Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1843-12-21
NUMBER 43.

not to the private shareholders who have
hazarded more upon their construction
than the State, she al last has an interest
IN them which comprehends the interests
of all her partners--she is in all cases the
"residuary legatee." or heir Of oil, and in
that capacity viii reap to the remo'est fu-
ture the entire benefit Of their joint lsbors
upon her population and wealth. Her
interest, therefore, in The due preservation
and repair Of them is without end. and
that whether they be continued rs toll
roads or be converted into free oues.
And in order TO have this interest protect
ed, and 10 save at once these improve.
men,s from dilspidalion end ruin. i would
be highly expediept for the State to pro-
vide on her part some better adapted and
more effrc,uaI superintendance than il -
possible for the board OF works, o,ganixsd
as il now is, to maintain. This board
composed Of the members Il government
acting er o6fcio and holding Their sessions
in the capitol, are too remote from the i'm.
provements io question, too liable TO error
in the appointment Of proxies, too much
occupied with the primary duties Of their
several stations, ever to be as competent
to the execution OF its trnst, as central
and controlling board ought to be. Bot
whatever this competency heretofore. thu
repeal by the las, legislature, Of the law
esta blishine the Office ofcivil engineer hss
greatly reduced it, as il has taken from
the board, the services and information
upon which they were accustomed to re-
ly, ard without which, public sacrifices
can scarcely fail to result.
Under these views i. is submitted as
worthy Of your consideration, whether the
shares Of the State in the joint stock turn
pike companies might not b. advantage.
ously surrendered to the county courts of
the several commits in which they lie, and
beheld by them as the properly Of the
counties respectively; thus substituting
these counties, with or without restrc-
,iors, as may be thought necessary, IN
the room and stead of the STATED These
courts may not in all respects, nuke tho
best possible repositories Of this trust, but
their constant presence at the pluce of
service, their personal knowledge Of all il
requires, and the near and controlling in
fuence OF tho very interest for WHICH il
is their business 10 provide will qualify
them for j, to such degree at least, as to
render their substitution for present board
a substantial advantage to the public
This trust and that over the common high
way, which is now committed by law tn
these courts should not be COMPOUNDED.
and kindred inefficiency OF management
inferred. The cases are materially dis-
tinguished from each other. la that Of
the common highway, every enforcement
Of law BY county courts and jpries is an
enforcement upon the people. OF whom
these courts and Juries constitute apart,
Of gratuitous end oitenlimes most I'M
willing and Troublesome labour. In the
case submitted. such enforcement would
be that Of contact where the people
would be the minor party in service and
the larger one in interest. However The
measure suggested might result il IS Oh.
vious that as the State derives no dividend
from these roads, she is most interested
in some plan for their management, which
by best preserving them, shall, thereby
best connect them with her general wei
fare. v sm ~n
The situations and claims Of other
works OF internal Improvement in the
State. will be reported upon by the Board
of Public Works, and to their report !
beg leave 10 refer you for such infTma-
ton upon this subject generally as You
may desire to have. would, however,
especially recommend to your attention
and liberal regard the case Of the Safes
subscription to the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad company; and would also brig
to your notice certain suggestions in the
eport OF the Richmond, Fredericksburg
and Potomac railroad company, touching
the application which is proposed to bs
made OF the States share Of the dividends
on its stock.
The great central line Of improvement,
extending from tide water at Richmond
to the Ohio river, which has been eairus-
ted to the James River and kanawha COM
pany, is in so msny respects peculiar. IS
so connected with the most extensive and
fertile dependency Of our whole interior
and the commercial importance OF our on
" maritime cities, and is withal in stu
alton so embarrassing at present to lis iur-
Their operations. that take leave to rec
ommend it 10 your earliest consideration
with such remarks IS the interests involv.
ed seem 10 require. Passing over the va
rous and anxious efforts of which this line,
ia some form AID TO some extent or other,
has now been the subject for upwards OF
go years, it will be enough historically 10
say,-thst in 1892, the present James
River g. Kanawha Coy was incorporated,
with a capital stock Of five millions Of dol
lars, and with the right Of augmentpg il
to eight millions; that the State became
a subscriber to this compsny, first to the
amount Of two 6hhs, and afterwards Of
three fifihs ofihe five millions, paying one
fifth oftbis subscription by the transfer 10
the company OF certain works upon the
line which she had previously constructed
with her own funds, end the balance. or
two millions, in money, and holding her,
self by charter free TO take or not TO take
any shore in the augmented capital. The
other shareholders in the company are IN.
dividuals, who hold about eight hundred
thousand dollars Of the stock. end the cor.
porations OF the city Of Richmond, the
Bank of Virginia, the town OF Lynchburg,
and Wash;nvton college, who hold the