Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1847-05-06
~. % ieS River a Kanawha Comps,.---

| To the Stockholders fhe
James Rirer and kanatcha Company.
II your pleasure the adjourned annual meeting
held the l7h Of March as suspend, related
the ,hee OF Chcl Engineer, the bylaw devolvng upon
the President aud Directors the appointment OF all otHcr
officers the company, and tender inc addition To
the Presidency, which held under previous election the
Office Of Chef Engineer, with such addition my salary
deemed by you TO be Appropriate The confidence
implied in this appointment, which both unsolicited
and unexpected part could not be otherwise than
highly gratifying t. me-and the so. that IL
precipae but the result, the committee charged with
the duty OF recommending measures To be adopted
much and careful elaboration. having special regard
oil the economy practicable, consistent with the beet
uon OF the work about to be resumed.
Regarding considerable portion OF the important
duties imposed by your bylaws upon the president
idcnrca with those belonging with equal propriey
chief engineer, aud entertaining the hope, perhaps
well grounded, ihai 10y the strenuous eSeru"ns which
solved make might be abe Your sasac
tiOn those duties al the offices BOTH |
determined accept the highly responsible thus
red upon me- and enter promptly upon dgtcs
Accordingly, the following day, the board Ut directors
were assembled. and plan Tor the Organization sui,a-
bic corps, aud nations 1T proper persons
fill its moe important grades were informally laid before
them.
The plan thus submitted contemplated the first place
the immediate preparation o the % miles OF unfinished
work Lynchburs and the mouth o North rver Tor
a reletns of the earliest period practicable nv
sctng centre aud side stakes, taking sections and
making careful estimates OF the quantity and nature
item oi eath~ork TO be executed, with the maximum
prices proper be allowed therefor, together with detailed
ii the quantity and maximum pricc the work
required complete the several unfinished mcchani.
cal that portion o the Improvement Such
preparation OF the line Tor contract, proper remark
from being smphed by the original preparation has
been rendered vastly aborious and difficult by the
work already done Indeed, II is within the limits OF
fair computation that the essential 10
produce results upon this portion OF the line have
been increased ten-iCd m consequence OF the unfinished
| condition which the old contracts necessarily
ed wben formerly abandoned, and by the injuries
done the works by floods that period. To per
form the iabour OF preparation Just indicated, with
| IN period which would the active resump-
| on ui tho work within the present year, ludg-
cd cxpcdient employ parties OF engineers each con
Ssung o engineer, with the necessary quota
OF rodmen and chainmen, TO take the field without delay
under the immediate direction OF principal assistant
neer by whom the unity Of design CF the whole distance
should be preserved, aud under whose eye the maximum
estimates of necessary guide the board the
letting Of contracts should be prepared The plan IN tlc
next place contemplated after !he letting OF the work. the
three RESIDENCES technically called be.
Lynchbug aud the mouth OF North river-each re-
sdency to comprise distance OF about nine miles, and
OF assistant engineer one or more Supernendenis
ct masonry according the quantity OF mechanical work
remaining be done thtTeon aud labourer as
rodman and NJ less force Judged adequate
the vgan and efficient superintendent OF the work
while OF construction Moreover. for the purpose
II locating the line between the mouth North river and
Buchanan and OF preparing Nor contract and cOndemna
non OF lands, engineer party, consisting OF assistant
engineer cadet engineer surveyor with such force OF
common labourcrs rodmen, chalumen and axemcn As
might be found necessary, commence operations
IN the month OF July The RESIDENCES and
surveying party all be under the immediate direc-
non OF tue principal assistant engineer above mentioned
The board Of directors occupied the 18Th and
18Th OF March IN the consideration OF the plan above de-
tailed and IN the appointment OF the engineers therein con-
iempaed when they arrested by information OF pro-
ceedngs OF unusual character in the legislature then
still session. 1t represented me, that in conse-
quencc OF sketch OF your proceedings the 18th of
March, which appeared IN OF the newspapers of the
city following much dissatisfaction was prevail
/ ass Tho
duon made my salary in consideration OF the new ser
required Of and that resolution Of censure "a
copy whereof, marked No l. is herewith communicated
| aat been offered in the house Of delegates.
beg preface my statement Of The which pur-
sued in this OF things, by adverng my view of the
elGtve positions OF the parties concerned. The body OF
stockholders having previously adjourned without day the
1ower and rights OF the company stood vested the pres
dent and directors lis legal representatives. The pre-
sdcni and directors, well the chief engineer at that
time, having been appointed by, were amenabe only 10
body OF stockholders in their corporate capacity and act
ing in general meeting constituted according 10 Law. The
state stakeholder represented IN the meeting shove
referred by proxies appointed by the Board public
works, in whom the power OF appointment is vested by
law.
The stockholders having deliberately and maiufely con-
sdered and adopted with great unlnmiy and the proxies
Of the state concUrrng heren) the resolutions OF the 18th
i OF March.
1t and slll is my firm belief that the manifestation
1f dpleasuo the legislature above Gdver,ed TO- ought
no, in any way have thwaTt-d the officers company
IN carrying out your instructions. But being painfully
conscious OF occupying position where motives might
/ be impugned, and my course Inscribed TO considerations
psrtakng Of personal interest and acknowledgements could
70 insist upon arrangement although solemn
approved OF By you, and which had shewn by my &C.
coptancc be my opinion proouye Of the best interests
OF the company Besides, was stated hat threats had
been made by members u the Legislature TO Introduce
bill to repeal the act OF the st OF March, extending the
charter Of the company, and loaung 10 the means Of
Tesumng IT. long suspended works. Ny respect or that
honorable body forbade the belief that such an act could
have been pas cd but others more FULLY acquainted with the
temper Of the legislature were apprehcn.lye, in-
u1duccd, u would most probably pass IL is needless
| 10 say that proceeding Of THIS kind would have
| sealed the death OF the company. I'm tim.
state OF things ! yielded my own To the mlturer udg-
men Oi Trend, who though ,pfeseuiing others the
States interest ~ tie company had approved support,
cd the policy VI the which the occasion Of the
existing crisis BY his advice. aud with view a. far NJ
might be- M my power % avert the evil consequences which
oresaw would result from legislative interference IN the
affairs oi the complny. addressed to Inn letter mo 2
hoTewi communicated declaring that would decline a.
take upon myself the duties and receive the salary of
CLiei Engineer Of tho company This letter being read
IN the House Of De.ogaies the resolution censurc wa.
either withdrawn allowed 20 sump.r on tie table Bl.
though the GcneTsI scmby before ad ilrnment adopt
ed resolution upon the SUBJECT copy whereof 10 81
herewith communicated II only remains for me 4, hope
that my motives tor taxing step hc % is concurrence
may prove embarrassing 10 your deliberations IN
with the difficulties of the emergency ~ which was con-
PEELED io act, may be properly appreciated by tho stock
| holders.
Before proceeding further duo to myself and to the
! field above communicated, IN which stpuatc that the
professional responsibility al tho work shall rest entirely
upon iic engineer who may BE- placed the mead Of it
The separation ui The oltccs o Precedent and Chief I'm
gneer, acquIcsced m by you, renders q condition Of t
kni particularly necessary, Tor the that without IT,
~ consequence of the duty impose by your by1ws upon
the PRECEDENT, g. exercise raIcui supervision over all the
companis works, should be made 10 stand between the
mp.ry and hc Chief Engineer. and be- necessarily 70.
spUn-be iDr bis acis, though having but single v.e D
hs opp ..nimcut. ar from seeking a. shun any ~.
~ usry properly 3ppcrainug the office ct President;
but cor'id urg hat the TACT Of my holding that Office can
not d'c.i mc ui NV profession Oi engineer and that my
reputation as such, which constitutes my wealth, would
thus b. mace 10 De- I'd ~ the sk conduct and uccf
of another person whose selection could not cOnOl u
will readily br perceived that without the stipulation lust
referred o, should be placed a position which n air-
ness, one could expect ne TO occupy
On the Joy following doe date OF my letter 10 M1pr
t'uched ngfcca1y 10 ihc promise Combined therein my
formal rc1n1ron as chief engineer rendered o tie
board of dI,eilfs BY whom BE- was acc.pcd The board
moreover agr,rns with me u Inc opinion that tho pan 10
loo .IIF d. az