Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-10-17
FROM THE eNOUIsrR
The DdariAe Ra'Iroad, and the Counties Of Ame.
liza, Charlotte Qad Hol;far.

FROM THE sNQuIsER
The Ddagile Railroad, and the Counties Of Anne.
liza, Charlotte aad Hal.Ear
With feelings o mortifcaton and surprise we learn
ed the defeat the country subscriptions the Dan
vile tallioad-one OF our most inn ortan public works
in the counties OF Charlotte and Halifax. Opposed
as we are ana ever have been to the construction OF
works OF internal Improvement by the General Cow
eminent, we have always been the warmes and most
zeaons advocates OF wise, generous and judicious
system OF Improvement by State and local organi.
cations; Tor we of those who believe that railroads
must I've built by the organized efforts OF communities
and cannot be built otherwise. The growth and pros
perlly OF this old commonwealth we have most deep
" al heart, and, have done hereto fore, we
shall Continue to devoe considerable portion oil our
energies to arousing the people this all important
subject that may effect, il possible, the renovation
OF country. What the cause of the in atuson
which could have induced the people of Charlotte and
Halifax 10 strike so serious blow at the first really
great and useful improvement struggling into eX-
isence, which they ever stood any chance of getting,
passes our comprehension. An instinct of seishness
sufficient for self preservation possessed even BY the
brute creations this Is one of the very few instances
known to US, OF intelligent communities pursuing
course absolutely suicidal.
We have learned from friends that in tha county of
Charlotte, where the vote was much closer than in the
county OF Halifax, there was very large preponde.
rance OF the men oipropery and of the intelligence of
the county, IN favor oil The subscription. Barbacues
were planned at different points throughout the county
Tor the purpose OF getting together assemblies OF the
people, and the subject very fully discussed The
men OF standing, age and experience, and the men of
wealth. united with the of talent in the county, in
the patriotic effort to induce the people to awake from
their ehargy, and to render that assistance to the
Danvle imp royenent which had become absolutely
necessary tor its farther prosecution; combination
WHICH, under ordinary circumstances, it would be most
dcut to withstand but in thsinstance overthrown by
appeals to the passions and pleudces Of the people, of
mostslngularsand extraordinary character.
by strange msconcepton, the people were induced
an attempt made by the property holders OF the
ty to impose the burden OF building the road upon the
property holders, Whereas directly the reverse is
the case; and this constitute the the only really tena
bic objection to the measure Exactly the opposite
Objection IS made every where else than in Charlotte
VIZ that the scheme is agrarlan in its character and
enables the poor, by majority vote, to plumber the
rich: The most unjust assaults, too, we learn were
made upon the motives Of those who had contributed
their means towards the construction Of the improve
ment. The effort to continue the road was denounced
IN the most unmeasured terms as scheme to rob and
plumber the people, for the benefit of the stockholders
Wen might this excite the Indignation of the patriotic
people OF this city, and of Pisylvania and Heury the
people at the two exemes of the line to whose con-
tfouhons, alone, we owe what has been completed of
the road, the intermediate counties on the line having
given almost nothing0 when they recollect how the
small farmers OF Pittsyvana, and the poor mechanics
ana clerks OF Richmond, came forward to take their
one and two shares to be paid for out Of their stned
incomes, without the smallest hope or expectation at
mat time, (however their opinions may have been
changed by the subsequent prosperity and success of
those railroads IN Virginia, which have been completed
and gotten into full operaon) of dividends or profits
put with the patriotic desire, under the influence of
Mr.. Iunstal's energetic appeals of promoting the
prosperity OF their native State.
we SAID that the policy OF prostrang the Danve
improvement lately pursued by the counties OF Char
loe and HALIFAX, IN their refusal to vote the county
subscriptions, was most suicidal; and we will add,
disastrous nits results to the entire State. We might
I'LL this paper with facts and arguments of the most inn
presslve character, to sustain this position. We have
n 10 ant
the following extract from page 324 (Sept MOI OF De
BOWS Commercial Review
tln Tennessee the same result tthe increase in the
value OF prorery has been produced in four counties
trasersed by the Nashville and Chattanooga abroad.
10 ls4S the assessed value OF property e23 o43
In loa5 26,418 $50
Increase in one year s2,554,639
Sill more striking have been the results in Georgia.
population, production, and wealth have there in
creased in ratio that almost the result of ma
gic."
Now tell US, We men of Charlotte Halifax, Pittsyl
vanla and Henry-your lands, like those OF the four
countss named in Tennessee being worth moi very
far short OF 50 1000 O0o-wnY Is IT THAT RAILROAD
COMPLETED TO DANvILLE WOULD NOT INCREASE THE
VALUE OF 7 fH PROPERTY ONE OR Two MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS Ii hundreds OF facts, similar to those ex-
tracted might be adduced-f such has been the almost
universal effect OF the construction of railways in ali
other paris OF the country, WHY WOULD NOT YOU reap
like benefits! You refuse to burden yourselves with
debt OF $2G0000 when by doing so YOU would increase
the value oil your property by five or~ten times the
amount IN one year, and when by falling to do do So
you oSe not only TINS increased value but enormous
sums, amounting themselves to SEVERAL HUNDRED
THOUSAND DOLLARS annually paid to wagoners and
stage contractors, Tor the cost of travel and TRANSPORTS
ton.
Every year that the upper counties refuse to vote the
SUBSCRIPTIONS, Tor so long time will the work be re-
tarded and such will be the immense consequent an
nual losses.
The ngratude, too, OF the intermediate counties on
q n m q hn tod
view. lake tor instance Amelia on one side twenty
seven miles from Richmond, her market, by tbs rail.
road on the farther side, near forty seven miles, mean
distance say forty miles The road is now comnIefed
nearly through her limits. Its cost has been ascer-
tanned to be about $4,000 mile including BRIDGES
&c; multiply which by iorty and YOU have $500 600
Amelia now gets her wheat TO market for tour cents
bushe when she formerly paid thirteen or upwards
aud so OF other things in proportion. But to obtain
this immense advantage for Amelia SIX HyNDRFD
THOUSAND DOLLARS has had to be expended, OF SOME.
BoDY's MONEY how much of this sum has Amelia
paid! Making the most exlravagant allowance for
what she might fairly claim from the State Tressurv
ia consideration OF her having been heretofore aYed
Tor oiher improvements IN the State, and adding all
county, the sum could not exceed 100000 She ia
now appealed to to give the petty $50 900 only
when che Is every day deriving the benefit of the ex-
pendture OF four or five hundred thousand dollars for
which she has paid no consideration. The case of
counties more remote is much stronger A MILLION
AND HALE will have TO be expended to enable Halifax
10 get 10 market cheaplY Say the Commonwealth
owes her the very extravagant sum OF five hundred
Thousand dollars, 1--WE doubt whether she could fairly
claim over ONE hundred thousand dollars for the an
nual interest on that gum is S6OO0 which i. Greater
than ner annual internal improvement taxi and Won
have Halifax refusing pay $50 900, or q anna
sum OF THREE thousand dollars, when she viii derive
the benefits OF an expenditure gilmore than MILLION
OF dollars, or OF more than an annual sum Of sIyTy
THOUSAND dollars. Let IT not be said that Halifax will
derive the exclusive benefit of this expenditure and
other counties benefited in like proportion Grant
it. Yet is certainly true that Halifax cannot oban
the immens advantages of railroad without an ex.
penditure of more than million of other peone's
money and yet she refuses to give $500 of her own
Do not her citizens blush with shame when they think
OF these facts2
There are other considerations If the people of
the counties should choose to continue in their pre-
sent obstinate and strangely peryerse mood if thew
should continue to be blind TO their best interests and