Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-10-11
DanUiHe Railrodd-The course Of HalJan anc
Charlotte

ChdrtOte.
The decision of the people of Halifax and Char
lotte against the proposed subscription of $780,.
600 by each county to the stock of the Richmond
and Danvile railroad, would be deemed, in Mas
sachusetts, Ohio, or Georgia, perfectly inexplica-
BILE. What the greatest benefcares of ON improve
| ment of this kind should deliberately refuse to
adopt the very easiest mode that can be devised oil
making it available to them, is truly surprising
and is only to be accounted for by supposing thai
| the subject has been misunderstood. In Charlotte
county, the extraordinary theory was maintained
by the Rev. Mr.. Skidmore, the principal opponent
of the subscription, that it was scheme of the
landholders TO compel the poor to contribute to the
| improvement Of their lands Everywhere else
when tax of this sort is proposed, it is the mer
OF property who are apt to cry out that it is ar
agrarian device to let the poor tax the wealth o.
| the rich. This, we need not tell Richmond rea-
ders s the history Of every proposition for city
subscription to an internal improvement. We
hold both complaints to be equally unreasonable
Whatever benefits the property-holders must also
benefit the non-property holders who are Deepen
dent upon their prosperity. The Danvlle railroad
by bringing new trade to Richmond, will increase
| the value of property in the same ratio that il
will improve tho condition of every mechanic and
labourer by enhancing the general prosperity
And so likewise, it will benefit the overseers
| mechanics and labourers of Charlotte and Halifax
just as much as the owners of land and negroes
What steps the friends of the road mean to
take next, we are not informed but we trust they
will lose no time in making every proper exertion
to raise additional funds to enable the Directory
to let new contracts during the winter In Char
lotte county, we understand great bitterness of
feeling has been excited by the subscription ques
ton. We hope the experiment will be tried
whether it will not expend itself in the form of
private subscriptions. The sum of $50, 900 ought
to be readily raised in that county, and if the prac
tice adopted in New England of assessing upon
each individual his proper quota of the amount,
and calling upon him Gin no legal form of course)
to make it good, were carried out, we should
think there ought to be little difficulty. The 297
who voted for the unity subscriptions with all
such of the 349 who opposed it as advocate the
railroad, might, with the greatest ease, raise $780,,
900, and never feel it.
In Halifax, we hear that the sum of $4,000 was
promptly subscribed in few minutes amongst
small collection of citizens
The railroad itself, by dint of its gradual ap-
Proclamation to the valley of the Staunton, must
have telling influence upon the public mind
Yesterday, the officers left the city for the purpose
of testing the Appornatox bridge which is now SO
far complete, that a locomotive crossed it severaT
days ago. The track is laid for two miles beyond
Amelia Court House, and it is expected to be laid
somewhere beyond Barke's by the end of the
year.