| From the Memphis Appeal |
| |
| September 5, 1861 |
| |
| Manassas -- Reminisces and Random Shots |
| Groveland, Miss., Sept. 2, 1861 |
| ***** |
| Returning from Virginia the
other day, I was struck with the palpable bad management of the
Virginia & Tennessee railroad. Everybody I saw on the route
complained of it -- everybody noticed the numberless wrecks of cars
scattered along the roadside, suggestive of frequent collision,
running off the track, and any amount of carnage. A land side or two
had occurred just beyond the tunnel, at the summit of the Allegheny
ridge, and the train from Lynchburg had to stop at Big Spring, eight
or ten miles beyond. Transportation around this gap had been provided
for about one half the passengers -- the rest had to walk; and when we
arrived at the Montgomery White depot, the regular train had left! The
consequence was, many had to lie down on the platform and pass the
night in the open air, while others, more enterprising, walked down to
the Springs, two miles off, where they fared "sumptuously,"
but expensively, till next day. Next morning a train came up from
Bristol expressly to take us off, as we understood. It came in sight
of the depot, stopped long enough for those who had but little
baggage, to run down and get aboard, and then steamed away to Bristol,
leaving a large crowd of men, women and baggage on the platform, to
pass another ten or twelve hours in that romantic but comfortless
solitude. |
| These little circumstances
will give you some idea of the management of the Virginia &
Tennessee railroad. Recent accidents and causeless detentions on some
of the East Tennessee road would seem to indicate that they are
managed only a little better. On the whole line, I am informed, from
Richmond and Lynchburg to Nashville, the fare has been raised from
twenty to twenty-five per cent. since the war began. A through ticket
from Richmond to Chattanooga, now costs twenty-three dollars and fifty
cents! |
| Comparisons, "they
say," are odious, but no one who travels over the line, can help
remarking the difference between the management of the Virginia roads
and that of the Memphis & Charleston road -- a difference so
hugely in favor of the latter. The Memphis & Charleston, it is
universally conceded, is the most admirably managed road on the
continent. The comfort and convenience of passengers, are attended to
on the most liberal scale; and, though a comparatively high rate of
speed is consistently maintained, accidents of any kind hardly ever
occur, and the passengers feel as safe in a Memphis & Charleston
train as he would in a horse-boat, "sailing down to Lynchburg
town," or " the raging canal." |
| ***** |
| J. P. P. |
|