Interrogatories propounded on behalf of the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad Company, to H. D. Bird.

Ques. Has the Petersburg railroad company run one or more steamboats for the carriage of passengers and freight on the Roanoke river? if so, what boats? When did they commence to run? How long continue? Are they still running? Betwixt what points? For what purposes? Upon what authority of law?

Ans. Owing to the unfortunate location of the termination of the Petersburg railroad at Blakeley, nearly three miles below Weldon, (where the Roanoke navigation ends,) the company was obliged to purchase lighters and steamboats to bring the produce to their road. As soon as this was finished (in 1833) they put on one boat called the Maryland, and in 1835 or 1836, they were obliged to purchase another, the Roanoke. These boats. generally ran between Blakeley and Weldon, employed exclusively in carrying freight, and when not particularly engaged there, they were sent down the river to bring produce up to Blakeley. They were thus employed until the Wilmington railroad approached completion, when the company had a difficulty with the Portsmouth and Roanoke railroad company about the purchase of half their bridge, which resulted in the latter company declining to carry the passengers between the Petersburg road and Weldon on the terms they had been doing. This compelled the company to put one of their steamboats to carrying the passengers. But this mode of communication being necessarily imperfect, and not being able to make a satisfactory arrangement with the Portsmouth company, our company built a bridge and track to Weldon. This was done sometime in 1842, and then the company stopped running steamboats.

As these boats were purchased some five or six years before I was elected president of the company, I do not know by what authority of law it was done. It is to be presumed that the necessary authority was obtained. The late president of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad company, who was the engineer who constructed our road, and through whose instrumentality the steamboats were procured, can answer this question better than I can. The present president of the Richmond and Petersburg railroad company was the superintendent of our road at the time the second steamboat was purchased, and can also answer this question better than I can.

February 5, 1847.

Cross-interrogatories propounded to Mr. Bird by the memorialists.

H. D. BIRD.

Ques. 1. Was there any arrangement between the owners of the Curtis Peck and Alice in relation to the travel over the Petersburg railroad; if so, what?

Ans. The only arrangement we have ever had with the owners of the Curtis Peck and Alice was as follows: About the time the Portsmouth railroad cars ceased running, the owners or agents of these boats applied to us to know what we would charge the passengers who wished to travel their line. We informed them that we would charge them no more than we did other passengers. As we were then receiving fare at Weldon to carry passengers by the railroad to Baltimore, the owners of the steamboats stationed an agent there to receive fare from any persons who wished to take their line, and whenever he received any, he paid over our company's portion of it to our agent. The same thing was done with passengers going south; the captains of the steamboats receiving the fare through when passengers wished to pay it, and sending it on to our office by the agent of the City Point railroad company. Some time last summer a steamship was started to run between New York and Charleston. Expecting that this boat if encouraged, would be the means of other boats being started, and drawing a good deal of travel from us, we endeavoured to form a ticket with the other railroad and steamboat companies to compete with her. This ticket could not be adjusted in a manner to satisfy some of the companies, and while waiting for something to be done, the Wilmington and Charleston railroad and steamboat company, the City Point railroad company, the James river and bay boats and our company, agreed upon a temporary ticket, to be run on the days the steamship ran. This was done four or five times, when she was withdrawn.

Ques. 2. Were the agents of all other companies permitted to travel over the Petersburg railroad free from charge, as well as the agents to the James river boats?

Ans. Yes. This is a courtesy pretty generally extended by all travelling lines to the agents of one another. I have been informed that the agents of the James river boats travel free, or did travel free, on both the Richmond and Petersburg, and Richmond and Fredericksburg railroads, and also that the officers and agents of those roads did the same on the James river boats. Direct evidence can be furnished on this head if it is deemed to be of importance.

Feb'y 8th, 1847.

H. D. BIRD.

Interrogatories to be propounded to J. W. Syme, Esq., Editor and Proprietor of the Petersburg Intelligencer.

Ques. 1. During the year 1846, many articles in relation to the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad company and its president, appeared under the editorial head in the Petersburg Intelligencer, of which you are the editor and proprietor. Were you the author of all the articles which so appeared, or were they published with your approbation? If any other person or persons wrote any of them, state the name or names of such persons so far as you recollect them?

Ques. 2. Amongst the articles which so appeared, were those hereto annexed. Were you the author of the said articles hereto annexed, or were they published with your approbation? If any of them were written by any other person or persons, state by whom.

Article under the Editorial head in the Petersburg Intelliencer of April 11th, 1846.

NEW STEAMBOAT LINE FROM PORT WALTHALL TO NORFOLK.

In our advertising columns will be found a notice of the new steamboat line from Port Walthall to Norfolk. It is an advertisement sui generis, and its author or authors must have counted largely on the gullibility of the public.

The proprietors of this famous new line which is to connect the "hole" where "cats" "most do congregate," but which is now sonorously called "Port Walthall"-with the City of Norfolk, state in the outset that their object is "to expedite travel as much as possible between Petersburg and Richmond and Norfolk," and therefore they will not stop for way travel. Why, what a benevolent and disinterested concern this new one is! They don't care to make money! Not they. As a member of the legislature once said, they are "above the filthy lucre of the gain." They would not pollute their pure hands with the "dirty dross." They go entirely for the good of the public, and their association should be called "The Cat Hole Pro Bono Publico Steamboat Line."

But this refusal to stop for way travel is only to last while the old line stops for that travel. Should the old line imitate their example, and refuse likewise to stop for way travel, then the "Cat Hole Pro Bono Publico Steamboat Line," will stop for way travel. And for this change in their arrangement we are graciously informed the reason will be "to afford the greatest possible accommodation to the whole public."

Their object is expedition, and therefore they will make a straight track down James river without condescending to notice a signal from the shore; but if the old line follow their example and compete with them in expedition, then they will sacrifice expedition to accommodation!! We like consistency, no matter wherein it is to be found, whether in an individual or in a "Cat Hole Pro Bono Publico Steamboat Line."

Now, we take it for granted, that there is no citizen of Petersburg so inattentive to passing events as not to know what is the object of this steamboat line. It is not to expedite travel, for in the old line you may reach Norfolk as speedily as in this new concern. It is not to afford "accommodation" to the public-for the public are already amply "accommodated" by the old line. We have said what it is not for-and we will now tell what it is for. It is an attempt to break down the river line altogether, and throw travel on the Fredericksburg road. "That's the ticket," but it will draw a blank, as certainly as we sit here.

We hope no citizen of Petersburg will ever set his foot on board this new boat-"Timeo Danaos"-and no Trojan ever had a worse enemy in a Greek, than the people of Petersburg have in the projector of this line. We hope the old line will forthwith put their fare lower than that of the new line, and keep it lower until they run them off the river. We do not know that we can do much to help the old line. But whatever we can do, shall be done. We go the whole against the "Cat Hole Pro Bono Publico Steamboat line."

Article under the Editorial head in the Petersburg Intilligencer of June 6th, 1846.

WHERE IS THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS?

We have ascertained some of the particulars of one of the most extraordinary contracts ever entered into by sane men, and we call the attention of the Board of public works to it, in the hope that they will interpose and exercise the authority vested in them.

We mentioned a few days since that $12,500 of the corporate funds of the Fredericksburg railroad company had been invested in the steamboat line from the Cat Hole to Norfolk. Since then we have ascertained that the Fredericksburg company have subscribed to a contract by which it is stipulated that passengers are to be carried from Norfolk to Washington, via the Richmond and Petersburg and Richmond and Fredericksburg roads, for five dollars, which are to be paid to the boat exclusively-the railroads not receiving one cent. We learn further that this contract is to continue for two years. Now, we ask the sane portion of the public, if such a contract as this was ever before made by sane men? Not only have the funds of the Fredericksburg company been invested in

a line which, by reducing the fare on James river, will divert travel from their road, but this company have actually agreed to pay this amount for the privilege of carrying passengers gratis between Norfolk and Washington!! As we have before remarked, if this money was raised wholly by private individuals from their own pockets, we should have no right to complain, although we might grieve over this addition to the list of egregrious follies man has committed. But a portion of the money belongs to the people, and we feel that we can in their name appeal to the Board of public works-the guardians of their interest-to interpose and apply whatever remedy may exist, to the redress of this outrage upon common sense and on the interests of the state.

NEW STEAMBOAT LINE.

We call attention to the new kick in the steamboat line from Acquia creek to Baltimore.

The same company, we expect, will soon have a line from the Cat Hole to Liverpool, in opposition to the Great Western, Great Britain, and Cunard steamers. And when that is established, we may look out for a daily stage coach line from Petersburg to the "Pocahontas Iron Gray springs," in opposition to T. Sampson Spriggins's ox cart line.

In this connection we may mention that the report that Mr. Spriggins has volunteered for the war with Mexico and will shut up the springs this summer, is untrue. He desires us to say, that in a few days he will open his establishment with renewed attractions.

Article under the Editorial head in the Petersburg Intelligencer of June 23d, 1846.

RICHMOND AND PETERSBURG, AND RICHMOND, FREDERICKSBURG AND POTOMAC RAILROAD COMPANIES.

In our last paper we made some remarks respecting the extraordinary steamboat arrangements of these companies, and stated, among other things, that they would cause such a reduction of fare as would divert travel from the railroads, or oblige them to reduce to a like ruinous fare. Since then the steamboats have reduced the fare to Baltimore to $4, which is less than half the usual rate by the railroads; and we learn that this reduction has diverted nearly all the long travel from the roads. This is the way the thing works. The railroads will now have to come down or lose all their travel-and if they come down as low as the boats, it is very evident they will make nothing at it. How much they will lose can be estimated from the last report of the Richmond and Fredericksburg company. It shews that their long travel last year paid them nearly $90,000, or nearly half their gross receipts; and the board made it a special subject of congratulation to the stockholders that this travel was increasing. It must be borne in mind that this increase was attained before the company embarked in these steamboat speculations.

There is nothing better calculated to shew the impolicy of the opposition on the James river than the fact that a person may now start from Petersburg or Richmond and go to Baltimore for $4, which is $2 less than was ever charged before the Augusta was put on. This shews that the railroad companies, not content with forcing the James river and bay boats to lower the fare on them, are actually furnishing a boat to help them divert travel from their roads!

It must be remembered that the parties who do these strange things have accused the Petersburg company of assisting the bay line to divert travel from their roads. They have even had the assurance to ask the Board of public works to interpose their authority to protect their road. What a pity it is that they don't shew some example of obedience to the wishes of the Board of public works in these steamboat arrangements, for they have been entered into notoriously in opposition to the wishes of that board.

The object of the parties in running these boats is a plain one. The president of the Richmond and Fredericksburg road, who it is well known is the originator of this new way of bringing business to his road by drawing business from it, is a great stickler for high rates on railroads, as all his reports shew. His object, therefore, is to run off the James river boats, and then indemnify his company by high charges. But can he do this? He may break the present line, if the railroad can hold out long enough, but the instant he raises his fare it will be the cause of starting new lines on the river. He can as easily dam up the river as prevent boats from running on it.

If the railroad companies wish to do a good, safe and profitable business, their last reports indicate the line of policy they ought to pursue to accomplish it. They shew their receipts to be greater than they ever were, and this result was obtained without the aid of steamboats either on the James river or bay.

This company is well fixed with coaches for the accommodation of passengers, and if they would introduce more economy in the administration of their affairs, and require their president to live on the work and attend to it in person, instead of allowing him to reside in a distant state and attend to the affairs of other roads, or meddle with them, as he does with ours of the Petersburg road. If they will do this they will make their road as productive as it can be desired. It is in the best situation in the state for doing a good business, and under proper

management it would do so. In speaking thus of this railroad we do not wish it to be understood that we condemn in any manner the management of the present able superintendent of that work. We are not very good judges of the details of these matters, but we are informed by those who are, that he is one of the best managers of a railroad in the country; but he is not the head of it, and is not, therefore, responsible for many of the expenses attending it.

We are very sure, too, judging by what we have heard of him, that he would not invest the funds of the company in either a Cat Hole and Norfolk line, or Acquia creek and Baltimore line. He is a very intelligent gentleman, but his views have never been so expanded as to think that under a charter for a railroad line it would be competent to establish three steamboat lines, and then run one against another.

We have felt it our duty to notice these things to prevent the Board of public works, and the foreign stockholders in the Richmond and Petersburg, and Richmond and Fredericksburg roads from ascribing the loss of either the short or long travel, to any course of policy observed by the Petersburg railroad company. They invite an examination into the matter by those interested, and they doubt not the blame will have to rest on the shoulders of those managing the roads north of us.

Article under the Editorial head in the Petersburg Intelligencer of the 2d July 1846.

"THE CIRCUMFERENCE ROUTE."

The operation of going around one's elbow to get to one's thumb has generally been considered particularly stupid, and folks who take this sort of "circumference route" are generally supposed either to have a screw loose in the upper story or to have nothing else to do. By an advertisement in to-day's paper it will be seen that the route from Acquia creek to Baltimore, threatened some weeks since, will actually be commenced on the 9th of this month. The manager or managers of the Fredericksburg road will then have accomplished the very desirable object of establishing a double opposition to their own road-the Pro Bono Publico and the Circumference Route; and we have no doubt they will give a most hearty Pythagorean ejaculation of Ureka-whether or not they will gain the same eclat from an intelligent public that rewarded Pythagoras's great scientific achievement, we think may be doubted.

We should suppose that it would be evident to any man with a thimble full of brains that the Fredericksburg railroad, with the old steamboat line from Acquia creek to Washington, would, if properly managed, be a sufficient opposition to the bay route, and that not a single passenger would go to Baltimore by the "circumference route" who would not go by the old route, if the fare was alike on each route. If the fare on the circumference route be lower than by the old route through Washington, it must operate injuriously on the Fredericksburg railroad company, who are largely interested in the boats on the Potomac. In this connection we wish to enquire if the president of the boat company between Acquia creek and Washington, who receives $1000 per annum for cherishing and protecting that interest, is discharging his duty to his employers when he runs not one but two oppositions to their route? We wish also to know where the money to establish the circumference route came from? Were $12,500 of the amount taken from the corporate funds of the Fredericksburg company, as in the instance of the Augusta? We should also like to know what proportion of the fare between Petersburg and Baltimore by the circumference route is given to the railroads? Do they generously give up all to the steamboat, as in the case of the route from Washington to Norfolk? These questions are worthy of the attention of the Board of public works, and we trust that they will propound them to the projector of this new and extraordinary route.

In the meantime we earnestly hope that no citizen of Petersburg will set his foot on the Mount Vernon. They can go from Petersburg to Baltimore for $4 by a much more pleasant route, and we are sure they will not encourage by their patronage a route projected by the bitterest enemy our town has.

While on the subject of railroads, &c., we should be glad to be informed of the reasons which induced the Richmond and Petersburg railroad company to purchase "stock?" We see by their report that the sum of $7400 was expended in the purchase of "stock." Now, it strikes us as very singular, that a company overwhelmed with debt should be buying stock. They were obliged last winter to get a credit of three years on the dividend they owed the state, and yet we find that they have expended a large amount in purchasing stock. This is a strange proceeding and requires clearing up.

Mr. Syme stated to the committee that he would not answer the interrogatories propounded to him by the respondents unless compelled to do so: Whereupon,

The clerk was directed to make the following memorandum, to wit: "The counsel for the respondents having propounded to Mr. Syme, a member of the joint committee, certain interrogatories, with a view of ascertaining from him whether or not he was the author of certain articles (annexed to said interrogatories) which appeared in the "Petersburg Intelligencer," of which he is the editor, during the last year, respecting the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad company, and if not, who was the author? and he refusing to an

swer unless compelled to do so, the question was taken: "Shall the member from Petersburg be required to answer the said interrogatories?" and it was decided in the negative: Whereupon,

Mr. Syme voluntarily stated to the committee that while he would not be compelled to disclose the author of said articles, he was willing to admit that he did fully and entirely endorse every word contained in them, and was responsible for them.

On motion the committee adjourned to meet to-morrow evening 4 o'clock.

FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 19, 1847.

The committee met pursuant to adjournment.

The counsel for the respondents laid before the committee the answers of James Brown, Jr., second auditor, to the interrogatories propounded by them to him, and his answers to their additional interrogatories, which were received by the committee.

They also presented the answers of John Williams to additional interrogatories propounded by them; likewise the answers of Thomas Dodamead to their additional interrogatories, which were also received by the committee and ordered to be printed.

The committee then adjourned to meet again to-morrow evening 4 o'clock.

Interrogatories propounded to James Brown, Jr., Second Auditor, by the Respondents.

Ques. 1. Was not a communication addressed to you as second auditor by C. W. Macmurdo, treasurer, on behalf of the president and directors of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad company, on the 23d of May 1845, asking your attention to the fact that agents of the bay line were allowed to travel free of charge in the cars of the Petersburg railroad company, to distribute their handbills and solicit travel, and by purchasing the tickets of the Petersburg railroad company, and by giving them in connexion with their own tickets virtually to make a through ticket in connexion with the river and bay boats between Weldon and Baltimore?" If yea, say if this communication was brought to the attention of the Board of public works, and when, if any action was ever had on the subject matter embraced in it, at what times, and what action was had? Also annex copies of any orders or resolutions of the board on the subject.

A copy of the proceedings of the Board of public works of 26th May 1845, on the subject of Mr. Macmurdo's letter of 23d May 1845, is herewith furnished, marked A. It will shew 1st. That such communication was brought to the attention of the Board of public works. 2d. What officers forming the board were present, and 3d. That no action was had at the time on said communication.

To the best of my recollection no subsequent proceedings were had growing particularly out of that communication. It may be proper to state however, that on the 21st of the same month, two days prior to the date of Mr. Macmurdo's letter, the Board of public works adopted a resolution founded on the withdrawal of the Petersburg railroad company from the reference previously made by the companies interested for the settlement of the through ticket question, which recommended that the said companies should "endeavour in a spirit of mutual compromise and concession to conclude a satisfactory arrangement of the through ticket amongst themselves as the only course which will enable them to secure an object that cannot but be considered of the highest importance to their respective interests as well as the interests of the commonwealth." This resolution considered inutual concession and compromise as the only means of settling this long mooted question, and as a copy of it was furnished to all the companies concerned, I think it probable the Board of public works deemed any action on said letter unnecessary.

[ A. ]

At a meeting of the president and directors of the Board of public works, held May 26th, 1845:
Present-The governor, (M'Dowell,) auditor and second auditor.

The following proceedings were adopted, viz:

The following communications having reference to the resolutions adopted by the Petersburg railroad company on the 15th inst., declaring that "from and after the 1st day of June next that company will cease to issue through tickets in connexion with the railroad companies north of Petersburg upon the present rates of fare, and will discontinue all agencies of through travel" were laid before the board, viz:

From John Williams, treasurer of the Richmond and Petersburg railroad company, dated 22d inst., enclosing copy of resolutions of the president and directors of said company of that date, adopted previously to the receipt on their part of the proceedings of the Board of public works of the 21st inst., declining to act in the matter of the through ticket referred to their decision.