The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-05-24

the close of the war, in April, 1865, the
Virginia Central Railroad, which had been
honored with peculiar attention by the
United States forces, was left in condi-
tion that would have daunted the energy
of any but such men as are only stimulated
to renewed exertiOns by the magnitude OF
the task before them. Every station-house
and depot building between Stanton and
Richmond, with the exception OF small
depot at Gotham and the depotS at Char
lottcsville, had been burned down eleven
miles of the track had been torn up and
the rails burned and twisted; and not a
truss bridge was standing, with the excep-
ton OF three small bridges on the western
end of the road. 4 large number OF box
and platform cars had been destroyed by
the United States forces, and those winch
remained were scarcely fit for use, while
the locomotives had fallen into bad order
on account of the impoSSibility OF maln-
tanning them properly during the course
of the war. As an instance of destruction
and loss of property, it may be stated that
on February 29th, 1864, Sheridan burned
all the buildings at Beaver Dam; on
Nav 9th he made a second visit to the
same place, destroying twenty nine loaded
freight cars and injuring two locomotives.
On MAY 20 two trcstlcs at Hanover Court
house we're burned, and some track torn
up: on Max % four and a half miles OF
track were destroyed near Anderson's, and
the ties burned; on June lst the trcstleS
east of Hanover Courthouse were again
burned, and two and half miles OF track
torn llp : on June IL three and Il halt miles
of the road near Trevilian'S were de-
strovcd; and on June the stations and
dcpots at Staunton and WayncsborO' were
burned, one span Of the iron bridge over
the South river was destroyed, and the
stone vaduct west of Staunton demolished.
In 1868, as soon as the United States
army left the line of the road, repairs were
commenced, and on the 10Th April, 1860,
General Ord gave full permission to re-
pair the road, and run the trains. The
treasury of the company was empty, ana
the labor on the road disorganized; but
work was begun at once. On April 26,
1858. the traius ran to BumpaSs'S, and on
the 22d May to Riyanna river. Since that
time the work Of repairing and restoring
has been vigorously carried on. All the
trcstlc bridges between this city and
Staunton have been replaced III such Il
manner that they will last until perma-
neat structures can be put up. Eleven
miles of new track have been put down,
sixteen miles OF the road have been
rrIaid with scviccablc iron taken from
other sections, and tens of thousands
of new croSs-teS have been cut and ald !;
three new engines and thirty new freight
cars have been bought, -four paSscnger-carS,
and four baggage cars have been built III
the company's shops, and sixteen passenger
and baggagc-cars have been thoroughly
ovcrhaulcd and repaired. The new pasSen-
gcr-cars now about completed by the COM
panv are built after the style Of the north
crn "opeu-root" cars. In finish, comfort,
and general appearance they are tully equal
To those obtained in the north, ana 1t Is cN-
pccted that they will prove more durable.
The whole work reflects great credit upon
Mr.. J. K. ChildS, the company'S master car
pcutcr: and as the cost of the hOmc-bulit
cars will only hc $4,000, while northern
ears cost 1000, the company have proved
conclusivcly that, under proper manage
mcnt. we can perform our own work as
well, if not better than our northern
friends can do it for Us.
None OF the dcpots have been rebuilt,
as all the money at the command oi the
COMPANY has been devoted 10 placing the
track and rolling-stocl in good running or
der: but the passenger trains are running
nineteen miles an hour, and the road can
be travelled over without danger, incon-
vcuicucc. or delay.
The company's rates have been placed at
the standard OF l>6l, and the receipts from
passengers are at this time about equal Il
the receipts for the corresponding period
in that year. ,.,
That 50 much has been accomplished
where so many difficulties had 10 be over
come is an evidence of what our rc>oiutc
and energetic railroad men can perform
and when a public corporation proves IN
coutcstably that there is no such word ior
them a> impossible" Il lesson is taught to
the mass Of our people which it is to be
hoped they will speedily learn and prac-
ticc. General Wickham, the President
/ II. ID. Whitcomh, the General Supcrin-
trndcut. and the other officers OF the road,
are still working in manner that proves
their determination that their railroad
/ shall be thoroughly reconstructed, and
with what they have already done as a
guarantee to the public, there can be nc
doubt of their speedy and well-deServed
success.