb |
| |
| {on back of letter} |
| Virginia Central Rail Road |
| Richmond Feby 16th 1864 |
| H. D. Whitcomb Genl Supt. |
| Asks that claiming for loss prior to the
late order charging market price for lost articles be settled
according to the custom then prevailing. |
| Also making objections to the rule now in
force and states that if it is insisted on the road must have
increased rates for transportation. |
| |
| Rail Road Bureau |
| Richmond Feby 16/64 |
| Respy referred to Q. M. G. for his
consideration |
| When the rule charging market rates acts
retroactively it seems scarcely fair to enforce it. It is recommended
therefore that in such cases the old rule of cost and charges be
observed. |
| It is impolite to charge less than market
rates. It would be better to allow an increased tariff. Then the Govt
knows what it must expect. |
| The clamor raised at being held to a strict
accountability is proof that Govt business has been done too loosely,
and the sooner a change is made the better. |
| F. W. Sims |
| Lt. Col. & Q. M. |
| |
| Q. M. G Feb 17, 1864 |
| Approved and respectfully returned to Lt.
Col. Sims |
| By order of QMGenl |
| W. F. Adams |
| Major & Asst to the QMGenl |