Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-06-25

me ~ aSh min Tie question, Wnet0tr lDc W.
folk aud Petersburg road has tne same gauI
as The Richmon'i and Petersburg road.
a1r. Cox.-No, sir, bnt the Petersburg ar
Richmond and Petersburg ard Weldon 81
upon the same gauge. and by bringing 30,
troops or your guns By the S.aSoard route
Peter Sburg. You have no lficulty as regard
gauge in transporting them TO Richmond.
Mr. HAEviE,-ln order to get tho cannc
from the Gusporl navy.yard &c The city Of Ricl
inord, it is not necessary, as understand lh
matter. 10 put it upon tie Petersburg ra,lroa
st ali, bat it IS carried up Oil tho Norfolk ar
Petersburg road to the latter place, where i,
put OF the South Side road, run down to III
Junction Of Tic Danvg!ie and down the Danyiil
road to Richmond, these roads all having III
same gauge.
Mr. NORRIS know very little abou. local
lies IN Petersburg; but am led to unders;an
that the extension Of the Norfolk ard Peters
burg road is 20 run alongside the Richmont
and Petersburg rond. so that cannon upon H.
irairs can be tranShpped from one platform t
/ another.
If the gentleman knew the elevation OF ths
Petersburg above that of the South Side h
would find That great diff; ;uity would exist il
transferring cannon, or other heavy freight
from one ROAD TO another. Not only that, sir
IN the capture Of the Gospcrt Navy Yard. q
large quantity Of coal was seizad, and although
The supply was very large, it viii not las, NOR.
than sixty or ninety days. When That is ex.
! haus.ed it will he difficult to furnish the nc
cs:,Sa!r supplies ~hie our ports are blockad
Cd. With his connection complete, You could
send coal from here without any interruption,
so that TO danger would exist Of scarcity.
So far as the necessity for the connection il
cGacernrG there can be no doubt about it.
The next question is, are the terms upon
Which this connection is proposed to be made,
lair and liberal. This company proposes lhGt
tac connection must be made by the State ti-st :;
Iflat they will Transport during the war all the
troops and munitions Of war free OF charge
paying the State six per cent. upon the invest
uent At the close Of the war. the company
"il oe prepared to take these works out OF the
hands Ct the State and pay the whole cost OF
construction to tie State.
Can any terms he more LIBERAL and fair thnn
these? But tEe gentleman from Richmond,
(Mr. MAcFAELASD,; IS afraid that it will inter
:cre with the property o. private ci;lzerS.-
He says that patriotic citizens hero will give
their property for the Use Of this road, under
certain circumstances These citizens, as |
understand, will ask for no damages, il, after
the war, the road is discontinued. IT. however
1t passes into the hands Of the company, dam
ages Will te charged. The State will have
been fully reimbursed for all its outlay, both
principal aud interest, in the event Of its trans.
iarring the road to the company, br, damages
will then be for the land
The propositi0n, it seems to me, il very lair
and liberal. The company propose that the
"oik Shall be conducted under the supervision
of their own engineers. in order, If the State
,houiG require the company 70 take the work
!: the cio.e OF he war. that i: IN ght be con
.tructed in q ,Aanner sufficiently substantial TO
answer future purposes.
am authorized to seq, by an engineer
xhc had conversation with General Lee |
Ills iaornng, that the General, in reply TO all
inquiry as To whether he, the engineer, would !
make good road or . temporary one, told |
I:n TO make good road inasmuch as the wear
lnd tear would De very great owing to the |
transportation .! heavy Cannon and other |
torres ard supplies
y DkLEcArE-We may get into another war
oon after this is over.
:,s:. ouA.--,s .,!r gsut1etnan says. we may
,cco;ne involved in another war. But hope
lot We wil whip toe Yarhees so badly this
:ruo rs 70 clusa th.ra no; 20 trouble US again.
The terms upon wnich il is proposed that
lis road sEc"i he constructed are very fair
md liberal, and ! urst the work will 80 on.
The additional cGs: Of taking troops and mu
litirns CT war from enc depot To- another
through The cities Of Richmond and Peters.
,u,g, will I've morc, in my opinion, within
hort time than the construction oi these rnsds
s0ud amount to. |. will cost rot less than
300, 600 in two or three years
Mr EAnvIE u have been laemb": .! this
bnr do not agree with the gen.
le,ncn who preceded INC, 10 some Of the argu
aents which they presented in favor of this or.
.nanre was present when the committee |
a,ue to toe conclusion that it was eypedlcnt 10
,n.ld this as military road | agreed with
hem upon that point because General Lee SO
taled | think now that it would be matter
# very great mcmont, in military point OF
lew, that the road shculd be built but, while
o thit.king, stated 10 the Chairman Of the
and other members of il that
Guild not unite with them in the belief that
&c proposition submitted was the best that !
2u,d be obtained. did not Ike that ra,l
cad, which is 10 be bui!t for military purpo !
es, should be tullt By rail road organization |
Thich has an intervs: IN the road beyond its
military purposes.
| have no doubt iat, independent Of this |
rar, there ought to be built by these two rail /
DAD ccrnpanies road running through the |
i.;es Of Richmond and Petersburg for the con-
e7eEce OF The trade of the country; and ! |
ave as li.tle doubt lhat this rail road would |
ave bsen bull: long ago hut for the opposi |
ion Of the people in the two cites, and but
or TIC difficulties they encountered from the
:oT pora.e authorities of these cities. know
hat ,for;s have been made again and again
q the Legislature To secure charter ior this
DAD, but uniformly failed. | do not think
hat this Convention ought to charge tie uni.
erin practice Of the Legislature, Eho, i: they
:siee'ned this n commercial necessity, would
,ave readily consented to its construction.
nave no doubt that it ought 10 DC built ss
military road; and as such only and that
he expense Of its construction should fall 20!
lpon The State, but upon the Confederate States
Government We became, yesterday, perma.
,e!i:ly member OF this Southern Confederacy. |
80 took upon ourselves all the obligations |
properly belonging to Us III connection with
bis war; ard we have right to ali the aid |
which that CcniedeTacy can render Us, in order
o carry that war to O successful conclu. |
ion.
nave had conference with members of
lie Finance Committee, and have been told that
he financial condition of the Treasury is such
lat II will need all that can be procured to
meet the necessary appropriations OF this war.
Iere is an appropriation asked for Of least
So. 900. Now 1 desire to ask, il, under this
:onii,ion 0! t!'iass, the State ought voluntarily
o incur that debt. If this is military road,
. is the duty Of The Confederate authorities to
iud it. There is no reason why this
abroad company should not make the same
proposition TO the Confederate States. as they
1ave 10 the State Of Virginia | sec no reason
w" -Eonld undertake. this matter, aud,
,elie7s, f"gardias this road as merely mill
ary necessity, ,ha. the duty Of cons.ructingir it
ievo'rcS upon the Confederate authorities, and