Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-03-13
TO the Editors of the Daily Times:

| GENTLEMEN again reluctantly ask your indulgence
for the insertion OF the following statement with the as
that will not in future trespass on the same
subject. An absence from home, added to more i'm
portant engagements upon my return has delayed my
calling the President OF the Louisa Company back to
an investigation of his official conduct which he had
forced upon me by his canine appetite" for controver
sy, and which he now endeavors to escape from by
drawing me off to personal elimination.
Col Fontalne, in his letter to Mr. Wickham, affected
to believe that had charged the Louisa Company with
buldngpn culverts in Hanover, and justified it the
ground that rock scarce. On being informed that
my remark applied to Albemarle, he again repeats the
justification, scarcity of rock and aledges that
rock could not be quarred to advantage nearer than
Charlottesville. This assertion is absurd. Ii rock could
not be procured nearer than Charlottesville how comes
it that in building sixteen stone cuverts and abutment
crossing between the keswck and the Rvanna, not one
stone procured from Charlottesville. Ii rock was
to build stone cuverts about and below Kes-
wick, why is it that within fifteen hundred feet of the
first pine culvert there is stone culver built of rock
quarred on the spot and why is that my part of
the road, which commences within fifteen hundred feet
OF Aeswck, all the cuvers built OF stone quarried
in the immediate neighborhood. venture to assert
that every pine cuver in Abemare is within two miles
OF abundant supplies OF rock such has been used for
building culverts on the Louisa road
lie says mentioned only two pine culverts. One
was sufficient to convict him of criminal disregard for
the safety OF passengers travelling his road But
had four pine culverts IN view, and | know not how
many others there are.
was charged by the President with having attempt
ed to nue the financial credit OF the Louisa Company
by the expression of an opinion that thew could not
meet their engagements to Christmas l949. He COM
muDlcated this chargein letter addressed to me ia No
vember 1919; on the 23d, in reply stated that had
neither formed nor expressed opinion the subject
and that had never said they unable to pay me-
With this disavowa, in letter acknowledging the re-
ceipt OF mne the President expressed himself satisfied
let in his letter Mr. Wickham he renews the charge
When in my defence again dsavow it, he presents
himself with his witness, who states that he had heard
upon good authority that had said A return of
non est nventus is thus made as to the person who
heard me the expression charged, name not known
no where to be found, having, presume fled the Bail
wick Yet il is upon such testimony as this that the
President perseverngly propagates against me the
charge of attempting to nure the financial credit OF the
Louisa Company.
The President returns to the opinion expressed by me
that without legislative aid the Company could not
meet its engagements to Christmas 1850. II l alone
had entertained this opinion 1t might not be matter OF
surprise, knowing his begerent propensltes that he
had arraigned for it; but when it is considered
fixed fact by ninety in the hundred of those
vesant with the affairs Of the company, is singular
that should be selected to vent his wrath upon A
work on hand, estimated by the Engineer to cost
$500 O00-an available subscription estimated under
stand at not exceeding $35 000-Company's bonds
pending legislative action, selling in the market at $95
in the one hundred-are to him, presume slight mat
tiers of financial embarrassment Had Col. Fontaine
endured could him that he would have found
some members of the Legislature voting for the guaran-
tee 10 save the interest OF the State from the loss i'm
pending by the Companys embarrassmens. Which
was the most proper to state the facts make "hat-
tering report OF the Company's finances" must be
matter of taste in which we differ
regret that Mr. Overton had not stated the expla-
nation which feel confident gave him at the time, in
relation to the unfinished walls, the subject of his COM
plant, viz: was called unexpecty to construct
walls to the water linein navigable canal the moment
being convenient the OF the water power TO sus-
pend his operations Scaods had to be erected in the
stream and removed before re-admssion of the wa
ter The refuse stone remaining the scaffo Id was
worked on the top of the wall in one instance TO clear
the scafold. In the other was present myself the
walls being bultto the water line the river rose sud-
denly our bay dam giving way, and there was dam
ger Of the scafoldng being swamped before could be
cleared. This refuse stone packed on the wall be-
ing the readest way clear the scafod, the work not
designed to be resumed for some time, was left in that
condition, being by Mr.. Overton, a subject Of
complaint This stone was removed and the wall con-
tnued with BETTER as had intended, not in conse
quence of the complaint. 1t well known that the plan
of the masonary West of Shadwe did not receive my
approval executed it strictly according to ORDER and
in workmanlike manner The strength Of the work
does not presume depend on the color of the work
men,
The President goes off to new issues, and affects g-
norance upon subject on which had in vain endea-