Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-03-19
Speech OF gIr. Harris.


ter, to indefinitely postpone the bill to loan tn
sum Of five hundred thousand dollars to thS Vii
giDia and Tennessee Railroad Company,
Mr. Harris said, Mr.. President, if were {
consult my own feelings and inclination, | woul
forhear to trespass on The time of the Senate i
proIongiog the discussion of the subject now befor
this body for our consideration but, sir, duty
owe to the constituency have the honor here t
Representa- duty which | owe to Virginia and tn
position heretofore occupied by me during IN
brief career as member of the General Asssmb
Iy. all require that shall give the reasons for tn
course now intend 10 pursue in relation to thi
and all of the great leading lines railway within
this Commonwealth. 1t is well known 10 q arg
majority OF the members on this floor, that hav
shown by my votes heretofore, and the inteses
manifested by me, on all occasions, in behalf o
every work of merit, that have, in my represen
tatiye capacity endeavored to know no section b,
evincng no anagonism to,any work ofimporianc
or merit, within Abe borders Of this Common
wealth.
have been uniformly classed. sir, with TIM
jealous friends of internal Improvements, eve
siuce have had the hunor ofa seat on this floor
and am determined ts.t sci Of mine shall b
So construed .Gs lee ...e iG .iiy oiher posltIonf
ny constituents, il is tFae.are locally and person
ally interested in cna or two great improvements
in which the Senate has embarked yet they have
not tied my hands, and an here the particular
patron OF no one interest, tor they have directed
me to worship at no local shrine, but have left me
free 10 assume higher grouEd. Ii is not my pro
vince, then, to undefrate any Of the leading lines
of railway in the State. They are al! ofincalcul-
able advantage; they are all part and parcel ofthe
States prosperity, and are all destined to cOntrl-
bale 10 the wealth and power (at no distant day,
| nope Of the glorious old mother of US all.
feel as though my friend, the Senator from
Kanawha, Alr. Parks, had occupied the whole
ground before ME in advocating the claims Of thai
0 .eat State work, The Coyington and Ohio Rail
Road He has portrayed lis true merits with a
ZEAL eoquence and power commensurate with its
Importance. fully concur with that Senator in
every word and sentiment which he has uttered,
and shall meet tho proposition boldly; that it is
one OF the greatest Of Rail Road enterprises, not
ouly in STATE, but in national poiIt Of view |;
that il is one, Of all others that now concerns Vir
glnia the most; that it is more Intimately coDnec
ted with her welfare, and most demands the tos
iering care of her legislature. It is The great work
" hich is to connect The sea with the Ohio. the
rivers, and, by the Virginia Central Rail ROAD, ,
forming continuous line, with an unbroken gauge.
uniting Richmond and York River by the termln.
US of the latter important road at the proposed
(new) city of West Point. Connecting, by It's
western terminus, with the great Mississippi Val
ley uniting with six thousand miles Of continuous
rail road lines and the father of waters; destined
to bring not only the trade and travel ofan empire
through the heart aud centre of Virginia, who
donated a great portion of this vast domain; the
rich fruits Of which will be returned, trust, into
her lap, to aid her, "Phenx like" to rise from
the dust and soar onwards and upwards to glory,
to power and renown. The trade and travel Of
the young, though great and growing, State of
0hio, would alone seem to be sufficient induce
men, for Virginia to connect the sea. board with
the Ohio Rivcr,as rapidly as poseible,by thenear
est and most practicable route.
The income OF that Giant of the West, last
year, being near FIVE millions Of dollars, with her
eigh, hundred miles Of canals, her six hundred
miles of navgable rivers aud TWO thousand miles
Of rail road /; with wheat crop which amounted.
last year to thirty millions Of bushels corn crop
to the enormous sum Of eighty five millions.
When, in addition, Mr.. President, we add the
increase travel and rapid transit to our Trans
Springs, by the inducement to the
whole Tier Of Southern and Western States, border
ing on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, to take
the ears of the Covington and Ohio Rail Road as
the safest shortest and cheapest route, not only to
our varied and invgOrating fountains OF health and
pleasure, but to our sea board and Eastern cities,
who can estimate the wealth aud prosperity that
all of these natural and combined causes will give
to Virginia?
have only time, in this connection, to barely
allude TO the vast beds of iron ore and mineral
wealth which abound in the region through which
this great artery Of trade and travel must pass. l
shall briefly allude, however, TO one grand and
important article, The camel coal Of Western Vlr
giBia, which for superior character and adaptation
for nearly al the important purposes OF consump-
ion, and more especially Ter the peculiar excel
lence of lis qualify, which is fixed fact SO gen
orally conceded, by al! parties who have used it
or witnessed it in combustion, that it is really un-
necessary for me 10 dwell at any length on its
merits Its rapid igniing quality its brilliant and
enduring Illuminating capacity, It's cleanliness TO
handle, freedom from sulphur, absence from clln-
kering and flying about in CRATE, its safety from
spontaneous combustion and freedom from dirt, OF
waste in transportation, justly entitle il to a pre-
lererce Tor domestic consumption for steam boats,
gas making. and all other purposes. where clean
fire and rapid generation Of heat, and brilliant
and cheerful light are objects of Importance. Can
we estimate the advantage Of this one article, be
ing great luxury to the cities of Richmond Nor
folk, Petersburg. Alexandria, &C.. and the addl-
iiona tonnage il will add to the various rail roads
having ili,se cities for their temini?
The iHeXhausti5le supply from the mines o.
the Western Mining and Manufacturing Company
on Coal River, tributary of the kauawha, alone
will he sufficient to supply the demand of Vir
ginia with cheap and rapid transit. And learr
that all the enierprising managers of the Western
Mining and Manufacturing Company now desire
is a ready outlet 10 the markets on the sea5oard o
Virginia to supply our demands for this great and
Invaluable mineral
The faith OF the State, Mr. President, is IN
doubledIy pledged TO the completion Of her impor'
tant net work Of Internal Improvements heT
character and credit demands it; and if we now
put check TO her great leading lines of railway
we are bound to'stl further deprecate her credit
and in my place on this floor soemnly declare
that the people of Virginia ere not prepared lol
this.
IL IS true we have an unusual strngency IN oul
money market, owing 10 the high rate OF lnreres
here aud in Europe, caused by the war in th'
Crimca, yet beilsye that the people of this Com
monwealih are wiling TO submit 10 further taxa
tion to carry out their important works already
commenced They are not willing that the large
amounts now invested shall remain comparatively
dead. and thuse works now unfinished, in wh'cl
The Stale has an interest to the amount OF seveTa
millions, remain in an exposed condition, and in
state of increasing diapldalIon.
The State is interested in her various rail- road:
to the amount Of 5000 ,2l7-of which sum So,
206,ll3 is in stock in the following Improvements
Rlne Bidoe Rail Road. $l,234.25'
Covington and Ohio Rail Road, 7So,514
She has appropriated one million,
but the amonnt given is the
sum expended up to lst Janu-
ary ,ooo.
Virginia Central Rail Road, 1,6lS,2S4
Orange aud Alexandria Rail Road, o5J.00(