The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-01-20
LOCAL MATTERS.


RICHMOND AND Yoax Rrvxa RAILROAD COMPANY.
The stockholders met 1t the Exchange Hotel
Yesterday morning 1t 10 O'Clock, Col. FLEET re-
suming the chair.
The minutes Of the last nesting were read and
approved.
The Chairman stated the business before the
meeting was the motion Of Nj. A. Dudley of King
and Queen, to reconsider the action Of the stockhol
ders had In King and Queen on the 2lst Of Septem-
Der, and thst Judge Christian of Williamsburg
was entitled to the floor.
On motion of Mr.. Dudley, the Secretary pro-
ceeded to call the roll after which he announced
quorum as being present.
Judge Christian then took the floor, and declared
himself In favor OF the motion, because he wac op-
posed to the terminus at "West Point" and If that
terminus were insisted upon, then he was opposed
to the Retreat route, through King William. If
the motion carried, then the question of terminus
and route came up, to be decided upon. He was
Ia favor OF "Parhsms' as The terminus, knowing
that the road could be built to that point, and be.
ieving that 1t could not be to "West Point" Over
S400 600 have been subscribed to building and
equipping the road, and II Psrhams il selected az
the terminus, the city of Richmond In her corpo-
rate capacity, and by individual aid, will furnish
the necessary means to complete the work. Ii
"West Point" is determined on, where are we get
the money to complete the roadi We have not
now more than half enough money subscribed to
build the road to West Point Are the stockho[
ders willing to see their subscriptions sunk 10
building one third or one half the road, and then
have the money they invested, mortgaged to North
ern CAPITALISTS; TO borrow the means tor It's COM
pletion Are you willing to sink your SUBSCRIPTIONS
Tor the benef, of capitalists, who are to hold
deed of trust your stock. and receive all inc
benefits to be derived from 1t.
But said the speaker, II we bad the money 70
build both roads tomorrow night, would slih
select Parhams even 1t 1t were to cost hv times as
much as that to West Point. What farmer would
he willing to transport mis- produce AZ miles On
railroad at a COS. Of 81 per ton, when he could get
it on ehipboard at half that costt Is it reasonable
to suppose that tn w Point line having length
of ~ miles can compare with the line to Parhams,
a distance of 80 miles. as freight carrying road
Why the reduction Of freight, by the reduction OF
the length of the road one-fourtn Is the strongest
argument In favor Of that route But suppose the
West Point route 10 built, and should become pro-
fitable what will be the resulraN Why, capltalsts
will at once build road to Parhama. 1t beng ten
miles shorter thsn the other, and farmers and mer
chants will chip by it. as by doing 80 they can save
twenty-five per cent. over the west Point line
Where then will be the $3.50 600 which you have
invested in the West Point line! Buried IN tne
blossom of the ocean deep" Can any man doubt
that the water at Parham's il as deep as at West
Pointf Every survey that has been made, proves
that the water at this place 10 from IL to II feet
certainly not making difference of more than hVe
six inches in favor of West Point, which is moth
Ing at all.
The speaker next alluded to the report of Lieut.
Maury In which that gentleman spoke OF circle
In the Pamunkey river, ct Parhans, equal to 20
degrees as being an insuperabe barrier to the &C.
lection of that point and declared 1t bug bear OF
the writer's imagination. Had lieut. NJ. given the
trace of that circle, whether long or short. we
could have decided upon his conclusions more cor
recty If the base be short, then the circle would
be objectionable, but if long, 1t would prove no
impediynent to sail vessels He had been in the
Panunkey river, above the circle, and could see
dstinctly into the York river. Looking to the re-
port of the Engineer. will be seen that the channel
in the Pamunkey is "a feet deep and 800 yards wide
while in the York, it Is but 12 feet deep and about
70 yards wide. Now can any man believe that
vessel drawing IL feet, can come up the York river
through channel only 20 yards wide, while that
same We sci cannot come few hundred yards up
the Pamunky with water "a feet deep, and chan
mel 800 yards wide.
Taking all the reports together, the speaker was
satisfied that the Engineers had been subjected to
some strong bias. He did not mean to say that
they had been criminaIly culpabie, but that come
strong bias had iIiuenced them, he had not a
shadow OF doubt. For himself, he would not
give the opinion OF men OF good common sense, for
that Of all the engineers in the world After We had
got their opinion of the depth of channel, grade,
cost of construction etc he wanted their opinion
no farther. Engineers were theoretical He want
the prediction that no vessel ever bad ever
would go up the York river to "West Point" that
could not 60 up the "Pamunkey" to Parham's. All
wanted the road, and it is the duty of the stock
holders to select the best terminus. Parhams, in
his opinion, was infinitely the best suggested and
az we could get the means build the road to that
point, and to no other the stockholders should Sc
lect 1t by all means.
MIR. Edmund Ruffin desired to call attention to
points that had not been touched by other speak
the Engineer, declared himself In favor Of the
route to Parham's in opposition to that to West
Point Parhsm's is some ten or twelve miles
nearer Richmond which fact OF itself is great
consideration In favor of shippers Looking alone
to the best port the shortsE route, aud the cheapest
freightage Parhams was Tar preferable 10 West
Point. The very objection urged against the turn
In the river, was one of the highest recommends
tons as port OF safety in time of war. Unlike
''West Point" an enemys vessel could only get
within two miles of it, when they would be com
pelled to take steamtug to get around the turn
The speaker next referred to the Engineers report
and criticised it Ia various parts declaring that il
that officer intended only to declare that at West
Point there WAS more sea room than at Parham's
he would grant it, but that fact alone did not make
1t the safest port.
Capt Charles Dimmock regretted to see the jesl-
cusy manifested in regard to the terminus of this
road TWAS designed to be great State work, to
be an outlet for the untold wealth of Virginia to the
Atlantic oceaR where port was needed. The
North ana SOOtn were stlesCHuS cut Ilclr arms TO
grasp the trade of the West from u.s. and the ca
pacity of the James river was insufficient to accom-
MEDIATE the vast trade the orginators the York ri
yer railroad had looked to that section for more
expeditions outlet to the Atlantic ocean He re-
sretted to that the people of Richmond, least
a majority OF them, were opposed to this improve
ment The speaker then entered into warm deferce
of Lieut.. Maury's opinions, and defended them at
length. He then declared his preference for West
Point because the same wind that brought vessel
into the Capes of Virginia, would take her along
side the wharf at West Point; while to get at Par.
hams she would be forced to take tug the curve
West Point 10 good hsrbor, at the head of straight
stretch and Lieut. Maury states that vessel of 600
bates" to West Point, and would willingly votefor
that as terminus.
Mr.. B Minor advocated at some length the ter.
minus of Parhan's preferring that point to West
Point account of the distance saved Ia the rail.
road carriage. He reviewed Lieut. Maury's letter at
length, and disapproved of his position In favor of
West Point. Psrham's being six miles nearer to
Richmond than West Point, and water carriage &C.
coTding TO Lieut. Msury, being ony fifth as much
as by railroad, mseins the terminus al Parha,n's
which 10 FIVE miles further for sail vessels than West
carrisge, perpstualls. This item of itself wouId
prove q great saving to the company and add a vast
amount of means to The treasury of ihe khodsr
At half past O'Clock the stockholders aSiorrned
until o'clock, z. NJ.
Ereaine Session.-The Convention met AZ <
O'Clock, P. NJ, pursuant to adjournment Col FIrer
resuming the chair.
The question being the reconsideration of the
action OF the stockholders at King Queen, on the
M ,karl paf