Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-12-14


tency heretofore. the repeal By the last
Legislature, of III, law establishing the
oltlce OF civil engineer, has greatly re-
duced IT, as it has taken from the Board
the services and information upan which
I they were accustomed to RELY, and with.
out which public sacrifices can scarcely
fail to result.
Under these views It is Submitted as
worthy of your consideration, whether
the shares Of the State in the Joint stock
turnpike companies might not be asiyaD,
iaseously surrendered 10 the county
courts Of the several counties in which
they lie. and be held BY then. as the pro
perty OF the counties respectively; thus
substituting these counties with or with
out restrictions, as may be thought ne
cessarv, in the room aud Stead of the
State : These courts may not, il all
respects. make tie best possible deposit
tories Of the trust. but their constant
presence at the place 81 service. their
personal knowledge Of all il requires, and
The near and controlling influence of the
very interest for which ii is their bust
ness to provide. wl! qualify them for it
70 such a degree at least, as TO render
their substitution for the present Board
substantial advantage to the public. -
Ehis trust, and that over the common
highway, which is now commsted by
law to these courts, should not be CON
founded, and kindred ineiIicincy of
management inferred. The cases are
materially distinguished from eaclI other.
In that of the common highway, every
enforcement Of law by c. unity courts and
J'lries IS an enforcement upon the peo-
pie, OF when these courts and iuries
constitute part, Off eratuitous and Of
tentimes most unwilling and trouble
some labor. In tie case sub titted. such
enforcement won d be that Of a contract,
where the people would tie the minor
party in service and the larger one in in
terest. However the measure suggested
might result it is obvious, 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 welfare.
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 to refer you for such informa-
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 States
subscription to the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad company; and would also bring
to your notice certain suggestions in the
report Of the Richmond, Fredericksburg
and Potomac railroad company, touching
the application which is proposed to be
mace OF the States share vi the diyi-
dends on It's stock.
The great cenraI line Of mprovement,
extending from tide water at Richmond
TO the Ohio river, which has been en-
trusted to the James River and kanawha
Company, is in so many respects pecu-
liar. is 50 connected with the most ex-
tensive and fertile dependency of our
wh2le interior and the commercial I'M
portance of our only maritime cities, and
is withal iii a situation so embarrassing
at present to its further operations, that
take leave to recommend it to your
earliest consideration, with sacb remarks
as the interests involved seem 10 require.
Passing over the various and anxious ef-
forts Of whice this line, in some form
and to some extent or other. has now
been the subject for upwards of sixty
years, it will be enough. historically, to
say-that in 1882, the present James
River & kanawha Company was incor-
porated. with acapitai stock OF five mil
lions of dollars, and with the right of
augmentlng it to eight millions; that the
State became a subscriber To this Com
pany, first to the amount Of two-ffths.
and afterwards Of three fths of the FIVE
millions, paying one-flfth Of this sub
scrptlon by the transfer to the Compa-
ny OF Certain works upon the line which
: she had previously constructed with hel
own funds, ami the balance or two mil.
lions IN money, and holding herself by
charter free TO lake or not to take an,
share 10 the augmented capital. The
other shareholders in this company are
individuals who hold ubout eight hun
dred thousand dollars Of The Stuck, and
the corporations Of the city Of Richmond
The Bank OF Virginia, the lawn Of Lynch
sarg- and Washington College. who hold
the residue. The Company thus cou-
stltuted, was charged wl6 the spm Al
which the State in 1890, bad rurchaset
out the rights of the FIRST James River
Company, amounting To peree'aii an
nuitv OF twenty-one thousand dollars
and It was further charged witt the duty
Of completing the whole liae, from tide.
water at Richmond, to tie Ohio river
upwards Of $50 miles, within twelve
years from its first organization, under
pain Of FORGETTING lis CHARTER. This or
ganization having been effected in De
cenber, 1884, the Company proceeded
at once to the execution of the Immense
work which was committed TO theil
hands, and, since that time, have fnished
the existing Improvement between Rich
mond and Lynchburg-haye expended
4 I 4 a