| From the Western Democrat (Charlotte,
N.C.) |
| |
| February 14, 1865 |
| |
| The Railroads |
| From the Raleigh Confederate |
| There is a universal
condemnation because of the reckless bad management of these
corporations. If bad Quartermasters, Commissaries, Enrolling officers
and the scattered subordinate throughout the land, have brought, in many
causes, reproach on the government, and by evil conduct put in peril the
success of the cause; if deserters have abandoned the ranks to become a
prey upon their home people, they are not the only or the worst foes to
the revolution, that the Confederacy has produced. Railroad
corporations, which ought to have been the special friend of the
government, those fostered and favored corporations which have been
allowed extraordinary immunity, in keeping their friends and favorites
out of the service. Yet this is far from being the case; most of them
have out "Heroded Herod" in their sordid grasping and extortionate greed
for money making. It has been common for them to hold at the disposal of
speculators their running stock, not unfrequently to the delay of
government freight, and in some instances to the detention of troops,
passing from one point to the defence of another point of the country.
This accommodation has been carried to such an extent, that the
public eye has been offended, by the open preference given to
speculators, not for the transmission of luxuries only; but when they
were engaged in buying up the necessaries of life, in localities where
they were scarce, to be transmitted to other places for exorbitant gain.
The officers of railroad corporations, who connive at these abominable
practices, are no better friends to the Confederacy than Sherman or
Grant, and if we fail, the downfall of our people may be laid, in no
small degree, to their charge. |
| Besides this criminal
misconduct, the gross neglect, mismanagement and carelessness -- and the
utter disregard of the comfort of travellers is matter of universal
complaint. |
| If any one wishes to pass
through just that amount of torture that is insupportable, let him take
a trip on the North Carolina Railroad, towards Greensboro', and, thence,
over the Piedmont to Danville. Great allowance is to be made for the
times, and the difficulties of keeping up the condition of roads. But
neither the times nor the condition of roads excuse a total abandonment
of order, method, neatness, regularity and comfort. When an Engine comes
from Goldsboro' towards Raleigh, broken down, and thence starts for
Greensboro, there is neither reason or sense in the endeavor to force it
through at the hazard of life to all aboard; certainly to the
prolongation of their travel, when Engines are standing, in better
plight, at Company Shops, and there are telegraph stations along the
route. A few nights ago, we had occasion to witness such an operation.
The train was long and full; -- many soldiers returning to their
commands. The Engine on leaving Raleigh was completely broken down, so
that the speed attained average about two miles per hour. It was easy to
telegraph from Raleigh so as to have a good Engine to meet the train at
Durham's. Yet this simple act of justice, to a heavily taxed traveling
public, was wholly ignored, and we were compelled to fret and worry
along through the cold bitter night consuming twenty-four hours in
reaching Greensboro, the better engine only reaching us near Haw river?
As for cleanliness or comfort, they are gone out of date -- out of
recollection -- and if any unfortunate passenger should desire to obtain
information, and apply to the conductor, he might as well attack a bull
dog. But if this is the condition of things on the North Carolina Road,
when we come to speak of the Piedmont, ah, our pen refuses the task.
There they run by telegraph, and the result is, that between Greensboro
and Danville, one is engaged from ten to fifteen hours in "waiting
for orders." If he is fortunate enough to get orders to move on, he
may if he can keep the track, succeed in getting through in a week or
ten days. * * * |
| God save the country, if its
destiny, in any wise depends on proper and conscientious performance of
duty by Railroad corporations. |
|