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


they will, through this company, oblgate thet
selves IL the STATE, whenever, for 6 per!G:!
not less than five years, the State snail sccu
to those companies the complete use OF tho:
connections for all their purposes o. pass ny
and freight trarsporlalon, TO pay as rent &
that use 10 the State six per cent per annu
} OF the cost Of constructing those connections
will keep the saua in good repair. and Will II
charge the State CT The Confederate States wit
sny tolls or fares for transporting troops {
munitions Of war over tho same
3. That, whenever tho State shall convey I
those Companies the ownership Of these cor
rccticns, with the right to the complete use {
them IA furcsaid, the companies will obiiga;
themselves 10 purchase them at the criglns
cost
1t is proper for rae IL adj, that the con:ro
by the rail road companies concerned, Of tn
mode and expense Gf constructing these cor
Dcc;ions, is a necessary condition TO the rent
ing I'll purchase Of these connections by tn
companies, anu that, il the means OF constrUc
ting lh;S wo!k shall be furnished by the GOV
er;ncni promptly as required, these conpanie
would undertake its construction under In
direction Of skllGul md experienced engineers
selected by them, possessing peculiar ad"an
tGges and opportunities Of knowing and u,iE;
The materials und modes Of construction ties
adapted IL tie IInportaa! purposes for which
it IL 10 be constructed.
The employment, OF any other agency woni>
very probably result in the construction Of thi:
work at 4 tuuc.! greater expense and in such
mode as to make il Of lcss, il Of any, value
tn the cotIpsnics concerned, and perhaps pre-
| oI oil ,b,- j,c:r 81
chasing il.
And ~ the rail road companies, @lo rrc to
! perform the transportation over these cGnnec
tianS, and 10 pay Tor them in rent a fixed per
cea:ago on their cost, and in purchase Of them
that c2s! itsell, are thus equally interested in
harin. The work done in the best and most
ara;!c b.c manner, and 1T the leaS. practcab!r
expense, there ca9 be na doubt that the Coz.
e:uG;cni "ould secure the hes! and Irust eco
Holnical Construction this woik By employing
in II thn asrncy Of those COIN panicS, ard Ct The
engineers to DC employed by them.
Very respectfully, voEr cbeJicnt servant,
". DANIEL, JR,
Presi1cat e, r. and p. e. L. G1,
Ia behalf Of the ;hrGe companies concerned
HEAD QUARTERS RlcnMoSp.
June 18th. 1851
EDnrSSP 7 AoEnis,
Cohr5ntton oT Firgihia.
sr-In reply to your letter of the 18th inst,
hare Tie honor 70 state lh1! | consider it We.
ty important 10 the military operations within
Virginia ;hG. proper and easy connections of
The several railroads passing through or ter
miratrg in Richmond ard Petersburg should
be made "a promptly as possible
Tie want Of these connections has seriously
retarded the operations 50 far, and they may
become more important Al the guns, amnu
nitioTS, tSc, from Nrr:s!i on reaching Peters
burg lave either 10 b. transported acroS, the
A1pomatiox to the Richmond ard Petersburg
rail road, Or forwarded to ;hu Richmond and
DanvI.e road. AID. 10 he again transferred a;
Richmond. The transportation OF troops has
uso been delayed il TIE same manner.
have previously urged the connection OF
Petersburg, and hnpa it msr now i've establish.
IL am. sir,
T-rv respectfully,
ivn: cbeaicnt servant,
Re LEE,
tseaEral Commanding
Dir. MoSrAocE-l wouId ask my friend,
The Chairman ci the Coramittec, (Mr. MoE-
ELs,) If hc has any :ea rs 10 what the cC6t oi
constructing ihls road would be!
MIR MoRRIs-l would ak to be permitted
first 20 ,oh!;c one or ;wo important amend.
mCnts:
! rnofv 10 s;r.ks Uu: lEa words ''acd VEL.
don" 80 The. thai part c! the ordinance will
read, "cetween tie Richmnnd aid Petersburg
ana ---- rail- ruaGS.
lac motion was agreed 10.
i similar amendment was made in the title
ef the oldinGrc, on The lnal,on uf SIr. :ioE-
ElS.
Mr. MoRn!s.-Y1u will perceive that the
passage Of THIS ordinance is necessary in mil.
ltary point of ri:w II viii be perceived, also,
that the want OF these connections has seri.
oua!Y retarded army operations, and that they
are likely to become very important.
|: inay be remembered that when offered
my resolution, the othr day, stated that the
guage Of the rail roads DOW proposed to BE-
naed is similar 10 thA. on tho roads running
South al Ear az Pensacola, Florida; so that II
these connections be made ycu may start IL To-
co!rntivc from Montgomery and carry i! entire
Is 10 Mara:sa Jurcton III this State. As it is
nGr, The Tail roads NORTH G! James river can
only iraESpoT. troops a. the rate If thousand
a day.
Tic motive power il such tia, they can on,
II rma ore trsin a day Now, if these roads
wrrc CONNECTED with those in the Southern
country, engines and cars may at any time be
brought here b. order Of The Governor from
even extreme points Of the Confederacy, and
may be troops transported into The interior Of
car State. Tho Convention will, therefore,
&c On
lhe score Of dispatch. Then again in regard
to the munitions Of war, the expenses hare
been very crest, especially in the removal OF
cannon Besides this, AIN informed that the
transportation Of this heavy ordnance across
the Appouarox is attended with much risk as
well as expense.
As 10 tAo Necessity Of these connections in
military point Of view, the report Of the con-,
mitice is fully sustained by the letter o! Gen.
Leo will further state that | had an inter
view with the Quarl,rmaster General Of the
Army Of the Confederate States who express.
ed the desire that the work should be done as
soon as possible. Will, regard TO the bonus,
the Convention will perceive from the ordi
nance that the State is 20 advance the money.
The Companies then otI:cats themselves to
pay by way Of rent SIX per cent. per annu3
on the cost Of constructing the connections,
and will not charge the State or the Confede.
rate States with any tolls or fares for transport
ing troops OF munitions CT war aud supplies for
the army over the same. Moreover, whenever
the State chooses 70 transfer to these Compa'
nies the ownership Of these connections with
the right to use them, the latter bind them
selves to purchase them OF the State at their
first cost. There can be 10 clearer position
madc All We hnve to do is 10 advance the
necessary money. There is another clause OF
the ordinance which It NAY be proper for me
to explain TO the Convention. These Com.
panies reserve 10 themselves the right to have
tbcse CONNECTIONS bHilt under the control and
management Of Engineers selected by them
The reason i,r this, Is, that if tie road be built
for military purposes only, when completed it
may be Ct no manner Of use 10 theu for The
ordinary purposes Of transportation % the ter
mlna,ion OF the war. The State, therefore,