Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-01-19
CONVICTION RAILROAD BILL.

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CONVICTION RAILROAD BILL.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES, JANUARY 18TH.
MIR. SEGAR said that calm and careful examination
OF the merits OF this bill had led his mind rresistby to
the conclusion that advocating its passage during the
last session he had committed error. Having found
himself involved in error he embraced the occasion,
which presented itself, to place himself properly
before the House. well before the people of his dis
trct. Ills former opinions had been based on the
curacy OF the survey and estimates of the engineer MIR
| ElletD who had surveyed the route proposed to be
adopted by the bill now pending He had found those
estimates talacous. So far from being accurate he did
not believe they even Appropriated halt the amount
which would be required to construct the road from Co.
vingon to the navlgabe waters OF the Kanawha Nay,
he thought he might safely say that the cost OF this
road would, in all probability, exceed four fold the
amount estimated by the engineer. lie had, during the
Christmas holidays, devoted much time to thorough
investigation OF this subject He had discovered that al
most nsurnountabe physical distractions existed to the
construction OF the road the indicated. Fiue
miles Of tunneHing and thiry-eight bridges would be
rendered necessary, nay unavoidable But these obsta
ces serious as they certainly were did not constitute
the only objections to the construction OF the proposed
railroad double track would be rendered necessary
to accommodate the heavy tonnage over this road, and
this would make the cost $4,000 per mile, $60OO,-
900, Qnsead OF $2,OO0OO0 estimated by Mr.. Eett)
for the whole distance between Covngton and the ter
minus OF the road on the Kanawha river. 1t would be
found necessary to pierce the cliffs New River at
single point with tunnel two and half miles in length
Every person who had paid the slightest attention to
works of this character knew the enormous cost in
voved in the construction of tunnel of this magnitude.
He doubted, even if this tunnel were made whether
the atmosphere encountered in passing through would
not prove destructive OF human life. Mr. S. declared
that he conscenously believed the cost OF this road
would reach $4,000 per mile Gentlemen could make
the estimate OF its whole probable cost themselves upon
this data They would then see the vast amount OF
| money which would be required TO completeit
AS before observed, the distractions which presented
themselves the proposed route were almost insur-
be had n
in support of the opinion that railroad could be
structed between Covngton and Wheeling quite easily
between Covngton and the laylgabe waters OF the
| Kanawha He frankly declared that he could not vote
for the bill the faith of Mr. Eetts survey; still he
said he was in favor OF an improvement like the one
der considerations but new and careful surveys OF the
whole route must be made-the most practicable route
must be pointed out before he could consent to vote
dollar towards the enterprise.
Mr. S. said he believed continuous water line to the
Kanawha river perfectly practicabehe had always
erained that opinion-and was in favour of completing
that before making railroad. He declared it as the
very OF the to look to railroads OF
to the State and nstanced the experience both
OF this country and OF England to sustain this POSITION
The utmost dividend declared by any railroad in opera
ton in this State did not exceed six per cent, and that
dividend was absorbed in the payment OF the interest
the loan contracted to construct the work. Where,
then, said Mr. S. is the be derived with which
to redeem the principa He believed the water line to
the great valley OF the Mississippi to be the surest
source Of the State She must look to that 1t would
he sincerely believed when completed, rival that OF the
great Erie Canal in the State of New York Let us,
said he, make the water line realize the vast revenue
which must flow from it, and then, if necessary, make
a railroad Complete this water line, said Mr. S., and
the State will then be able to give every region and
ner OF the State the local improvements needed If
gentlemen i'll that House pushed forward the railroad
policy now allve-if they continued to urge schemes
which were chemerca and suicdal-he believed that the
Treasury of the State would be bankrupted, and fatal
blow would be dealt the internal improvement policy.
l. Let us, said MIR. S. learn the lessons of wisdom at
| tOrQed bV the OF State OF New
DIRK. She made her canals tlrs:-they furnished her
with the means afterwards to construct her magnificent
lines Of railroads. She had tor the purpose OF
modatng travel built railroads on the banks Of her
canal. Let us profit by her experience.
But, said Mr.. S., there were still other which
const raned him to reverse his course in relation to this
bill. He would not vote in the dark Tor any scheme,
however plausible. There had been survey made of
the route between Covlngton and Stanton. What
would be the probable cost OF that section Could the
patrons OF the bill give any information that point &
If survey of this section had been made he had not
been able to find it, notwithstanding dligent enquiries
had been made for it, He said he never could reconcile
to his ideas OF duty to people he represented and to
the State, to vote one cent Tor any Improvement until
accurate surveys and estimates had been made He in
tended for the future, to be cautious the subject
OF voting appropriations to works OF internal improve
ment.
Mr.. S. said he had carefully investigated the compa-
rative merits OF railroads and canals with eye sngy
to obtaining knowledge on the subject OF Improvement,
and his investigations had led him to decide favour of
| canals lie here entered into comparison OF the
two modes OF improvement both in this country and
| in England
Mr. S. said he would tell the friends of internal i'm
provement in that House. that there existed great
sty for circumspection in granting these railroad i'm
provement schemes We have, SAID he, exhausted our
domestic capital and must now rely solely inviting
| foreign capital to embark in these enterprises
Another assigned by Mr.. S. why he could not
vote for this scheme, that he did not believe the
proposed by the bill now under consideration, the
most eligible to the Ohio valley He thought road
from Stanton to Parkersburg would be equally egbe
and road thus located would bring the trade of a
large section Of Virginia to the East which now passes
out OF the State, and contributes towards building up
city belonging to a sister State. He did not know that
this route would be found practicable but he was will
ling for one have il surveyed, and it shall be found
TO be practicable, he should prefer it for the reason
named This should be, and with him, controlling
consideration
Mr. S. said there existed another reason for reversing
his course on this bill, which was briefly that he did
not believe the present be the proper time to begin this
road Let us finish the Louisa railroad to Stanton first.
Then we could prolong the work with advantage The
tunnel through the Blue Ridge would require at least
five years for Its completion. He submitted whether
would not be better to have continuous line than dis
lonted disconnected and unavailable sections! He said
he believed too, that the rotten embankments totterng
acqueducts and falling bridges OF the Louisa Railroad
that miserable apology Tor ralroad-woud be found
totally inadequate to accommodate the trade OF this
route, We're il now made
Ii this bill passes said Mr.. S. all the bills for internal
improvement now pending, will likewise pass The pass
age Of this BILL he declared would in his judgment, seal
the fate OF the internal improvement policy of the State
revulsion will be created and the policy will fall, -
The pei pie will rise up their majesty and blast the
whole policy. Let us, then, said Mr.. S., unite upon
some great central improvement, which will give us re-
venue and prosecute that to completion BY this means
will be able to accomplish all our internal improve
ment plans
MI S. said it had been intimated that he had gone
home for Instructions during the Christmas holidays
that he had been pased by the will OF his constituents