Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1859-11-01
Roanoke valley Railroad Company.

The eighth ANIMAL meeting Of the stockholders of the
Roanoke Valley Railroad Company was held a; Towue,-
vile, n. C., on the 18th ut We subisin a condensed
report Of the proceedings, and an abstract Of the Prsi-
dents and Chief Engineers reports:
A resolution, offered by Mr.. Tucker Darlington. was
adopted, requesting the Board Of Public Works, when il
shall next appoint Directors for this Road, to so far relax
its powers under the Law as TO appoint but three Direc-
tors instead Of four. Resolutions Tere also adopted,
raising the Presidents salary TO $1,000 pes Eanum, and
directing the appointment of a committee to memorabilia
the Legislature upon the subject Of making a State ap-
preparation toward the extension 70 keysvine. Henry
Wood, Esq. was reelected President, and Messrs. Vim.
C. Marrow, Jr. and Joseph r. Anderson were elected d.
rectors. The meeting adjourned, to meet in GAINESVILLE
on the third Thursday in October, 1850.
The President, in his report, pays : high tribute Of
praise to the Chief Engineer, Col. B. VI. Jones, and com
mends the efficiency aud fidelity of the present corps Of
officials. We take the following extract from the report:
at is with deep emotions Of pleasure that / am able
20 stand up before you. to-day, and TO communicate rs
history, that which but two short years since many re-
Earded as 4 dream Of an cTerzealous and too sanguine
Hdventurer. Gentlemen Stockholders, to you, l announce
the cheering fact, that the extension of the Roanoke
Valley Railroad is no longer aspeculation-but a reality.
The whole line has been located, and the entire work
placed under contract. One hundred and sixty or seventy
efficient lsborers now ply their energies daily in the con-
struction OF our Road. And your Board OF Directors have
required of the contractors TO put upon the bridge work
over the Roanoke river and the grading of the section
next to Clarksulle, an additional force of one hundred
and fifty hands. An early compliance is confidently eN-
pected. 1t is, doubtless, known to every stakeholder OF
this company, that the entire construction Ana compile
ton Of our Road, including all the bridging on the line
of the extension, has been let TO Mr.. 5. g. Miller,
Of Alexandria, ut the price Of a half a million
OF which amount, We have now subscribed upon the
hooks Of the Company, tbe sum OF 1922, 200, about which
there Is no dispute. Leaving z balance of S3T7,3O0 to
be raised, 70 enable US to comply 5ith the contract on
our part. No fears are now entertained even by the most
skeptcal, that we will fail in achieving this object. II i
recommended that We appeal to our Legislature earnest
y,that she will redeem her pledge to contribute 8-jtbs Of
the capital stock in our enterprise, given in the original
grant Of existence aud privileges to US as a company
And if our appeal be granted, but little Is left for Us to
do. But should there not be in our Legislature enough
craftsmanship TO respond TO a call so reasonable and 70
just-iEhich / will not allow myself 70 believe for n mo-
ment) even then, there is no cause 10 be discouraged
II is d demonstrate that the means can be obtained with
ont the cooperation Of the State. The mode, however,
need not, at this time, be particularly explained. suf-
fee it for the present, that the strongest confidence is en-
tertAined that it can and will be done"
The President states that the floating debt Of the com
pany has been reduced slO,s29, and cit il believed that
smother year of ike success with the one just ended will
enable us 10 e~Itinguish our floating debt entirely" M
nv important and embarrassing controversies have been
adjusted since the last annual meeting, and the company
i. now entirely free from litigation. The President ar.
gues from the present prosperous condition Of the road,
that the company will be able 10 redeem lie bonds $50 .
OJj maturing in May, 1866, and, he SAYS should we in
dulge the very reasonable expectations Of advantage and
largely increased profits from our extension TO Keysvile,
IL is ~hazarding but little to say that we will be able to de.
clare q dividend in 1858"
The Chief Engineer, in bis report, states that Mr.. Nil
Ter, the contractor Of the extension, undertook to com
plets ten miles Of the road by the LIST Of December next,
and the whole Of il by the 4th Of July, 1860. provided the
,of,panv could raf4a tho fund.- IN rreet 81. v,c-tII- rns
mates As they become due. It Is not practicable for Mr..
Miller 10 fulfil this undertaking, for reasons which are set
forth in the report. The Engineer says: "since tie
heat Of the summer has passed, the force hrs increased
and in addition 20 that which has been employed At the
Keysvflle end Of the road, preparations are now making
90 commence the Bridge over Roanoke river. aud the
section next to Clarksvile. Il is also contemplated N
pit on q force between The Five Fork and the river in a
verg short time. Though the work has not been rushed
e. RAPIDLY IS you had reason TO think IL would be, / am
sll confident that Mr.. Miller will complete the contract
sud that IL not finished by the time specified, e viii be
10 a shorter time than auy road Of the same length eve
has boon In this State"
The probable amount Of trade aud travel which vii.
pass over the road, is considered NJ some length by Col
Jones. He says.
"From the junction with the Raleigh and Castor Roa,
70 Keysvillc the Road Be- 52i miles long. The breadth O
fNANNNF WNANN WI NlA'N wv W. WNNNA average EN mite
for the whole distancc-wbich will give 1000 -tlar
miles, or 672. 1000 acrcs-capablc Of making 7Op farm
Of 200 acres each. u would squire only a very mod,
nte degree Of industry and skill for each Of those farm
10 raise 800 bushels Of whest and ten ~horsheads Of L
bscco. Cor market. I win, therefore, assume the crop
$4,000 bushels Of wheat, and 1000 h~ogsheads Of iobac,
10 not suppose that this amount Of wheat is now rsiso,
bui that Il will be in = very few years after the compleuo
Of the road = . "If the country along the lr
Of your road is cspabls Of producing A. much per acre
Cumberland county. ii would yield $4,000 bushel
u ~ much e. Louia county, 10000 bushels II
Roanoke VALLEY Railroad viii connect With ihe y
leigh and CASTOR Railroad, % miles from Rilgigh, a.
A. Raleigh the latter road connects uib the North Car
Uua Railroad. Il f. argued in the report. that tho cou
~ tins penetrated, (which must continue 70 send ~ pr
dice hiihcr. % long a. Richmond continues 10 be d
hest shcat and tobacco market % which b. hes accea
D. more tbsn double 81 large a. that bordering on q
Roanoke valley road IL would then be very fair 70
rume the connection hcighu to be equal to the loc
hut lsays Col - I sul only put Il ct one-half The Il
vi ~l also be an important item, both the local and
connection, and it viii scarcely he thought by any o.
that I have aSed Il 81 TOO high . hgurs. The estimate
pecsiPts Efl then be ~ follows;