Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-06-20
~ Eiusr. sf fks WING,

doc 20 promote this object
M writer II would seem, desires to annul the efficacy
sfdhb movement. by representing that the facility with
which names may be obtained for ''any object" is a rea-
go Why the petition should not command your consider
adon.
We learn from ar" The real and interested petit
sionsrs are residents Eat the head OF Broad street." or such
- have property interests there. That q movement, there
fore. % easily effected should have been conceived and
sfscuted, 's = matter Of no sarpri.s;'' ar" would
have ths community believe the iEpoteney Of the section
Of the city referred to. and the advantages Of trade which
the Railroad and Canal had naturally taSen from them. that
fer shsss considerations. the petition should not be needed
q shs nsk Of detrimcnt TO the Railroad Company, or seem.
ing dissdvsntsge TO any other portion Of the city, or lessen.
iag ths advantages which they enjoy over "the head OF
Broad street." "Rn would have citizens believe also.
The ostensible prayer Of the petition was one thing, and the
ral motive Of is supporters is another. What a coinpli.
nent b this to rHREx HUNDRED respectable inhabitants of
Richmond who have already put their names TO that petit
ton! Il The majority Of this number TO be told that they
feel -no intsresr In the matter, as II every action must be
coupled with some interesfed motives, u principle too
apparent in The article from ar" What language can
express the folly Of men who have contributed to the relief
ofsaferers at Pittsburgh from the late conhagration IL per.
sssI taferesfs alone, should actuaie men in all they do, and
WI Of the entire history OF that great calamity not as many
human lives are reported TO have been lost as by the sim.
pie use Of Locomotive Engines on Broad street, Richmond.
The facts which the petition sets forth, that deaths land
ws say repeatedly) have occurred from the use Of locomo.
tivcs that horses are liable 10 be frightened by them-and
that IN consequence, persons from the country as well as
citizens do NOT like TO 90 on the street, and that its business
10 thereby iniured-thesef facts, without the shadow Of con.
tndicion, do not enhtle the memoriahsts to a hearing. be-
Ca8@ot totsoohs mc bio Shee 10 alOuc
Cd. by the use Of the Engines.
1t will require a definition Of the term "head OF Broad
Street." before we can rightly understand the section re-
fsnsd to by "R."
From reading that article, the thoughts are borne in quick
Transition, from the "head Of Broad Street" to the "ncigh.
borhood Of the Depot" which by consequence is the roor.
u will be observed, the body of the Street is lett cut Of
view. Nov, ne this Is by far the largest section, its claims
should not be thus disregarded.
The distance from the head TO the foot OF the street, then,
is the distance of Eight Squares, and this portion is thrown
out Of view. Persons, therefore, who have signed the pc.
tion residing on these Squares mus, have done so disiuIer-
estedly. What, then, Is the inference 7 Why, surely, that
they have done the act without 4 reason, or that the evil
csmplainsd OF, is Of general concern, and not strictly local.
In 10 character.
ons. would have been more completely lost to Broad ST.,
If the road had terminated elsewhere, &c.
Nov, 'eonpletely lost" in the connection here used, is
synonymous with 'DoEE DID IT."
Too many wagons have been broken aud horses fnghien.
ed already by the Steam Engines, to suffer the hope that the
owners OF such property will risk their teams on the Street
again. But "the owner is 10 blame, we are told, for all the
ruins which befalls his property, &c.-Why 7 because he
has not sent his horses 10 a Rail Road three or four times
20 sesnsfsm fAem to the Engine. Very modest. As II
were q small matter for persons living the distance Of twen-
~ 10 . hundred miles 10 do so, that he may come into the
City unannoyed.
Considering, however, that Rail Roads are TO Be the
common system Of transportation all oper the country
the City Of Richmond as the last in the Union, which al.
lows the use Of Engines, is wisely told it should not inter-
fere with The use OF Locomotives within lis limits, 'beeause
their use in the country makes it indispensable to train
their horses TO them" We have no fears but that the
Council will appreciate the argument. Ii is stated, "A
spectator az the Depot; on tic arrival Of the cars, will have
the conviction forced upon him, that this hue and cry about
the fright Of horses. and the danger Arising therefrom, i. a
humbug. or "has but pnv slight foundation 10 rest on"
The present writer must suppose that Mr.. X is more
familiar with the scenes about the Depot and the effects
produced by the psssage Of the tram at that point than
elsevhsre. Horses accustomed to the Engine are 'nan.
quf.S 6c- for instance, those at the Depot. But what
kind Of horses congrgate there 7 Such and such ONLY,
- have been used about the Engines, and which with all,
must DO managed If at all. by careful dnysrs." We are
lOd n danunT (nnw nhNlnn \ Mill IN a arSnfIu srr - .
How 2 By the increased number of trains incident to
horne power" which promises that the ratio Of DANCER is
propostioDate 10 the number Of TRAINS, IRRESPECTIVE of the
power employed TO propel them. Now, experience in the
Cities of Philadelphia and Baltimore, is conclusive proof
"thst the danger In the use Of one steam Engine in the
city, 10 greater than an IMMENSELY INCREASED" number Of
trains II drawn by horses-because the former has been
abolished and the LATTER Is sull allowed with great free
dom, even in those thronged cites-Ihe use Of breakes and
gentle horses, renders the practice consistent with safety To
al. The idea OF :" sixTY HORSES and a propoIiionate
number Of "drvers," as required to do the business on a
Kali Road, nearly level, and for a distance Of Csay) a half
amne OF less, seems better suited to romance than 10 rea-
son. and must evidently fail IN the effect the author intend.
cd by IL. ls the statement true 2
"The petitioners have overlooked something'-i is said,
= matterof the hrst importance" What is that "R."
says, cit 10 the right Of the Railroad CsmpaRy"-
All! In what does that night consist We arc not told.
Does tho language Of that instrument, which is the basis Of
the right claimed, declare that the City OF Richmond has
'no rigbtin law or equity" to make an ordinance which is
regarded on all hands Ia be imperiously needed Have the
supposed guardians Of our rights blrtered away our lber-
hes IN this way, and admitted n power amongst us we know
not, TO rule Us with an iron rod, indeed We tell "R"
.%' 'col wy a'uo'e ~ "e g'ouho OF the
lam up y ,ne company ana me isir Interpretation Of
"u, ' a ? nens leIereu % are reserved To Tie city.
n, hs iur'ner informed us Of certain things about
the X. X Company. Of which we were no, certain before;
such as tho amount Of money expended by the stockhold-
es, .no ~ P'cs te'uins lney (he stoeknoldersJ have re-
Sol'.a ? vow, uuu, requires such an exhibit, I'M
der the distinguished advantages ~(Withou, a paralleD Of
rsnn'ng men engines In,o me heart Of me City, to the Sc
nous eunme1' o. ino'nooal propeI'y.holdeTs' while the
sLenooe,s spe No FEoIlI' shsn not ihese property
no.oets, oSneIe VINO may sympsihlEe with them, petit
~ y. ~ Ioanen u nichnona iof redfess-ihe only
esetefi NuSu thcJ ~ . dchHonltdkef
VIC granuhg o' sueh an ordnance
-. ~, y sqosa'enl !" various uings; among
49, = "' .emo,a'o 20 company rom 'iher shops
~. sLra ~ ,mIN you y nis would De preferable to
,ae s'e'bauVe : AND what ~ hiatt "The expense Of
on ~ A. I, ~ y ,"Gn Sapsnse. c..
viii fore. fbs Camn.nv - .o.k ~ Ivy ~ n'chmUnu