| Quartermaster General's Department |
| Richmond, 28th Apl 1862 |
| |
| Charles Ellis Esq |
| Presdt R&P RR Co {Richmond &
Petersburg RR} |
| Richmond Va |
| |
| Sir, |
| As requested in your letter of recent date, I have
reconsidered your application of the 27th inst. in which you ask that I
will have allowed to the Richmond & Petersburg RR Co the amount of $1675
87/100 suspended in the settlement of its transportation account, on
account of loss reported by the Subsistence Department. |
| I had concluded that the deduction was properly made,
on the ground that the responsibility of the different Rail Road
Companies was the same for lost and damaged freight, prior to the
adoption of the Chattanooga Rates, as it has been since, and that your
road was fairly charged with the whole amount in the first instance, in
accordance with the terms of the agreement had between the different
companies. |
| As your letter of the 27th ulto refers to
the action of the Rail Road Convention as bearing upon the case, without
noting its recent date, I took it for granted that the understanding was
held prior to the ??? items in the account which was deducted. Your last
letter shows that such was not the fact, and under those circumstances,
I feel that it would be attended with great hardship to throw upon your
short route, at the terminal point, the burthen of all the loss, when
you have no recourse against other companies, for contribution. |
| I therefore return the claim with such an endorsement
as will secure its allowance. |
| At the same time, I think that steps should be taken to
extend to other roads the agreement held between those, represented in
the Convention held here in March last: else the explicit stipulation
connected with the liberal Chattanooga rates, respecting the liability
of the different Companies for loss and damage occurring in the
transportation of Government freight, will have no practical operation. |
| A. C. Myers |
| Q. M. Genl. |
|