Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-07-18


There appearing to be some evident defect i
the management of the repairs of the road ante
rior to The LIST June, 1913, the Board determine
nj the commencement &c the year Just past, I
change the policy heretofore pursued with regar
10 the repairs, aud adopt the system of payin
monthly me cash, for all the repairs and otho
work done, by which measure the expenses of IN
road have been curtailed to a considerable ex,en,
The Bridge across the North fork OF the She
nahdoah river is now being rebuilt, and f not nov
ready TO receive the travel. will be i'm few DAVIS
and is 10 be hoped, will be of more service to th
company, than the one first erected at that place
The Bridge across Middle river, has been (du
r'ng me last sauiner) secured by trussel, an,
seems at present 10 he pretty frm.-But the great
or number of the Bridges on the line seem TO hav,
oeeh SO imperfectly built tina, much attention anc
precautionary expense will be necessary 10 sus
tam them. Those bridges having been so inner
'ectiy built, particularly the one across the She.
hahdoah, that fell down) the expenses necessary
70 secure them, and the rebuilding the one across
'"e shenandoah, adds much 10 the embarrass.
ments OF the company.
ne rebuilding Of the bridge across the Shenap.
doah was contracted for at the price of So 900 for
me superstruciure, believing, as The Board did al
'hat ume, the old abutments TO be sufficent-but.
upon farther examination for the purpose of so
altering them TO suit bridge TO be built upon the
arch principle, il was ascertained that they were
OIL any sort upon them. Whereupon, the Board
was immediately convened, and after much renec.
,,oh anu deliberation, contracted with the Messrs
Davis d kidwell, to rebuild so much of the abu,
ehts as was not embraced i'm their contract for the
suPerslructure, at the price of SO per perch (roc
,""Seu "ork) the entire amount of which, as yet,
mas not been ascertained. With regard TO the oe-
neral condition of the road, it NAV be represenied
do eood, but great care and attention will be me-
cessafy hereafter, on account of the general and
gradual wearing of its covering or coping. II
Is OF vast Importance TO the interest of the com.
Pahy, mat the application Of labour hereafter,
s"ouid be well weighed and considered, and made
!" Tue most advantageous manner and with
s,rct regard to the company's means, so as TO en-
aoie the company 10 create a sinking fund sufIi-
cieht 10 pay oil It's debts in reasonable period.
n course OF this kind will hold good in all the
common operations of life, and is equally appli
caoie 10 Incorporated companies. But here laws
tue uithcuity with most of the public improve
ments In the State; to effect this, and operae
""n certainty, II becomes necessary that the SUI
PerVising or contracting officer should be perfectly
cohVerSant with the financial affairs Of the COM
Pdhy, ana In every contract he makes, to have
sulcl regard TO the obligations of the company
ana lis means OF meeting them in some reasona-
oae PERIOD. One, and not the least of the causes
Oh me many difficulties and failures of most of the
pubic works In the State is the want of this in
formation on the part of the contracting or super.
conr5i oh HIS Of competent head to direct and
with regard TO the best policy to be pursued
'he year now TO commence, the experience of the
past may be turned 10 great ad Vantage AlihopDh
'ne general lace OF The road presents better as
pee. tiiah IL ala twelve months ago, yet the Board
Is oil the opinion, with the same experience a bet.
Ter application of labour could he made for the a.
mount expended, II the year was TO 90 over again.
=" mist the Board is free to confess that they are
hat tcn, ,Dk, Ial,z
oeen expended in raking in the metal from the
'i"es o. the road, instead of making a judicous
hPphca'ion OF new metal to its centre, and have
10, occasion to demonstrate against il, yet the
Board Is equally free TO say in Justice to the SUI
Per'ntending officer, that il was believed TO be the
most expeditions way TO change the form of the
road' which was found much troughed at the
commencement of the year just past, and much
'aoour necessary to drain it after every rain. A
farther application Of the rake with view of
laking In the sides, certainly would be very in
ludlcious application of labour, and should be
discontinued. Ii does seem to the Board that the
Piincipai object now as respects the repairs,
should be an advantageous application of stone
cleaning the bitches and cuverls where necessary
TO an extent that would keep the road in fair CON
uiioh, and with view 10 the payments Of the
conpany's debts in a reasonable period. In ma
KING strict and rigid examination into the Gnan-
ciai concerns OF the company during the past
year, II has been ascertalned that they were ex-
ceedIngly deranged, much disirust existing along
The whole line confidence lost, suits instituted to
a considerable extent, judgments obtained for
iarSe amounts. the State loan exhausted, but ten
shares OF stock remaining unsold with a debt of
not less than $66,4G9 OF, and little else 10 meet
that amount than The ordinary receipts of the tolls
Under circumstances like these The Board deter
mined TO make no promises, but let their ac1s
speak for themselves, and the result has been that
Board IA tbp plp tn ttnt tj,
decidedly Of the opinion that there has been n
coKederable restoration of confidence in the com
Pany, which circumstance has resulted principally
from much personal attention, labOur and anxiety
on the part Of the President. The expenses of
Tue year have not only been increased by the cir
cumstances above referred TO, but by the rebuild
Ing OF The bridge across the Shenandoah, and the
great lreshets of last summer, WASHING off the
tapping oil The road In many places, besides the
injury many of the small bridges received.
me board Think II proper here to state, that The
Valley Turnpike Company entered into a contract
WIN Tie Messrs. Penny hackers on the l2ih De-
cenber, 1867, 10 construct six miles Of the Valley
turnpike ROAD, and In consideration Of their hav-
Ing subscribed for, and taken 432 shares Of the
capital stock OF the said company, amounting to
Slo'oOo' The said company guaranteed to .he said
contractors all The stock so subscribed for BY them
which may remain In thei! hands not disposed of
on the LIST May, 1876, TO be worth e75 in The
500 at that time, under which guarantee the
company may be liable for an indefinite amount
depending upon the worth of the stock at thai
time, and the amount of stock then remaining in
their hands nndlsposed of.
The amount of tolls received the year
ending 3lst May, 1914, sI4,342 os
Balance on hand at the commence
uent Of the year, b5 II
Amount received Of individuals and
Board Of Public Works on new
and old stock, including delinquent
subscriptions, 2.356 81
Amount discounted and charged OPP
as amount received, 81 Is