Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-01-16
Totbe Editor of the Times j..

IOJHe Guu0T " tHe HHeS:
In your notice of the proceedings of the last meet.
in OF the James River and Kanawha Comnanv Won
refer to the resolution which offered proposing to
terminate the Canal at CovnQton and construct a
Railroad from that point to the Ohio, and state that
you suppose the proposition is made for the benefit of
the Central Railroad. Il do not give your precise
words, because have not the paper before me
This is strange mistake to be made by gentleman
who heard the resolution read but as am sure il
mistake, and as it involves, by implication at least
others in the responsibility ofmy conduct, who have
had no connection with it.. beg your permission to
correct it and 10 that end herewith send YOU cow
Of the resolution certified by Mr.. Munford which YOU
will please publish with this note. You will see from
it tina: not only IS nothing proposed by it for the Cen
trail Railroad company but my proposition is that the
James River and Kanswha Company shall, by a COM
mltee of its stockholders, ask for the necessary aid to
construct the railroad, that the Central Railroad
Company will have nothing to do with it.
The fact that no connected with The Central
Raj ro ad ever knew that intended to offer such res
olution. 1t was my own movement after consultation
with, and the appreciation Of some of the most inau.
entail ckholders, citizens OF this town and OF the
western country, as well OF western gentlemen of
equal responsibility, who are not stockholders of the
J. r. q X Co.
My motives for the movement are these, ana wish
them TO be understood, especially by the people OF
Richmond, viz:
L. consider that the Canal when it reaches Coyino-
ton will have attained the highest practicable point and
that the idea OF crossing the Allegheny Mountains by
water is chmera, which il would be unpardopabje 10
expend the public money upon, and which it deeply
concerns the interest of the whole State and esneca
OF Richmond to explode in order that some really use
full and practicable mode OF getting the West may be
undertaken.
2. Richmond has been waiting and starving for "he
water line Tor 20 years. at great cost and she has no
more, very little MORE Western trade now than abe
had 20 years ago, and her foreign trade is gone and
if she waits much longer the Northern and Southern
cities will get the whole trade from her to her ruin.
while the debts which the Canal has brought upon her
will remain perpetual incubus dead loss and cause OF
taxation.
g. Because the torture of travelling down tho James
River Canal in little packet boat, in which white per-
and negroes male and female all eat and sleep in
little cabin, separated from each other merely by
curtain, will not be endured by any decent people.
longer than absolute necessity compels them; and if
there be no other means OF getting to Richmond from
the West the travel will not come here but take some
other route, and people will if they can send their pro-
duce to some place to which they can follow it.
A.. Because hit be practicable get rains and snow
and fogs enough upon the top of the Allegheny noun
tain, to fill reservoir to float canal boats East and
West will, Judging from the past take twenty wears
to complete the canal. and that delay of twenty wears
will ruin Richmond and do incacuable injury TO Vir-
gnia, by diyertng forever the Western trade. I am
therefore, in favor OF announcing now that the canal is
not to be attempted beyond Covngton and commence
ing forthwith Railroad from that point to the West
Very respectfully,
JAMES LYONS.
MIR. Lyons presented the following resolution
ResoEUed, That the canal should terminate at Gov.
oglon and Railroad constructed from that point to
the Ohio, and that a committee be appointed to ask of
the Legislature such appropriation may be necessa
ry for the construction of the said Railroad
On motion OF MIR. Lyons the above resolution was
laid on the table until the adjourned meeting on the
29h inst.
Extract from the Records.
VIM. P. MUNFORD, see'y.
To JAMES Lyons, Esq