RESPONSE.

OFFICE OF THE CUMBERLAND & PENNSYLVANIA R. R. Co.,

New York, February 12, 1867.

To the Honorable the House of Delegates of Maryland :

The Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad Company, beg
leave to respond to the order of your Honorable body, passed
on the 2d day of February.

In regard to the inquiry as to "what charter the line of
railroad running from Cumberland via Mount Savage, Frost-
burg and Lonaconing to Piedmont, is worked under." They
answer and say the line of railroad named, is worked under
the charter of the Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad
Company, a corporation of the State of Maryland, a copy of
which, with the several amendments thereto is herewith sub-
mitted. The organization, business and accounts of the said
railroad company, have no direct connection with any other
body corporate of the State.

To the further inquiry as to "whether the said railroad is
worked in accordance with its charter," the answer is made
that the company is not aware of any instance in which the
authority of its charter has been exceeded, nor its provisions
in any respect visited. The company was only chartered, its
stock subscribed and paid for; its organization perfected, and
it entered upon the prosecution of its business of transporta-
tion precisely alike, and in no respect different from any other
railroad company of Maryland.

Its power to charge the maximum rate of six per cent per
ton per mile have never been used, except upon the very short
hauls neai Piedmont of 1 1/2 to 5 miles, whilst in all cases of
15 miles and upward the rates of charge are confined to
about two-thirds of the amount authorized by the State.
These are the existing rates: Up to the fourth year of the war,
viz : July 1st, 1864, when the cost of every element of ope-
rating had advanced so enormously that the income of the
road at the previous rates was exceeded by the expenses, the
rates of charge were about two and one-half cents per ton per