The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-05-17
.E To the Voters of Richmany

a.e sotefs Oh RichmoDd,-Cr
ionaay, the zod inst proposition to subscribe 9n
wv on behalf OF the city to the stack OF fhs 49,
central Railroad Company will be sDbniftea :, sne
,i i anu IN connection with the subject Gpes
ing effect: S'S !" lhe Ioiow'
Isl. Does the financial condition of our citv war.
rant an appropriation of such an amount ""'
"a Gan the appropriation be justified aitbar a. ~
investment, or on the ground Of iudcious srnnIov
me9t OH o. the amount in behalf Of the cityl
Sd WIN 1t not be best for the real inferss4s IS o.,
c1t1, whenever the money can be eonven;sy+i- raJ
aiher to employ it in the constr 1etion Of ,l,
railroad on ths direct route to Charlottesviel
In answer TO these questions the foIou,,ng ara ,b
conclusions to which the writer has arrfved 90 -
respectfully submitted to yonr consideTs.. lucy
Tast the hnances of the city do not warrant ,ha
appropriation, needs no better illustration fhar &c
fact, that on the 18th Nov, 1880 when IL. -.
amounted out TO S95O 600, an application en- the nayT
OF Lhls same company Tor subscription to the extent
only CT SlO0Oo0, was rejected by decided vote Of %
cltzens, and now, with Indebtedness on the mart
OF the city OF 81 $50 900 at least we are grayeIy !5
to subscribe the sum of $500 O00!.i 0U
AS an investment of money by which the ci.v will
be made to pay SIc0 per share for stock which can he
purchased by others for half the sum- most certaipIv
this application of money cannot be iustiisd i,
financial aspect, especially net view of the fact
That this same company has application now nend
Ing before the legislature for the privilege constuc
ing more direct railroad between ChsriottssviIia
and Richmond, In which event the present road
though costing at least 81 GOO will have 10 he
abandoned, to some extent of course thereby dimin
lsnlng the property of the company in a Ike ratio
and the effect therefore, of such movement capno, he
otherwise than materially to depreciate the yaue N
this STOCK IN the estimation of the public. A dssd-
vantage OF TINS character might however be oyerook
ed, provided certain and remuneratng increase NJ
the business OF our city would result from the apn
cation OF the money now asked at hands Such
however, cannot be the in this instance unless
all the rules which govern trade are discarded The
amount Is wanted not to build perfect road diract
to the city of Richmond but to conlplete one etas
Covngton ard StaunOn, by which, at the latter point
it will be placed in close connection with one aIrea5
located In the direction and which viii be pre-
pared to transport the trade and travel thus seemed
either to Baltimore by the way of Winchester or 10
Alexandra by the way Of Manassas Gap over distan
ces, 1t Is true somewhat greater but with facilities
IN curves and grades infinitely superior TO the nre
sent route between Stanton and Richmond ssto s;ya
the two points named advantages beyond aDv con.
parlson with those afforded by the to Richmond
whilst any trade or travel which escape the oppo
sltlon referred to at Staunton will be subjected et
Gordonsyie to the competition of Alexandra on one
side, and Fredericksburg another. the rst almost
the same IN distance as Richmond, and the latter less
than one halt and though the argument is sometimes
resorted II, that the Virginia Central Railroad Com
pany, by scrmnatlng IN favor OF the city Of Rich
mond, on the trade or travel which it may bring TO
Stanton and Gordonsvilie can prevent any serious
diversion this score, it amounts to nothing in
view OF the fact that the Virginia Central Railroad
Company has contracted with the General Assembly
to make no determinations in favor OF its own or
against any connecting road whatever (See Acts OF
Assembly, 1879, p. l0l.)
The necessary reply therefore, to the third question
which arises is thai it will be infinitely better to de-
cline any subscription to the work in question: and if
IullNS GILL D6 sp1IEG1 (WHICH IS ffr
from the now, at future day, appropriate
the amount to secure to Richmond Z more direct
road to Charlottesville, and to CUviugtoa if ne
cessary 10 guard us against the PROBABLE diversion OF
our trade and travel at StauntOu and Curdocsve as
ali must admit that whenever such road does be-
come necessary, it VIII devolve mainly the city OF
conjunction with the STATE. build H.
The proper course therefore, for pursue, win be
to husband our resources in view of such contingent
cy, assured, must be, that whenever the d. sct
road referred TO shall be built, we may then bid adeu
to any appr5hension5 Of abstraction OF or trade
aud travel either ut Scranton, GordUnsvi..e or the
JlDctiOn, Il direct road to COviu.ton viii touch
neither poiut, and result saving distance Of 30
Or 90 miles in favor OF Richmond, half of It be-
IT Richmond and Charlottesville and the remain.
der between the tunnel and C0viugtuu,
ATAA-PA1EG AND CITIZEN
my l1-8t&