Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1815-11-11

up - your wharveS' And that you still
consent to pay the additional freight upon
the goods you import and the produce that
you ship, which an obstructed navigation
uniformly throws upon the price of the ar
ticle Citizens Of Richmond, how does all
this come to pass
In this respect, you viii say, that YOU
arc not altogether to blame, as an effort
has been made several years ago 10 open
the river. Il failed, however. from an un-
fortunate misunderstanding between the
Leg stature and tie Comp any appointed to
conduct the work. A little good humour
on both sides would have removed every
difficulty. A slight recurrence to the good
Old maxim,
BE to their fsrItl little blind,
And TO their virtues always kind,
would have been sufficient. But they grew
out Of temper with each other 9nd to this
very moment, we are feeling the effects of
it. Why sink into this ridiculous torror.
Ifone Effort failed, why not make another,
Surely, the Legislature of our country is
not so utterly lost to reason, and public
spirit, that. after the eiiervescence of the
moment was over, they would have dri-
ven us contemptuously from their bar
Surely, our citizens are not so engrossed
by the selfish schemes OF monopoly, IS to
be unwilling to offer any proposition at that
bar, which the public good refuses to sane
ton. No, telow-citizens-let us not think
so poorly of them or Of ours Ives. We can
speak with the voice OF truth, and the Lee
gislature of Virginia will hear it Let as
make the effort, and our children viii bles:
us for it.
To trace the misunderstanding, which
arose between the Legislature and the
Company, is very unpleasant task-but
1T may be necessary to point out the rocks,
on which we split before.-A few words
will spatch the history of this unfortu-
nate transaction.
During the session Of 1904, a Petition
signed by more than 200 of the Citizens
of Richmond, was presented to the Gene
raj Assembly, praying for Charter, for
the purpose of clearing out and opening
the James River. The improvements con-
templated were the two following: 1st, TO
clear ont the river from Warwick to
Rockets landing, by removing the bar of
sand and bed OF rock, which ley above
Warwick, and nearly opposite to the farm
OF the late Col. Goode, SO as 90 enable YES
sells from $50 to 500 tons to come I'D to
the Wharves at Rockets and 2nd, to
clear out and deepen the bed of the river
from Rockets TO Rock Landing, little
below Mayo's bridge, SO as to permit YES
sells Of a moderate size TO take off their
cargoes at the said Rec, Landing-The
last scheme was proposed To be effected by
blowing up certain rocks above Ross's (now
HaXalPs) mill, and running dam of stone
between the Islands in the river so as to
throw the current of the river in the drec-
ton. which it formerly had. to the Rock
Landing, by which means, the sand which
would otherwise gather on the margin of
the river wouldbe swept off, and the coasl
KEPT clear. In this petition there was not a
word specified about the rate of tolls or of
tonnage liable to tolls.
The Legislature lent willing ear to the
Petitioners, and on the Esd January 1904,
an Act OF incorporation was passed, by
which certain Commissioners were named
to open the books OH the LIST day OF e ebru-
ary--the capital TO consist OF $4,000, di-
visible into 500 shares, OF the value of 100
dolls. each--The necessary powers were
given to the company to manage its inter-
nal concerns" and i'll consideration of the
expenses which might be incurred in deep
ening the bed of the said river and keeping
the same open," the members of the com
from all DeSseis drawing i've feet or IN
TO1rds, az the rate Of sic cents fer ron but
20 tolls 10 be paid, unless the river should,
at any season, admit vessels drawing IS
feet water from Warwick to Rockets
Landing, and vessels drawing 6 ID feet,
from Rockets TO Rock Landing. In sub
sequent clause, as if the preceding provi-
sion was not conclusive enough, it is ex-
pressly stated that nothing herein con-
tanned shall be construed to prevent vessels,
drawing less than. fve fee. 7vater, from using
and navigating the said river free from
toll"
The Act was no sooner passed, than it
went into execution. The shares were sub
scribed with the utmost avidity, the COM
pany organized, and steps taken towards
effecting the objects of the chartcr-labor-
crs were bought or hired an engineer in
vited from Baltimore, $1,000 paid him for
the patent right of one of his most power
ful machines, $50 for experimenting the
construction, and nearly 1000 for building it.
Every thing seemed to 20 ON prosperously;
when frost came to blight our prospects,
Flaws were discovered in the charter
And It must be confessed, that the except
ons aiken were too well founded Itshould be
A RULE in all public improvements of this
sort, that every man ought to pay accord
ing to the benefits he receives that the
man who receives none ought to pay no.
thing and, that, it is therefore hard
snip to compel any man to pay tolls, who
will be no better off than he had been be-
fore the existence of the charter. Yet
such was the fact under this very charter.
1t bound vessels offs or more than S feet
water, to pay toll--while there were YES
sells OF more than that draft, say as hieh