Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-02-27
The covington and Ohio Railroad


Road has been so kicked and cuffed about
twisted and mutilated in such manner
anended-laid on the table--reconsider.
ed, taken up, fe-amended and re-laid on
the table-and run through every other
Legislative gauntlet, that it will be hard
matter to recognize it, it it should be pass
ed, and receive shape and form.
Mr.. Deane, Of Campbell, with his leatl-
erspecs, constantly obscuring his sight, has
made the bill the especial object upon
which he exercises his taunting and de-
molishing talent. If it assume. such a
shape as to inspire hope Of its passage in
its friends, here comes Mr.. Deane with
his goblin damned ghost Of Baltimore,
and bis darling bantling, the Give foo.
guage." These are the alpha and omega
Of his thoughts-the limits which bound
his love Of State and good feeling for his
neighbors. He looks upon every fish,
worm as a horn-snake ready to stick its
fatal member into the belly Of the Virgin
10 and Tennessee Road-every breath
that whispers money, he imagines is North
ern malaria, whose infectious influence is
destined to destroy the health Of our in
ternal improvement baby-smother it in
ito birth-so far as benefits are to be
rssped by Virginia.
When the Covington and Ohio bill
came up on Tuesday evening, it was
stripped Of all the amendments to Mr.. DIS
amendment. A discussion was had on
that until the hour Of adjournment, with
out efEectiny anything.
II is very evident that this appropriation
bill cannot pass. unless the five foot guage
10 adopted. Tie propositi. now is to
vote the five foot guage and in the same
bill, authorize the Board Of Public Works
10 subscribe enough to change the guaee
of the Central Road to correspond with
that proposed for the Covington. While,
MS naked proposition, we would not ap-
Prove the useless expenditure Of mor...v
sufficient to make this change, yet IN the
present crisis Of affa:1s perhaps it would
be polite go to do. The trans Allegheny
aud the Southwest have the power, and
influence to pass any bill they may desire
on this question. The trans-Alleghany
have been acting in concert with the Gen.
trail Road men. up to this time. But, ind
ing that the Central is not strong enough,
in conjunction with themselves, to pass
the Covington bill, in order to secure the
appropriation they are willing to join with
the Southwest in passing bill changing
the Western terminus Of the Cov,ngton
and Ohio Road. so as to render its con.
necticn with the Virginia and Tennessee
Road more direct and easy. Thi, would
very nach cripple the interests Of the
Central, and partially destroy its prospects
for connection with the Ohio-certainly
forever debar its tapping the Ohio by a
feet 81 inch guage. The question. then
is: will it be better for the friends Of the
Central Road to vote for the bill with Mr.
Deane's guage amendment, and an amend
sment for the appropriation Of money suf-
ficient to change the guage OF the Central
Road; or 10 run the risk Of being forever
cheated out Of the vast trade aud travel,
which have been anticipated from con-
ncction with the Covington Road at ITS
western terminus. We think the policy
TO be pursued is plain. We INST do the
best we can, and it seems no benefit is to
arise to u from any proposition yet sug-
gested. unless the Eve foot guage is adopt
ed, and BY voting for that secure an ap.
preparation aot only for the Covington, but
a loan and appropriation TO the Genital
road. There is no doubt, that, as an orig
jnal question, the five foot guage would
be preferable to the narrow guage Of 4 feet
81 inches. But the objection to the wide
guage thathas been urged by the friends Of
the Central road, is because It would cause
break in the guage at Covington, and
thus render the Western trade liable to be
divided among the competing improve
ments. This proposition. although it will
be attended by considerable cost yet ii
will have all the benefits Of continuous
guage from Richmond 10 the Ohio.
The idea Of appropriating money. for
the purpose Of undoing work that has
been the source Of so much qusrrelling ana
confusion. and increasing the tax on the
people, to CRAFTY very morbid and il
liberal spirit on the part Of the Virginia
and Tennessee men, is quite distasteful to
the tax payers. But from present indica-
tions. it omeus that nothing will be done
by the iegislaturc-that it will adjourn,
without appropriatng one cent to the Cow
ington or CentIai Road, and it does seem
to Us, under the circumstances, we had
better take the bitter aud sweet together,
than 10 have all bitter.
The present Legislature appears to be
divided off into sectional squads-each one
Recommendations. a.