The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-10-30
LOCAL MATTERS.


son, Chairman of the Select Committee Of
Thirteen, to whom were referred the report Of
the President and accompanying documents,
also the reports from the Committee of Enqni-
ry and several other matters, brought in a re-
port comprising three different divisions.
| FIRST.-The committee considered the re.
port OF the Committee Of Enquiry appointed
| bv the stockholders on the Goth March last,
and the counter report of Col. Harold Smyth,
| one of the members of that committee and
heard the views and explanations of that
committee, and Of the President and Chief En-
| gineer of the Company.
The first resolution of the Committee of En-
quiry is in these words:
Duty Of Chief Eng "Resolred, That
no Engineer in the service of this Company
shall be permitted to attend to the works of any
other Company"
The Committee of Thirteen state that this
resolution arose out of exaggerated rumors
that the Chief Engineer was often absent upon
the business Of other works OF internal i'm
provement. The committee found, however.
that such absences only amounted, in the ag-
gregate, to not more than GO, days in two years,
and that it has not been the practice, nor is it
the intention, of the Board of Directors, to per-
nit the engagements of Engineers to interfere
with the interests of the company. Under
these circumstances, the Committee OF Thir
| teen did not deem it expedient for the stock
holders to pass any resolution upon the sub
ject, regarding the matter as sufficiently pro-
vided for by the 23d bylaw of the company,
as follows: "The Chief Engineer shall re-
side in this State, and give his time and atten-
ton to tine affairs of the company with such
temporary exceptions only as the President
and Directors may allow"
| Abolishing Office of assistant Engineer.
The second resolution of the COMMITTEE of
Enquiry proposes ''to abolish the office of
Principal Assistant Engineer" We learn that
there is only one Engineer of that grade in the
service of the company ; that he is a faithful
and valuable officer, and kept fully employed,
at salary not too high for his services. We
therefore recommend that the proposed resolu-
ton be not adopted.
Other Reductions.-The other resolutions
of the Committee of Enquiry propose certain
reduc tons in the compensation of the officers
of the company. The Committee of Thirteen,
after mature consideration of the subject,
state that they are not informed of any reduce
ton which can be adUantageously made at
present in the number and salaries of officers.
Last year the number of officers and agents
was 174 which number, by the completion of
certain portions of the work, has been reduced
to 1877, so that AZ were dispensed with, produ-
cling saving of $20,332 "a per annum. No
further reductions could be made proftably.
SECOND.-The Committee of Thirteen
considered, especially, those parts of the re-.
port OF the President which relate to The unfin-
ished Underwater connection and the financial
aid required from the State, and in relation
thereto recommended to the stockholders the
following resolutions.
| First, ReS0lred in view of the importance
of the tide-water connection and the unforeseen
difficulties of executing the work, that, in order
to ensure its completion, an application be
made to the Legislature for a loan of $4,000,
to be applied 10 that object, and TO be refund
ed from the tolls to be received from the tide
water connection.
Second, Resolved, That an application be
made to the Leg islature for a loan of $3.50, 900,
to be applied to tbs payment of the interest
due from the company on the first of January
next for which the State is bound, and to other
heads of appropriation, for the purpose of re-
funding the amount borrowed from them TO
meet the deficiency of the late State loan and
| to meet, if necessary, any deficiency which
may exist in the funds of the company for pay
ing the interest due in July next, for which the
State is bound. [These resolutions, it will be
SEEM were adopted
THIRD.-MisceUaneo other
matters the Committee Of Thirteen reported the
following resolutions:
l. Internal improvement Conrention.-Re
| S0ired, That this company approves of the
proceedings of the Internal Improvement Con-
| vention held at the town of Union, in Monroe
county in August last
2. Ripanna Navigation Company.-Re
solred, That if it be the pleasure OF the Legis-
lature to authorize the tolls of this company
upon the tonnage passing upon their canal to
and from the improvement of the Rivanna Ma
vigatien Company, TO be pledged as a security
for loan to the latter company to enable that
company to complete its improvement, then
| this company hereby gives its consent thereto
upon such terms as may be prescribed by the
Legislature, and assented to by the Board of
Directors Of this company.
| 3. Toll upon Ir0n.-Whereas the Virginia
and Tennessee Railroad Company have petit
toned for a reduction of tolls upon railroad
iron passing the canal, Resolred, that the toll
upon railroad iron hereafter passing upon the
canal shall be one cent per ton per mile.
4. Toll upon Machinery.-Resolred, That
| iIOIu anu alter tilc 1SOFCtHDCI, lCO%p Tue
| toll upon locomotive engines and their mach
merry, railroad cars and steam engines of every
description, machinery of saw mills, lathes
and planning machines for wood or iron, shall be
t,r0 cents per ton per mile.
5. Length and Width Of Boats.-Resolred,
That the Board of Directors be authorized to
prescribe the maximum length and width of
the boats to be hereafter licensed to use the
canal.
pxor;oe -RepoJreJ That the eth Rv.
| Law be so amended that hereafter every power
| of attorney appointing a proxy to represent
| stock shall be regarded as sufficiently anthem
| ticated if it be under the hand and seal of the
| stakeholder, and be attested by one or more
| witnesses.
MIR. Gooch moved to reject this report and
substitute, but the motion was decided to be
out of order, and the resolutions of the report