| From the Raleigh Confederate |
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| October 12, 1864 |
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| For the Confederate |
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| Messrs Editors, |
| Please allow me a small space in your columns
to correct any false impressions by your correspondent "Justice" in his article which appeared in your columns
several days ago, and in which he insinuates that the rail road
companies have white men detailed to fill positions occupied by
negroes before the war. There are very few positions on the railroads
besides that of laborers that can be filled by negroes, and as the law
allows only one man to the mile of track, it is not to be supposed
that railroad companies would detail men for positions which could be
filled by negroes at much less expense and trouble to the companies.
Besides this, the President or Superintendent of the roads have to
send a list monthly to the Commandant of Conscripts, setting forth
occupation, &c., and taking an oath before a Justice of the Peace
that the men asked for are indispensable to the efficient operation of
the road, that the number of persons whose exemptions are asked for,
does not exceed one to each mile of track in use for military
transportation, and that since the passage of the act no per4son has
been employed in any capacity where it was practicable to employ one
not liable to military service and capable of performing efficiently
the duties of such position. So your readers will see that as only a
limited number of men are allowed to Roads, that it would be of no
advantage to them to detail men who would be of little or no service
or whose positions could be filled by negroes. Disabled soldiers would
not accept situations on railroads, because with a very little trouble
and with a very small amount of money they could earn by speculation
twenty times the small salaries paid by railroad companies, and
besides this, there are very few places on railroads a disabled solder
could fill. If Justice would try some of the situations, especially
one where he would be required to be up four nights out of five, he
would soon see that he was mistaken. |
| Your correspondent "An Old
Farmer" complains about the railroad companies increasing their
rates. Now in accordance with the valuation of money, railroad fare is
cheaper than before the war, and cheaper than almost anything else.
Rai9lroad fare in this State, about six times the price before the
war, whereas they have to pay from 20 to 75 times old prices for the
bacon, lard, corn, labor, oil wood, &c., they use. The old issue
is received by railroads, while many farmers refuse to receive it, and
much prefer selling for specie at lower rates. The reason why railroad
fare has advanced so much may not be known, and I would here inform
your correspondent, that the reason why some of the roads increased
their rates was from necessity, as the government controls
transportation, and the government has not paid the roads, or many of
them, but for one months' work done the present year. As the
government will not allow the transportation of much if any private
freight, the companies have found it difficult to carry on the
operations of the road, and especially to pay for wood and labor,
inasmuch they were working almost exclusively for the government,
and receiving nothing for their earnings and the large amount already
due. One of the roads, advanced their rates on citizens and lowered
the rates for soldiers to 5 cents per mile, which is government rates.
Will the farmers lower the prices of provisions to soldiers families?
The railroad companies have acted nobly in this war; they have worked
for very low rates for the government, received their notes at par
when they had no real value, and have invested largely in government
securities, while others have been investing in cotton, lands and
specie. |
| Fair Play |
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