Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-11-21
DANVIIIE RAILROAD.

request of friend who has taken much interest
in the success Of the Richmond and Danvile
Railroad. In connection with it, we would beg
leave to urge the friends of the work in Halifax
county to take speedy action to raise subscriptions
for the purpose of ensuring the early grading of
the line in that county. A little energetic com.
bination at the approaching county Court might
secure the important object of causing the con-
tracts to be let in Halifax at the end of the year.
which would probably expedite the progress of
the work whole year.
For THE TIMES.
The failure OF the county subscriptions to the Dam
vile Rail Road has lett the company without present
| means to prosecute the work to speedy compJetion
All perceive that is OF the highest Importance
that the grading and masonry of the entire line should
be put under contract, during the present or be-
fore the beginning OF next year. Grading necessarily
slow aud tedious process and contracts for grading
cannot generally be let at any other period of the
year, because hands have 10 be hired other extern
| sive preparations to be made. Ii the present season
should ne allowed to pass, without letting the contracts
along the entire line, it will probably delay the compile
ton of the work tor whole year at least TO the
great detrmen, OF the public and the great pecuniarv
loss ofthe stockholders and the State For nothing
seems more than that the road when completed
will yield nett income OF SIX per cent or more on
the cost of construction. To satisfy the mind of the
greatest sceptic this point lis sufficient to state
the past year, which completed and in full operation
and of the Central Rail Road, which is only partially
completed has been sufficient to pay all expenses and
profit OF more than six per cent. the cost of con-
enthusiastically seven per To delay the
completion Of the Danvile road for single year would
therefore involve loss to the State and the stockhod-
ers OF the interest nearly two millions of dollars or
nearly $4,000.
The following plan for the immediate grading OF
the road is suggested Tor the consideration Of the
planters along the line, and others interested in The
| obstacle tn ba
so much an unwlingness to subscribe, the difficult
| " OF making monied contributions. Then let the
planters furnish the requisite two hs Of the required
capital only in part in money, but mostly in labor and
provisions. This they can readily d. by taking
short contracts themselves ofseveral sections ONLY
This very easily be made to appear To GRADE
the road through Halifax distance of thirty mi las he
| tween Stanton river and the the terminus of Col
Towns contract, will require say, $l50000 or S. 600
| per mile. Two hths OF this sum are $50 600 which
the county of Halifax will be expected to raise. Il
need not be done in money. If only ten or twenty
thousand dollars in money should be raised it would
! be amply sufficient. Let A, B, c and ior examnIe
uslte 10 contract for teur sec ions little over tonr
| miles. They would be paid, say $40 900, if the Com
pany had the means. II they take only TWEEN
~ shares each they would make up the two ftths or
So 000 and the State would furnish the remaining
three fifths or 900. But although they NAV NOT
have the money, A and own fine fertile estates with
rich bottoms capable OF producing grain in abundance
while and D own poor lands, but great surplus
OF labor. Let A and then pay their acquisitions in
provisions To grade four sections in year would
require say laboers and five horses for each
tien forty ahorers aud twenty horses Tor the four
entire sections These horses and laborers would COP
sumo of meat, grain and long forage several thousand
dollars worth. Q and ID might pay their acquisitions
in labor the actual manual labor OF their negroes and
their own labor in superntendance A and B would
thus find excellent market for their grain and, and
D very profitable employment for their abour.
Or suppose single planter, owning large estate,
and working thirty likely hands, to for two
sections the distance that the road might through
his plantations with twenty hands and ten horses he
might finish his contract during the year 1892, With
his remaining ten hands, he could make provisions
enough for the whole He would receive for his years
labor len thousand dollars four thousand in stock and
six thousand in money. From the latter sum would
have be deducted all expenses for oVerseer of hands,
carts poughs hoes, spades, shovels, picks, powder
for blasting, it necessary, &c, &c. Allow $4,000
tor all these expenses and the planter would receive
from his land and negroes IN one year, eight thousand
dollars, which would probably be doing tar better than
he ever did before IN his life, with the capital
employed.
Another most important advantage would be secur-
ed. The planter would be freed from the ANNOYANCE
worthless character, who would plumber and other
wise harr1ss him.
There be little risk in taking contracts for
grading. Such contracts, lustead OF proving uuprofi
table are always attended with considerable profit
when obtained upon fair terms, and judeiousy man
aged. Col. Thos. ] Randolph, of AlbemaIe, adopt
ed the plan which has been suggested and graded the
Central road its whole length through his plantation;
extremely low rates. without loss and has since ta-
ken other contracts from which he has realized very
good returns from his labor.
Let the planters then take hold OF this subject and
act upon II at once. The Directory may have the
greatest difficulties 70 encounter without their assist
ance- they would only act with prompness ami en-
ergy, IA could secure the completion of the road m
two years or three at arthest from the present time
begin 10 realize handsome dividends from their stock
and provide the means oil sending heiI produce to
market al one Atta Of the present expense OF trans
portahon,