The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-10-15
speech of Gen. Malone,


the afternoon session tsecond day. of tn
meeting of the Stockholders Of the Virgins
and Tennessee Railroad Company. held a
Lynchburg, Va, on Friday, Oct. 18th: w
copy from the Lynchburg News. fs
Judge Wingfeld said that gentlemen wer
present who We're deputed to propose con
sodation of the Virginia and Tennessee, til,
Southside and Norfolk and Petersburg roads
and as he desired to procure all the inform
alton possible, he moved that they be heard
Mr. Goode, of Norfolk, after detailing tb,
action taken on this subject by the cities o
Norfolk and Petersburg, stated that Genera
Mahone who was regarded as the exponent
Of the scheme, was present, and moved thai
4 he be invited to address the meeting. i, .
Gen. Malone took the floor, thus invited
and after returning thanks for the honor con.
ferred, stated that he appeared as q commits
sionsr to consult and not with any, disposition
to dictate or control the action of this BODY
but to present certain views, and solicit for
these views your careful consideration. What
is meant by associated management Or consoli-
dation d. 1t is not to be understood that we
can describe the details of the system. but
only to advocate the policy-if you agree
with us that it is a measure of policy and in
terest, we desire your cooperation in arrang-
ing the terms and details of this management
by conference with committee of your
company; and If they agree on course Of
action, to submit such decision to the future
action the, three companies. We believe.
said he, that the three railroads have COM
mon interest, and are in no wise inimical in
any arrangement, and that combination
may be formed between them advantageous
to all, and to the Commonwealth of Vir-
ginia.
The roads are constructed not with view
to build up any particular. locality, but to
build up the resources Of the State and to
secure by their combined action and / fiu-
ence the trade Of the Mississippi Valley That
by proper management OF these roads, of
the same guage, OF similar provisions In their
charters, and Of community of interest, we
might SO arrange as to realize the visions of
FREQ and direct trade. We have found that
these hopes have not been realized owing to
want ofconcert Of action between these three
companies. He did not mean to charge this
to his own or other organizations, but to state
the fact that we have failed to command the
great trade of the Southwest, and to establish
direct trade, We submit, that, inasmuch as
the interest of your road is in nowise mimi
cal to ours, but that they are identical, that
there is no reason why the management of all
should not be entrusted to one common organ
ization. 1t has been suggested that i, eolahi-
nation such as described means more than a
combination of management. He was not
aware that the friends Of the measure desired
any impairment of franchise or existing sr-
ganization-each shall enjoy its own revenue,
and discharge its own obligations. That the
charters of each shall remains as they now
stand. We simply, propose an associated
management in such form as may be agreed
upon, securing to each its own interests.
Under this policy we would see that greater
results can be secured than by independent
management. .4,4esas6 ..sss Hs.s 41
Fisrt amongst these is the development of
the country, without which no cities can be-
built up in or outof Virginia. We believe
this can best be doneby stimulating produc-
ton, by given them the advantage of all mar
kets, and giving the freest facilities to reach
these markets. We should decide FIRST what
will put these products in motion, rather than
what they can afford to pay. Establish this
principle and you will have taken the first
step to,excite prodnetlon---to do this concert
and harmony must exist throughout your
system. You must secure such rates to the
10 the fundamental principle of the project.
We propose to leave the obligations the man
agement and the debts Of each company where
they now stand That your road shall be
bound just as It is now by its charter, to give
to all connecting lines the same facilities
given to the South Side-any other policy VS.
feel would be wrong and unjust to other lines
The Orange read and the Canal are instru-
ments which will enable You to enlarge the
business of your own road. We understand
that by no arrangement could we divert the
line Of travel from the Orange & Alexandria
road, and that any attempt to do SO would
divert 1t to other lines Any attempt to con-
troll the direction of the trade for the benefit
Of the South Side would be equally preudicial
and Ineffective Our view is to increase the
travel and tonnage Of your road and thus in
crease the business of ours.e We believe that
by proper arrangement we can give your
people such facilities as will stimulate produc-
tlon and increase your prosperity SO
But there il another oblecat--besidcs this
local trade, however there is another as along
the line between Bristol and the Mississippi
Valley. For this trade we have several
competing lines, We wish, to procure this
trade entire because it will give us source
of revenue which we do not now enjoy, and
thus will we be able to give our own people
more advantageous terms tor transportation
than they now enjoy. 1t would add to our
revenue an item of income which would en-
enable us TO reduce rates to our own people.
Another reason is that by carrying their trade
we place it in the power Of our cities to COM
mand portion Of this trade, and convince
the world that by this line We could conf
mand produce and freight sufficient to enable
as to establish direct trade. This can never
be- done unless we resort to this or some other
managem emit different from what now pre-
walls. We have never hitherto been able to
SECURE these, results, and hence it is evident
that a, changesof system is necessary. Why?
Because we are not agreed in policy, and
cannot therefore present to this trade such