Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-01-23
HegfsIattbe Correspondence.
RICHMOND, JAsUARY 20, 1916.

To The Editor Of The Gazette:
The Soutb-we.tern Road Bill. appropristing
s300 600 cas-, 900. annually, for four yesrs--has
been indefinitely Pospored. BY small majority
Litte will be done, spprehend, this Session, for
the cause Of lutefnaI Improvements. Indeed, the
Ess, has such unequal control Of the legislation OF
the State, that Western Virginia, under the pre-
sent system Of Representation, may not expect
much aid in this branch Of her interests. Con
yention sooner or later, is unsvodabls this and
other accounts. The principle upon which Rep
reservation in the Convention shall be based, will.
10 ell probability, for many reasons, not be proyi-
ded for, in the present Bill, as, have heretofore
stated, would be done
Cameron, Wing. has obtained the seat from Bath
the Report Of the Committee having been con
frmed by large majority
The House, you will perceive, has designated
the 22d for the election Of Senator. A decided
Impression prevails. that tho Senate will refuse
go into election. Attempts made, on yes
terday. in the House TO obtain further iDvestiga-
ton Of the eligibility Of Ghgsby. member from
Fairfax, which failed. and to enquire into the eli
gibility, also, Of the member from Wood, (Gen.
Jsckson,) upon the ground that he ia Attorney for
the Commonwealth in Supreme Court. The
subjec. was referred to tho Committee The oh.
ject OF this movement, il is snid, ia furnish the
Senate, which has not yet acted upon the Resols-
ton of the House to proceed TO the Election on
the 22d, with pretext to refuse to adopt the Reso-
luton, until the Of Gen. jackson is disposed Of.
The Committee of Road. will determine, on to-
morrow, the claim Of Wheeling to be the terminus
of the Baltimore Rail Road. The discussion in
Committee has hitherto, been exclusively confined
to that auestion.--It would be uadmissiblc in my
judgment. to restrict the Company to any particu-
lar route. What will be the decision OF the Com
mtiee, am not apprised, Of the probable re-
sult OF the whole matter in the House. Opposition
is made, by so many other State improvements,
and from so many quarters and neighborhoods Of
the State, that it is by improbable, that
the Road will not be continued further through
Virginia, and the Company be compelled to seek
route through Pennsylvania.
I alluded, in my last letter, in connection with
the subject Of the rates of the Company to a reduc
ton, which had taken place, from Hancock TO Bal
timore. From Martinsburg to Baltimore, for ex-
ample, the reduction on -four 10 from 40 cts. So
about is per cent.--occasioned, doubtless, by
the competition Of the Canal, and which must cor
tinue, so long that competition exists. The
competition of tho two great Improvements would.
to very considerable extent, be removed, as you
have suggested in your paper, by a uniform system
of rates. Berkeley County is enjoying the benefit
Of the sliding scale, compared with the Counties
East Of her on the line Of the Road to baltimore.
Establish uniforpit, Of rates. and the oftrans
portation on the Road to Baltimore, must be much
increased-for. there being complaint, now, o!
high rates, and uniformity, necessarily, as endea.
vored to show in my last letter, diminishing the
amount Of business, the rates per mile could not,
under this system, be so decreased, consistently
with the preservation of the Road, TO prevent
such increase ofcost. The Canal Company would
thus, be enabled to increase it's tolls 10 amount
something short Of the rates OF the Rail Road and
our community lose the benefit Of the present com
petition.