| On the 15th Decr 1862 another Rail Road convention
was held in Augusta Georgia which adopted a Tariff advancing the
rates on both Freights and Troops. This Tariff has never been
accepted or recognized by me. It is submitted herewith and
marked D. |
| A convention of Virginia Rail Roads was
held in this city some two or three months ago which passed
resolutions in favor of increasing the rates on transportation
generally, but without indicating any precise Tariff. These
resolutions were communicated to me by Mr. Fontaine the Chairman of
the Convention and the President of the Va Central R Road. Some
weeks subsequently Mr Fontaine made application to me on behalf of
his particular company (the Va Central) for increased rates and
accompanied his application with a table of the specific rates
desired. I referred both of his communications to Col. W. W. Wadley.
They were recently returned to me with an endorsement signed by Col
Wadley A. A. G. This endorsement allowing certain specific rates, I embedded
in a communication to Lt Col Larkin Smith (who pays the Rail Roads
in this vicinity) on the 24th inst. Col. Smith being in doubt as to
whether Col Wadley's endorsement was designed to compare the
allowanced of increased rates to the Va Central Road, or whether it
was meant to include all the Virginia Roads, or to be intended to
all Rail Roads in the Confederate States, has written to Col Wadley,
by my direction, for information on the subject. I herewith inclose
a copy of my letter to Col Smith together with a copy of his
communication to Col. Wadley, Marked E. |
| One other arrangement remains to be
mentioned. On the 15th April Dr Hawkins President of Raleigh &
Gaston R Road Company wrote to Major Chas S. Carrington, Qr Master,
asking an increase of rates. Major Carrington enclosed my letter
approving them together with Dr Hawkins' letter jinignating them, to
Lt Col Smith on 20th April 1863. As it appeared uncertain whether
the rates in question were applicable to Forage only, or to
all freights, and whether they are allowed to particular Roads or to
all the Roads in Virginia and North Carolina, and as to the precise
dates on which they are to take effect, copies of all the papers
have been enclosed to Major Carrington at Raleigh N C, accompanied
by a letter asking the needful information. There has been no
settlement either under this arrangement or under that mentioned in
connection with Col Wadley (see package marked F. |
| It is not in my power to state the
relation that exists between the Columbia rates (at which Rail Road
accounts are settled) and the rates proscribed by |
| {end of document in the
Archives} |
|