Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-11-15

Central Railroad. Report
We are indebted to Col. Funtaine. PRESIDENT
OF the Central Railroad, for copy oil MS ia'S 10
port to the Stockholders The Report gives
very favorable account of the affairs OF the CoIn
pany. During the year just closed, the recelP'S
from passenger fare was Sll2.63O 81; FROM The
transportation of freight 1852, S94 25; from the
transportation of the United States mail and mis-
cellaneous sources, 81 POS As; being an aggre-
cate Of 1886, 73O "a, which is ST 1873 40 more
than the receipts OF the previous year, or an IN
crease of 81 per cent ON the business of that year
When it is considered that the mountain track
was not completed till the LIST of April. that the
crop of wheat was much below the usual average,
and that the existence OF cholera in Richmond d.
minished the regular travel, this increase of bust
ness should be regarded as very encouraging.
The mountain track has proved of immense
value and travelling on it is considered safer than
on any other read at the usual high speed In
the month of September 1854 tons freight were
brought over the mountain westward. and 1913
tons eastward. To transport this amount OF tom
mage, more than 81 wagons and teams would have
been required for twenty-six days. On several
occasions there we're at least 200 passengers, who
would have required as many as twenty stages
The delay and confusion incident to the transpor-
tation of this freight and travel, by horse power,
would have had most injurious effect on the
business of the Tosd,
The best understanding exists between the
friends Of the James River Canal and the friends
of the Central and the Coyington and Ohio Rati-
roads. The Canal is regarded by the latter. not
as rival, but as a most valuable coadjutor. The
Covington and Ohio Road is 224 miles long, from
the mouth of Big Sandy, on the Kentucky line,
| to Covington, which is the western terminus OF
the Central Road, as it is also of the James Riv-
er Canal. "On this whole extent" says the
Report, Crossing the Allegheny mountain, there
is no grade eastward exceeding so feet to the
mile; 230 miles from Richmond it will connect
with the canal at Covington, thus presenting the
cheapest line OF transportation Of any on this con
tinent. The State of Virginia can never abandon
a line of improvement, consisting one-half Of wa
ter transportation, and the other of railroad, on
which locomotive can carry three times as much
as one of the same power can on the Baltimore
and Ohio road-the water line part of this great
State improvement being one on which the State
has already expended 100000, and which can
only thereby be rendered productive"
The Board of Directors again call attention to
the great saving Of distance, and the improvement
in grades and curyaures, which can be made BY
the construction of direct road between Char
lottesvie and Richmond. A bill for the purpose
was passed by the Senate last winter, but post
poned by the House of Delegates. 1t is recon-
mcnded that surveys of the route be made before
the next meeting of the Legislature.
Since the last annual meeting of the Company,
the Orange and Alexandria Road has been COM
pleted to Gordonsville. 1t was feared that the
conuexion of this road with the Central would be
injurious to the latter, but suah has not been the
fact. The working Of the two roads is mutually
beneficial
Notwithstanding the financial difficulties expe-
rieueed throughout the country, tho Board have
been able to fulfill all their contracts and to keep
the grading the road steadily progressing. The
grading is completed to a point near Millboro'.-
Mr.. Elicit has gone to Europe to purchase iron
with the Company's bonds, and it is designed tc
have the road completed to that point, if possible
by the lst of jane next. This place is suitable
for dverging to the several Springs, which are
distant from it as follows: White Sulphur 81
miles, Hot Springs 20, Warm Springs Is, Bath
Alum 10, and Rockbrdge Alum 5.
The unusual stringency in the money market
has prevented the sale, to any great extent of the
bonds which the Board was authorized to issue
The Board has had no sufficient motive for ma
king a serious sacrifice, and while the bonds Of
other solvent Railroad Companies have sold as
low as rs per cent, none of these have sold for
less than "a.
Within the last year, about 80 miles Of the road
have been re-laid with heavy rail. which, with
the large addition to the rolling stock, has been a
considerable burden on the finances of the Com
pany. The Company now own 242 ears of all
kind for freight, l6 passenger cars, 6 baggage
cars, 3 express cars, and 20 locomotive engines.