Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-01-17

Il nats
Saturday on the bill for the extension Of tho Orange ant
Alexandria Railroad, from Gordonsvie to Lynchburg
charter, Il will be remembered was granted to th,
Orange and Alex andrs railroad company, at proviou
session OF the Legislature this extension No
hon was then asked. At carly period this session.
bill was introduced in the Senate asking for an appropra
ton on the part OF the State, Of nine hundred
dollars FOR that object 1t defeated and motion io
reconsideration being sustained the bin again came up or
its passage Saturday.
Mr. JOHNSTON, the Senator from Bedford opened IN,
discussion with strong speech, in favor Of the BILL Ii,
to controvert various suggestions that had beer
to the effect that this road could accomplish nothing
In offering additional inducements for the trade and travel
Of the West to pass through Virginia. and undertook to
show that the superior facilities this would furnish
to travel by shortening the distance Northern cities
some y miles, that Of any other the State
would greatly promote the interests Of the State.
lie stated that the road far completed was now
yielding five per cent and argued thercom that would
yield far more f extended to Lynchburg connect
with the Southwestern line of travel The aid that would
thus accrue to the State from increased dividends upon
her portion Of the stock, pressed by Mr. Johnston
wcighty consideration in favor Of the passage Of the
| hill
lie combated the policy Of any proposition that the
State should have share in the stock Of this road
Giordonsvle to Lynchburg. There difficulties at.
tending any such arrangement that would be deleerous
the interests Of both sections of the road The financial
affairs CT the company would be deranged by the State
holding stock in only portion of the road. 1t
ceay for the through connection to be placed upon the
| same terms.
The route, he Thought would not interfere with the
trade local travel OF the South-ds road The trade
contemplated be secured the cities of Petersburg
md ats In thosa he a
the South.side road being the with that of the
Southwestern road while the Orange and Alexandria road
of = different gauge would be sufficient to efiec
that result Local travel would always follow the line OF
its trade Il only for the accommodation OF great
line OF through travel that the construction of this uk
between Gorlonsyle and Lynchburg advocated. In
this respect, Mr. Johnston could not why any dis.
elimination should be made agains; Alexandria, Virgin
Ia city. The advantages enjoyed by Alexandria make
her Of the first cities of the were for.
chilly set forth and her claims zeaoUsly urged nv the
speaker.
lie insisted that there Inconsistency in has ad
vOcatng the bill Cor the Lynchburg aud ordonsyile con
nection aud opposing tie for the valley connection
of the Southwestern and Manassas railroads between Sa.
lem and liarrsonburg. The latter proposed tap the
Southwestern line sixty miles farther west, and
thereby divert much trade the eastern
Strashurg and Winchester would inevitably be filed up
which would at form direct line through Balti.
more.
Mr. WrcHrR the Senator from Pittsyvania replied to
Mr. JOHNSTON in very able speech opposing the passage
Of the bill He proceeded the opinion of the
Senator from Bedford that the interests Of the State
would be advanced by the Lynchburg aud Cor
louisville connection the ground of shortening
the distance for the through travel the North. II
would only mpoyersh Virginia cities for the sake of lit
tie transient travel and that hazarding too much
1t was simply proposition To make railroad from
Lynchbcrg to Gordonsvile that traveller from
Memphis might get to Baltimore by fifty miles
nearer. He would not do it.
Mr. WITCHEE considered the opposition of the Senator
from Bedford to the Valley Railroad bill the ncon-
sistent because he proposed come sixty miles lower
down into Virginia before dyergng towards Baltimore
and embrace the territory from which divert trade
and travel in that direction.
The of the Southwestern men, getting up the
Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, briefly reviewed.
They had induced the citizens of Petersburg and Rich
mond TO favor the scheme with the idea thai il
benefit them 10y pouring great tide of trade and rave
into their cities. Tie connection they Insisted mus
speedily he made between Lynchburg, Petersburg and
! Richmond No thought of "bringng passengers To
Lynchburg and then throwing them into the ditch" The
citizens OF Richmond had been induced to subscribe lib
orally to the South Western road and the citizens o
the South Side had invested their funds in the construction
of the South Side connection, with the hope of reaping
the advantages that had been held them But be.
fore the works completed the proposition is made 10
tap this line at lynchburg 10y connection with Alexan.
dra No such mputalon could be upon the Wales
men, wlO had just been denied the privilege OF making
connection between the South Western and Manassas Raj
| road had held ont
Alexandria, lie thought, had literally dealt will
since she had been taken back into Virginia The priv
ege granted her tap the Virginia Central Road
GOrionsville, and she asks from the State Il
90 still farther aud with the South Western road
at Lynchbnrg, and appropriate the benefits of that i'm
provement II asking much and say the leas
OF it, not very modest TO 10 for a crcum
venting all other interests of the State The result of
would not be to stop the trade aud travel Alexandra
The Northern travel by the fredericksburg and Potomac
Railroad nov goes direct to Alexandria, but does no
stop there 1t goes by Alexandria on Washington AM
then to Baltimore.
glance Of the map said Mr. WTCHER, would sho1
that the connections being formed with the Virgin
and Tennessee Railroad Company, and those propose
would give that Company the entire control of tn
internal improvement policy Of the State If carried ou
he should ask the consent Of this Company any propo
sition previous to presenting it to the Legislature
Before concluding his remarks Mr. w. gave way 70
a motion Of adjournment, which carried.