Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-02-16
Remarks Of Ma LANCASTER, Of Henriro, q

Remarks of Ma. LANCASTER, Of Henriro, m
lie faal passage Of tie bA iae0rpratng tie
.R,ehnlonJ and Pam,tnkev RaiyoQd'-Etb,a-
arg IN, l647.
MIR. Speaker IL feel constrained 10 offer few
remarks in opposition 10 tie bill under conside-
ration. | know iull we'll that no improvement oi
any importance can lie made without inhlcing
injury upon present investments ar interests, am.
| concede, that when the benefit likely to be- con-
TERED hy The proposed improvement can be made
10 appear greater than The injury inflicted, thai
The injured ought and must submit; but, on the
other hand il il can be made 10 appear, that the
injury is likely 10 be greater than the benefit con
ierred, il is the duty ol his House 10 withhold The
privilege, notwithstanding The proposal Of The ap-
plicans TO make the improvement with their own
money Believing these grounds TO be tenable
and irreiutable, | will proceed TO examine The
case before US. We are asked 10 yield The privi-
leee OF constructing railroad from Richmond IL
a point on York river called E.lham-distance
81 miles. II Will be conceded by ALL that short
railroad cannot cheaper transportation Per ton
per mile because all OF the elements al calcua-
lion are against them. The same corps OF OIL
GERS which is required 10 manage road Of
lhirty-two miles can manage one OF three times
its length The same time and labor which is
required TO load and unload the cars for shon
distance is equally necessary or Ion. distance
| have before me letter from MI. Bird, Presl-
dent Of The Petersburg Railroad, which read 10
10 the House on another occasion. lie states
hat transportation on that road was over nine
cents ger ton per mile, and he believed that the
roads North OF him 10 the Potomac were, il any
Thing, higher. II is known that The line Of roads
extending from North Carolina 10 the Potomac
have considerable lhoueh-trayel drawn from
other and distant States. With this travel and
transportation al nine cents per ton per mile, the
Petersburg Company has not since is COM
mencemenl of dividends in 1884 paid an average
of four per cent. The Fredericksburg road from
The commencement of lis dividends in 1887 ha>
paid somewhat less, and The Richmond and Pc
lersburg road has paid nothing 10 The original
Stockholders. This statement is compiled irom
the auditors Office.
Now. al nine cents per ton per mile. allowing
thirtyeigh' bushels o! wheat 10 The Ton, II will
cost over !. cents rer bushel 10 bring wheat to
Richmond, ard The shipper incurs in addition The
expense oi bags. My house, in the course Of the
last year, received consignments from The imme-
diale neiehborhocd OF The proposed terminus OF
the road al freight OF four cents per bashel, and
being in bulk, the tax Of bags was saved. a
support for the road, therefore, from This source
Is out OF the question. The gentleman from
Gloucester, however, said The other dag hat the
object was 10 afford an outlet Tor The immense
proIuct which is 10 reach Richmond by The
| James River and Kanawha Canal. do not
think sir that The gentleman was serious in what
he said. He was either jes,ng N attempt
ing TO throw York river sand IN The eyes Of the
friends OF the James River Canal, Tor il he had
| been in earnest, he wonld have voted but a few
DAYS before tor HE bilt making appropriation for
The extension oil this work.
,hlu ri, this 4, ,l.. n no
ION per mic1 The cost cf transportation on a
| hogshead OF tobacco 10 Ethan viii b. 20 To-
The Virginia Towing CompanY will ruta hogs
| head OF tobacco on ship board al CRY Point tor
| G5 GEMS. and below Ilarison's Bar for s. cents.
The me can he shipped from Richmond 10 Bal
timore for 81 SO, ard 10 New York Tor 81 90 per
hocsLead. Allhc rate named, il will ccs' % cents
per barrel 10 TRANSPORT houT 10 Ethan. The
I Towing Company will put Il on board al City
| Point for cents per barrel, and below Harrlsons
Bar for cents per barrel The same eau be
shipped from Richmond TO Norfolk tor len cents,
and 10 Baltimore iur -. cents per barrel II IS
! clear, therefore, that they canno! obtain The pro-
duce from his quar,er. Then, sir, tneE only
| hope oil support will b. the establishment; OF a
| lire ot steamboats, from Ethan 10 Psimose, an.
!! Northern line 10 New York, which viii divert
the TIA vel from James river via Norfolk and The
travel upon The Fredericksburg road going North
Of Washington. then pu, II 10 the House &c
say, whether the injury TO be ibacIed on exist,
| ing interests will not be greater than any benefit
which can be ccnleredby the proposed improve
men
lmain,ain that this House mus! |egisae in
manner calculated 10 project present investments
investments made for The improvement and
under The implied protection oihe State; and, 10
carry The idea farther, say, that Il VIC do not go
on with Improvements in manner calculated
10 reduce The cost OF transportation upon the peo-
Die above tide water, lha, The population of our
Stale mus, leave US rapidly, and soon will it be
OF, To-, TO witness that Stale o'erspread with broom
sedge and pine barrens, the only remaining mo-
numenis OF virginia's fallen greatness.
| trust that il will be the pleasure Of The House
Ia reipct The bill