The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-02-17
RICHMOND AND PAMUNKY RAIL
ROAD
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
FRIDAY, Feb. {

FRIDAY, Feb. 6, 1876
On motion of Mr. Lacy the hill amending and
extending the charlet of the Richmond and York
town Railroad was taken.up.
MIR. Lacy stated that, far back as 1882, an
application was made To the Legislature To char.
ter company To construct rallfoad from Rich
mund Ia Yorktown, which was granted The
charter extended la 1886: subsequently upon an
plicalIun il was extended to 1916. Nothing had
been done with II, but it was asked that further
lime be gwen and that the company have the
privilege OF making their terminus at the mouth
of the Pamunky. Not one cent was asked from
the State and Ihongh the State was entitled I'M
der the charter to the privilege OF subscribing To
two filhs of the stock within given time he
beard one al the gentlemen interested in the ap.
plcaiiun express the desire that the Stale should
not become stakeholder. The advantages of
the road must he apparent 1t would take Dor.
ton uf The heavy trade and travel now passing
along James River, and promote the public con
venience. 1t was well known that owing to
the bars in that river much If the Produce
shipped from Richmond had to be carried down in
lighters. or by railroad, To point some distance
down the river, for shipment; and such was the
circnous course of the stream, that it nfien took
vessels three weeks To- get uut la sea. This road
would facilitate commerce and afford relief from
these delaysand Disadvantages 1t would affect
no improvement. anu no interest prPlUuICldIIy.-
When the Fredericksburg and Richmond Rail
road Company chartered there was reser-
walton made by the State of the privilege of con
sIrnclng railroad To Tappahannuck /; and the
road proposed by This bill was farther south than
that, and therefore less likely Ia conflict with the
Richmond and Fredericksburg road
MIR. Lyons expressed his regret at opposing
any measure of which his friend from New Kent
was the patron. The counties through which
the road would pass, did not require it., or the
charter would not have been permitted To remain
idle long The truth was they did not apply
for it now bat it was called for by one or two
individuals, under circumstances which ought 10
cause the House to deny heir application. -
Those individuals bad become large landholders
at the proposed terminus, and II was with the
purpose of enhancing thee value of their lands
and establishing a town there. that the charter
was desired 1t was designed. if puSsihle. 10
take trade and navel from the James River and
from the Richmond and Fredericksburg road-to
carry them to York River and convey Them down
that river and round to Baltimore by steam
| The Commonwealth had q large amounl invested
in the Richmond and Fredericksburg road and
| he had the opinion of gentleman well informed
on the suhject-whu stated that If the proposed
road did moi fall dead on the hands Of the com
pany, it would derive suppori from trade and
travel Withdrawn from the Fredericksburg road
to an extent greatly detrimental to that road 49,
Besides. if you pass the bill. yon destroy the
Dock IN which the State bad aIso large inter
est IL could not be wise to spend large sums ol
money IN the construction of Improvements. and
then turn round and tell companies to build any
other Improvements they pleased, however NIP
rious to the State works provided they asked M
money. Besides, this rail road would cot Of
steam navigation James RIVER and deprived
t,ff i,..F do 81 rfv L
ously injured. if not destroyed.
Mr. BUwdcn alIuded 10 the objection made by
Mr.. Lyons to he bill. that i, VAS an evidence
that the road was not wanted that the charter had
RENAMED 81 long Idle. Mr.. said that the ori
oina charter was for road to Yorktown. The
amended charter, according TO this bill. vas Tor
road to Ethan Che mouth OF PanDuBkv y
and was very dlll'en thing from tlr eouslruc-
ton Of q road to yorktown Mr. q rerar5pd it
equivalent lo new corporaliou. The gentleman
from Rjcbmaud argued agains, the road That die