Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-12-05

lhey nave Happny succeeded. Sncn indeed, the
improvements almost every where accompanying lhese
roads, the new settlements the better agriculture the
accumulang comforts of oil kinds, the enhanced va
ue OF houses and lands, that The opinion confidently
entertained, that not only III these respects, but in the
actual additional which is brought by their
into the Treasury, the State has far dividend,
the perpetuty of II considered, upon her portion oil
the money expended upon them However this may
be, they permanent fixtures her soil, so that
whether they worth any thing or not 10 the prl
vata shareholders who have hazarded upon their
construction than the State, she at last has in
terest in than which comprehends the interests of oil
her partners She all cases the resduary legatee,
or heir of ALL and that capacity, will reap, 10 the
remotest future, the entire benefit of their JOINT abors
upon her population and wealth. Her interest, there
tore, the due preservation and repair Of them, is
without end and that whether they be cont nued toll
roads be converted into free md in order to
have this interest protected, aud once these
Improvements from dilapldation and ruin, il would be
highly expedien for the State provide on her pal
better adapted and efeciual ndence
than it is possible for the Board Of Works. organized
il now is to maintain. This Board, composed of the
members Of the government acting er ofeio and hold
ing their sessions in the capitol too remote from the
improve IN question, too liable 10 in the
pontment OF proxies, too much occupied with the pr-
mary duties Of their veral Stations to be
petent the execution Of its trust, central and
controlling board ought to be- But whatever this COM
potency heretofore the repeal by the list Legislature,
of the law establishing the Office of civil engineer has
greatly reduced it. as it has taken from the Board the
services and information upon which they were accrs-
toned TO rely, and without which public sacrifices can
scarcely fail 10 result.
| Under these views il is submitted worthy of your
consideration, whether the shares of the State in the
joint stock turnpike companies mil ht not be udvana-
geousy surrendered TO the county courts Of the several
counties in which they le and be held by them the
property of the counties respectively; thus substltut
ing these counties with or without restrictions, as
may be thought necessary in the room and stead OF
the State These courts may not in all respects,
make tie best possible repositories of the trust but their
constant presence at the place OF service their personal
know ledge of all il requires, and the and CONTROL
ing influence of the very interest for which ii is Their
business provide will qualify them for It to such a
degree al least, 10 render their substitution for the
present Beard substantial advantage to the public
This t.ut. and that over the common highway, which
is commit. ID by law to these courts, should not be
coEfounded, and kindred ineciency Of mana cement
inferred. The materially distinguished from
each other. In tia. Of the common highway, every
enforcement Of law by county courts and jures an
enforcement upon the people, OF whom these courts
and jur,es constitute a part, OF erantous ana
ofenlimes most unwilling and troublesome labor. in
the case submitted, such enforcement would be that OF
contract where the people would be the minor party
in service and the larger in interest However The
measure suggested might result obvious that the
State derives dividend from these roads, she IS most
interested in plan for their auagcment, 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 Stale, viii be reported upon by the
Board Of Publc Works, and to their report beg leave
refer you for such information upon tins subject re-
morally as you may desire 10 have. | would, however
especially recommend 10 your attention and liberal re-
gard the of The States subscription to the Bal
more and Ohio railroad company aud would also bring
notice certain suggestions The report OF the
Richmond, Frederick 5urg and Potomac railroad com
pany, touching the application which is proposed 10 be
made of the States share of the dividends L, stock
The grea. central line Of improvement, extending
from tide water a: Richmond Ia iha Ohio river, which
has been eft listed to the James River and klnawhl
Company, Is IN 50 many respects peculiar, is con
nected wh the most extensive and fertile dependency
Of our whole interior and the commerc al import
%! only maritime cities, and il witha III Il s,trator
embarrassing at present to its further operltons 'hl
take leave 10 recommend TO earliest considera
ton with such remarks the interests involved Il
require. Passing the various and anxious Efforts o
which this line, IN some form and to extent other
has been the subject for upwards of sixty years,
will be enough, historically to say-that in 1892 ht
present James River ~ Kanawha Company moor
porated with capital stock of FIVE millions of dollars
and with the right Of augmenting 1t TO eight millions
that the Stale became subscriber to this Company
first to the amount Of two-ffths, and afterwards %
three t hs Of The five Millions paying fifth Of II
subscription by the transfer to the Company Of certain
, works upon the line which she had previously con
struct d with her funds, and the balance tw,
.
> to IKE not 10 take any share in the augmented
capital The other shareholders in this company are
r individuals who hold abant eight hundred ihousanc
dollars of the stock and the corporations of tic cit;
of Richmond the Bank Of Virginia, the town Of Lynch
burg, and WASN'T Dgtun College who hald the residue
The Compans thus constituted charged with the
sum at which the State 1890 had purchased out tho
rights Of the first james River Company, amounting
perpetual annuity of twenty thousand dollars
and i, further charged with the duty of com
nj. ,for, ~ R.ck
} the OHIO river, upwards Of 400 niles, within twelve
years from is fist organic under pain of forte
ing IS charter. This organzaon having been Effected
, IN December, 1881, the Company proceeded once
10 the execution of the Immense work which conf
nit;ed to their hands, and, since that tG,e have
finished The existing improvement between Richmond
and Lynchburr-have expended heavy sums in execu
ting deached bu., as yet, incomplete parts of the line
between Lynchburg and the mouth Of the North river
in the county of Rockb-dge-have provided at great
troutls and expense, the surveys and estimates which
were requisite, both to judcious selection and loca
ton of the rou,ehave paid large damage. 10 property
holders for The right Of way-haye added, by purchase
the Richmond dock 10 their chartered limits nd have
improved this {, fit il TO become q useful appe n
dage, not only TO the commerce Of the city, but 10 the
, final profits of the canal
In these various operations and expenditures and
perhaps others connected with them, the captl stuck
Of the company has been fully expended, and there
has also been expended, nearly if not altogether tie
i additional sum OF one million SIX hundred aud fiiy
thousand dollars, Of which one million four hundred
0 thousand borrowed by the company under qua
Taniee of the State, and hundred aud fifty thou
sand directly advanced by the State a loan Look
ing at these expenditures and then at results is pro
per TO recocct, that million Of the FIVE CONSISTED
of works which have avalled but little for actual heneE
THAT The annuity Of twenty-one thousand dollars
$ charged upon the company was equivalent, TO the alb
stracon from its capital OF three hundred and fifty
thousand that being necessary to produce il a,
per cent. interesthat hundred thousand dollars
more, have been lost By delinquent subscribers AM
tina: thu work has begun and has been prosecuted I'm
der marketable rate for labor, 70. professional wages
aud for every description Of material SO ex-avagan
beyond all former example as to have aided IN a!
$ probability, half million of dollars extra, 10 IL
t cost When these items combined, whatever j.
the light IN winch The operations and expenditures o.
the company still considered, ii must ye; he admit
ted that they have been conducted under burdens ant
at Disadvantages, which have lost to it many mile
additional improvement.
f Lenving these views however, it is mater of deep
or interest to the public lc know whether tue company
s in any present condition TO 20 with ia work, ant
If it is not in what way and what extent il will be
,;d he General That HI