Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-08-02


July 2ith, 1860.
To the Editor of the Whig:
write YOU from one Of the mos: stirring little cities
Of the South Fifteen years ago, am told, the first
house of the town Oult-nOW it is city OF $4,000
people From nv hotel window | can a score or
more buildings going up, some Of them OF large SIZE,
and fine architectural promise and understand the city
is now going forward in material progress faster than
ever.
All this growth and prosperity have been the result Of
railroad enterprise Atlanta being literally born Of the
railway 1t is the conyerging point Of four important
lines in themselves and connections OF other mpor-
t.nt lines East South West and North. In front Of my
hotel is magnificent passenger depot which the start
ING and stopping point of sixteen different arrivals and
deoartures of heavily loaded passenger trains daily
bringing people together from every imaginable point Of
the country and presenting as many auimating scenes
Of life and activity.
have paid marked attention. during my trip through
the State 10 the different railroads aud their management
aud have been greatly pleased and instructed thereby
believe the railroad system of no State of the Union
has been more wisely planned aud operated. Every
important line in the State is not ouy paying-but pay
ing richly Take the Georgia Central Tor instance, which
last wear paid its stockholders twenyseyen per cent in
cash and stock dividends he latter being the Gccumu-
atons OF some years besides leaving surplus fund of
$500 900 in addition steamship stock 10 nearly an
euua amount Or the Georgia Railroad augusta to
Aanta which regularly pays It's stockholders eight per
| cent and besides owning nearly million dollars OF
|
600 Or thesWestern aud Atlantic (Atlanta and Chat
tanooga) which, though orned the State regularly pays
its so 600 month of cash nett earnings into the State
Treasury Or the Atlanta and West Point Railroad,
which last year paid eight per cent to the sockholders
and carried Sl25 900 of its profits TO the credit OF the
reserve fund These are brilliant railroad statistics and
sneak in terms of honorable praise OF the management
| of these companies Hon. X. X. Cuyler is President
and Geo. W. Adams, ESQ., Superintendent of the Geor'
ola Central Hon. John F. King is President and George
| q L. pdent M the (nporpia
The beadouarters Of two OF these roads-the Western
and Atlantic and Atlanta and West PCiLtsren in this city.
went over the workshops Of the firm this morning and
was highly gratihed with the snug aud shp-shape ap
pearance OF things. The motive power is under the
control Of Mr. Flynn and the car works are under that
of Mr. Gramblng who has also charge Of the bridges
Az strange as il may STATE road, every thing
| seemed in fine condition, and the cars OF the latest
STYLES and in excellent order Astonishing as II may
seem TO those who have watched the usual course o
things on public roads owned by the State there hai
not been single accident Of consequence on the road
for two years-when by allowing couple Of locomO
ves to buck themselves together, or train OF cars to
10 over the bank once in while, heSsrs. klynR anc
Grambiug could have given many good Joo INTO tnt
hands of personal or political friends! understand
too that Mr. Walker, Master Of Transportation, has h
books and general buness so systematzed that theT'
can scarcely be any robbery-even Of the Stae-in h
department. If any one was so disposed and hnaly DR.
Lewis-the State uperntendenI-pays over nearly
|
when be might BY simply following the examples Of ou
national patriots at Washington land in some of ou
State governments tool have put over half into his owl
pocket and distributed the balance among his potea
associates What is to be done with these men? Thei
strange conduct upsets every recognized theory IN th
premises hundred times in speeches and editorials hav
demonstrated the impossibity of having state or gov
ernment matters honestly and honoraby attended to-
Yet these gentlemen, without as much as saying ID.
your leave proceed to smash up our calculations IN
tye that must be absolutely distressing TO the Official
In other quarters Indeed in reading the statistics
this company one scarcely realizes that this can hav
occurred IN this enlightened nineteenth century but tha
tbey are annals of one Of those old fogy periods "w
read Of" when il was usual for government officials
manage their duties honestly and efficiently
The Atlantic and West Point road is under the mar
areu,eut of Geo. G. Hail. ESQ., General Superintendent
From his last report find the gross earnings Of the pre-
vious wear TO be 1862 900. Expenses of operating OF
dinary aud extraordinary, Sl64,OO0. Leaving as ne
profit sl97 900 or with interest over 100000, of whC
Two dividends Of per cent each paid on clpits
stock and the balance Sl25 900 carried to the ReserT
Fnnd and S54 900 Of its stock makes total k'
serve Fund Of 1854 O96. It will be seen that the to
expenses of operating the road were only 45 per cent
its earnings and after taking out the items which ar
very Justly set down "extraordnary' only az P'
. cent. The business of the road is increasing
Among the items Of business IS the Atlanta No
ling Mil for rerOlling railway iron, which 10 an exteI