Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-02-28

candid examination into the official conduct Of the off
GERS is freely acknowledged, but ii his right depended
on being he says, 81 large stockholder itmay well
be doubted he only subscribed for shares and al
though the value of his farm is much increased by the
construction ofthe road he will nevertheless receive as
damages sum OF money considerably more than
enough to settle tor this large amount often shares.
As to the execution OF his work, and my reference to
the falling OF his wall, it was strained construction, to
interpret that charge OF general nfidelity: 1t was
mentioned to illustrate the difficulty of engineer be-
ing able know the precise reliability of work. without
being abeto say whether there intended slight or
merely defect from his trusting to negro workmen, here
the fact that experience had proven the impertec-
ton of work done bya contractor who had the unim-
tied confidence OF the engineer. | am willing TO
cede that generally his work was well done, which it
was hoped that his pride would have secured in all
ses but say that this the first ntmation of objec
ton its execution contradcted by the fact that Mr.
Overton, OF the directors, accidentally seeing the
manner OF having the foundations OF certain walls laid
By neer0es severely criticised the work 10 him. that
it was in part pulled down, and is considered OF
very doubtful durability. [See Mr.. Overons letter !
The boosted smoothness OF his road for which he refers
to passengers prove, and its superiority Mr. Mel
TOMS is to be attributed in great the fact
that the soil on his contract was dry and suitable to
make solid roadbed and not being finished the 1s Of
January lS49 contracted for, but delayed till 7h of
May, the banks had long time to settle the running
over it too commenced at favourable season, while
the running commenced on Mr.. Meltons about Christ
mas, very untavourable for green banks.
There is SO much shifting OF language about the
cuvers, that it is difficult to decide what he did mean;
ofpne poles, according to different reports, and now,
it seems, the poles have grown to large trees, hewed
three sides that being the usual mode of preparing
such timbers and all that was necessary and instead
ofsweeping charge ofso constructing culyers through
out the whole line, he has settled down on t1co
Hucksteps in Albemarle. He denies making or au
horzing to be made, any specific communication to Mr.
Segar That not the question at issue Ii he spoke
dsparagngy OF the road to any one, who related his
statement Mr. Segar, he stands condemned far Of
purpose hostile to the interests OF the company
| nf Joffe 3sy1-
ting this ans,oer)
"HoUsE OF DELEGATES, Feb. 23d, 1850
Ny DEAR SIR-ln answer to yours of the 18th
instant have to say that the statement made by me,
in relation to the making OF culverts the Louisa
railroad, OF pine tnbers, was not made the autho
rity of any communication made directly by Col Ran
dolph but on that OF members of the House of Dele
gates and others OF it, who had heard the declara
tons of Col Randol ph Whether those declarations
made with express intent, and for any express pur
pose, not prepared to say, though suppose from
Col H. s card they were made generally, without any
) particular design.
, g But Col R. in his printed card asserts even more
than asserted the floor of the House, respect
the Louisa railroad and thus confirming the
ness of the information had received in the premises
have ask that if reference be made to this letter
all, may be given in whole, in order that there may
be no misapprehenson
And am,
Very respectfully,
our obt serv't,
"Col FoNTAINE"
submit to any rejecting man to decide what on
mendable object could he have had in view for public
ly exposing defects in the construction OF the road
the particular time selected admitting that he did
not exaggerate} II acuated by desire to the i'm
provemen substantial one, and to promote the inte
rest OF the stockholders why did he not bring the sub
ect before them, at the meeting in April or July last,
demonstrate with the engineer Board OF Directors
1t he knew the state OF things twelve months ago
Why 60 Richmond at that particular crisis when the
Covngton bill was under discussion, and furnish po
tent argument against the bill, which was used the
floor OF the House by distinguished opponent? have
very little more say about this subject; willing it
shall be understood that where stone could not be pro-
cured OF suitable kind only at very great and
the banks were light and possibly under few heavy
banks, timbers directed by the engineer be used
contemplating the transportation Of stone the road
thus made from more remote points, to make the cul-
verts permanent when they should need renewal.
refer to Mr. Kupers letter, for satisfactory ex-
PLANTATION of his reasons tor using timber this part
Of the line One OF the culverts constructed, gave
way soon after the road went into operation after hea
Wy fall OF rain The repairs made at the time to enable
the trains to pass, proved perfectly that the
perntendent has permitted it to remain until the pre-
time, and there is doubt that it may, with per-
feet safety continue Tor several years. unless the super
perinenden shall, when we get to Charlottesville be-
ing the nearest point that stone be quarried to adj
vantage choose TO rebuild it of stone Here
them is the whole foundation for the mighty supersruc
ture of detraction which he has built upon it. He
closes his communication with the following:
1t is an act of justice to the chief engineer of the
company, to state that from the of the
work, he employed elsewhere and too rarely here
to be responsible or the desi ign
The natural inference from this remark, is that he
wishes put the blame me for 1.-THE design" If any
defect in planning the Blue Ridge tunnel shall by posi-
bility occur will Col Randolph blame Gov. Floyd for
it, who is President of the Blue Ridge railroad? No
one knows better than himself that the engineer, and
not the president responsible for the plan of all work
This "soft impeachment presented to Mr.. kuper did
not have the desired effect AS Col CroZet would in
such case, Mr. Kuper has, assumed the responsibility
and presume hisexpanaon will be satisfactory to those
who are unpreudced:
There was nisprint in my letter to Mr. Wickham,
Instead OF lnqDrO0e II should have been impose the
engineer. Many suppose that the whole matter of Col
Randolphs complaints may be summed up in this, that
he wants to be President OF the company Whether he
is pursuing polite course, let others determine 1.-THE
I stockholders think with him of my capacity, shall
give way without murmur, but can assure him if he
made President and does his duty, he will find
! the situation "a bed OF roses"
! President Louisa Railroad Company
RICHMOND, February 2lst, 1850.
Copy
thereby certify that about the middle of November
1S49 was informed good authority, Col Randolph
Of Albemare, expressed the opinion in Richmond that
he thought the Louisa railroad company could not hold
to pay their debts longer than lst of January, 1885,
and this remark not made in confidential or pri-
vate way, it about the time ready to deli
yer a locomotive we had made Tor the company.
(SignedJ JAMES M. TALBOTT.
Richmond, February 2lSt, 1850,
(Copy3
ENGINEERS OFFICE, Louisa r. r. Co.
February 18th, 1850. :
Col E. FoNrAlNE, President,
DEAR SIR-ln reply to your enquiries have stete,
is usual, the plan OF the work alluded TO, and all
other on the line, designed by the Chief En-
gineer ordered heart pine to be used in the drains
Hucksteps, in Albemarle because the in that
neighbourhood either slate, or limestone bedded in
the flat lands, which could be qualried to any ad-
vantage; that nearer to the Rvanna would have been
very expensive to procure at that time, and moreover