Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-03-16
TIT FTt EHYHTtT.
DAMAGE TO PUBLIC WORKS.

In The ENQUIRER Of The 10Th March, writer
over the signature Of "A Friend 10 Public
Works" has undertaken TO defend the perpetra-
,o,. al The outrage committed on the Line Of Lock
and Dam improvement 81 The Upper Appomat.
Io1 Company. noticed by "A Citizen" in your
paper oil the 2d March. The writer, over The
signature o "Citizen," considering il improper
10 publish any thing calculated 10 forestall pub
lie opinion. ia case where there would pruba-
biz be action tor damages, a. well as criminal
prosecutions said as little as could be said IN an
nouncine the laci that an improvement which
had been in successful operation Tor eight years
or more, and in which an extensive region had
vital interest, had been attacked without law,
and heavy damages committed upon II. But as
this remarkable "Friend 10 Public Works" has
departed from The prudent rule oil awaiting inves
tisa,on with all proper evidence, and has made
a statement oil The case, calculated 70 mislead Inc
public. Justice requires that "a Citizen" who
does not reside al the great distance OF eight or
len miles from jamestown Dam, should correct
said statement. so far as The writer alluded 10 has
heen misiDformed as To facts. The attack upon
The company, and its ,cig agent, is such slang a.
IS commonly used against corporations; but The
,rrtiey doubts whether the community interested
in The issue, will be found SO perdaat as 10 be 81 :
listed with il, as full compensation Tor The out
race. The areumen, that The outrage was commit
led BIZ "order-lovins, peaceable citizens, "ac
cepabe members Of the various o'taodot
canrchcs," is TOO ridiculous 10 be tolerated-pro-
pcrty. private and public, is torn down and de-
stroyed-a respectable company and its agents
vilfed and il is all r,2hl, provided the actors VI
the dissracetu scene are peaceful, order-ovng
citizens" acceptable members OF ortdodo1
can,cles." Verify, il would seem that this is IN
effort 10 cover more with the cloak OF Christi
apity than can we'll be hidden. The Dam, in
question. was erected by authority Of law; a writ
Of ad ouod damnuln was awarded 10 the land
owner on the Prince Edward side Of the liver
the land for the abutment ofthe dam assessed and
condo nned and the amount and damages paid
The law allowed instead Of The writ, in The first
instance. the company and The landowner 10 e0n-
tract and agree for the land and damages
"Woodin," the owner of The Cumberland bank
OF the stream, preferred The private contract, con-
seEted 10 The erection OF the dam, furnished mate
,ials and in every way expressed his satisfaction
al The proceedings OF The company. All this is
admitted by the defence SET up The law gave The
party supposing himself damaged, right 10 de-
mand a Jury; a Jury was impannelled, damages
were assessed; these damages were not confirmed
by the Court Why Because The Court ot Tie
county OF the party, claiming damages would mol
sanction such injustice rs was that assessment
even against "soulless corporation" A second
Jury was called; and why did not that jury assess
damages because, as the writer is informed
when the parties and The Jury came upon the
ground, The lands psre dru and none OVERLOOKED;
and one OF The parties interested, tearing The re-
suit declined 10 press the mailer 10 an assess
ment, under the prelext that one Of his counsel
was absent.
This writer. who resides al $50 great dis
% ,h,b A. ltn, ofiv huf nc IN ko
parties" who "Hnows but few" and Is "akin 10
none Of The actors" is sadly misintormed as TO
other matters about which he has undertaken 10
inform the public. He speaks Of $50 Ia 200
acres oil land drowned by this dam, and ot DO.
DIV of stagnanl water which would endanger The
health OF all within FIVE miles OF IL. Now, hlessrs.
Editors, il you could see Tor yourselves, you
would be satisfied that this dam did not, and could
not drown or overflow one acre OF land, and that
as to slagnant water, there could not be any, a.
The Appomatox is bold stream, with banks SO
high that this dam did not raise The water within
many iee Of The surface of The valley land Of
The river, and The wafer within lis banks is al all
times flowing, and no, stagnant.
But, "Green Creek"-As 10 This famous creek,
that court which the writer hopes will continue
10 dispense equal justice 10 "soulless corporations"
and "orlhodox churchmen," ordered survey,
which was made, and proved that so lar from The
reAuent water Of Appomal,ox rising upon and
la maeing "Green Creek" fats. there was up
on that creek fall OF 10 feet in three-fonrihs OF
a mile--in all conscience sufficient 10 drain the
ands, if The owners desired 10 have them drain
ID. These fats of Green Creek have been drown
d and swamped because for many years the
,reek has been permitted TO fill up with logs and
and no effort made 10 clear II. The
writer has been informed lha, The agents OF The
ppoma,oI Company offered 10 ditch out This
,reek, without expense TO the land owners, in or
Ter IL convince them that there was no damage
rom the works OF the company; bur This propo-
,ion was rejected.