The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-10-15

doubted hiscspacity bat they dtd not soc
for All this that ne should be placed over
the Virr;nia and Tennessee railroad, which
Tho rrcst body Of the private stockholders
raesraed. ax trunk-line terminating at
Ivrchbnrs. where several competing lines
ntisrcd 70 convey, and competed for, the
Sreicht there delivered by Il. :.
Somewhat disturbed at the boldness ana
nertinacity with which II was asserted that
The management Of the Virginia and Ten
nesse road should be surrendered 70 the
same man who controlled the two roads
leading from Lynchburg to Norfolk, and
heino besides irritated ut the idea that
thew were to be ignored and overslaughed
by the vote Of the State, the great ma
iority Of the stockholders were very much
excited and IN no very good humor. No
man was sure that the vote Of the State
would be cast In favor Of consolidation, SO
called; but the universal suspicion was
that it would be 20 cast. Mr.. John u.
Gogsin, Of Lynchburg, one Of the State
proxies, was known to be an out-and-ou
copsolidationist and Mr.. Gordon Kent,
another Of the proxies, was supposed to be
one. He was certainly very much opposed
to the present management Of the Vrgi-
mia and Tennessee railroad, and that SEN
timent was used by the advocates OF Gene.
raj Malone and consolidation with great
effect in behalf of their cause. Mr.. Wynd-
ham Robertson, the third and last member
of the triumviratc representing the Int:
rest of the State, was generally regarded
rs uncommitted in any manner; but with
possibly some degree Of self-complacency
as to the justice Of their view OF the ques-
ton, as we'll as great confidence III the
good Judgment Of Mr.. Robertson, they an
ticipated that he would ultimately sustain
their views.
The vote of the State in proceedings OF
such companies being given always as q
unit-the majority Of hoo members deciding
how il shall be cast-and that vote bearing
the relation of t,oo-hirds to the number OF
nriyate stockholders in meeting assembled,
4 Is A matter next to impossible for the
private stockholders to gain victory over
the State in any question upon which these
stockholders are mainly in opposition
to- those who represent the State. Thus
the course of those representatives was Q
subject of the deepest interest. While, as
I have said, the apprehensions of the
private stockholders were strong, there
were still some hopes that Mr.. Kent
might be influenced by discussion and re-
nlonstrance, and that the issue would be
terminated easily and agreeably to them
selves. None ever counted on Mr.. Cog
gin whatever may have been the opinion
ofthc Board of Public Works with reference
to his views, the people in Lynchourg
knew them we'll enough, and no man VINO
could look at Mr.. Goggin's face for once
would imagine him capable Of yielding or
compromising any ground he might plant
himself upon. =,
Matters standing thus, hope and fear, by
turns, predominatcd on both sides. Mr., Kent
was reported to-day to be against General
Malone and consolidation-to-morr was
Individually for it-and the two parties
felt citation and dependency In succession.
An element of great effect in the strug-
Gle was the complaint as to the manage
ment of the Virginia and Tennessee rail
road. Colonel Owen, the president oi
that road, was the object of attack of those
who thus complained. 1t was generally
thought that this discomfort was so far un.
appeaseable that nothing short OF his evlc-
tiOn and sacrifice would be tolerated.
Colonel Owen out Of the way, the coast
seemed clear for General Malone and con.
soldation. Many persons took tue gound
that the question was between General
Malone and Colonel Owen, and that
they preferred the former to the latter;
while others of the discontinued de-
MED that such was the issue, contend
ing that all administrative ability and
wisdom would not die with General
Malone. and that southwestern Virginia
afforded quite enough talent and energy
for the management Of the affairs OF their
railroad: that there was no necessity Tor
calling in the services Of men from dis
lance: and that the poverty of personal
ability amongst themselves did not warrant
the intrusion of those who came from afar
to offer to take charge of their affairs.
A railroad president is not unlike quar-
termaster at some times. Ills ROAD mas
embarrassments and troubles which cripple
the means for public accommodation ana
affect it's tariffs In q manner to create dis
satisfaction. The discomfort which fol-
lows always falls upon the president
the directors not being thought of. Not
withstanding tho wonderful activity dis
played by Colonel Owen in repairing his
road, so often cut up in different places by
the invading armies during the war-not-
withstanding the exhibition in higher de-
gree Of the same qualities since the war
in the restoration Of his road, which was
completely broken down at the end Of hos
tilities-all his bridges and dep6ts being
burned and an immense length of track
being torn up-little OF no allowance was
made. He must be turned out. Upon
this capital of dissatisfaction with the ma
nagement of the Virginia and Tennessee
road the consolidationists traded indeed,
il was the strongest card in their hands.
Even the contract for through freights Ell.
| tered into by General Malone, Colonel
| Owen, and other presidents, was sought
to be buckled on Colonel Owens back
General Malone becoming the bitter as
sailant of that contract, and thus taking
advantage of his own act-an act whlch,
whether concurred in reluctantly or not,
,pds his act. That contract for through
freight, contrasted with the local freights,
presented condition of affairs disastrous
to local interests; and holding up this fact
as horrible, the indignation OF the world
was invoked upon it and its agents, the
stream of indignation, however, being con.
ducted chiefly upon Colonel Owen through
disclaimers put in for General Malone.
Thus perplexed and divided between the
questions of men, of consolidation and
discrimination, together with the addition
Al .l-A 49, INn nN-n