Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-10-08
TCOMMUNICATFD.

LYNcuBURC, VA, October G.-Through the
courtcsey of Mr. Vandegrilt, General Superin-
tendont Of the Orange and Alexandria E,alIroad,
I have had the pleasure OF a delightful trip to
this town Of hills, over his we'll managed and
comfortable road.
The great topic Of conversation aud theme Ct
discussion here is the question Of ''Rai!road
Consolidation. This question has been agita-
ted, it would seem, for the purpose Of giving
Gen. Malone control Of the, at present, well
managed Tennessee and Virginia Road, in con-
ncction with the Southsdc and Petersburg and
Norfolk Roads, Of which he is President. Not
satisfied with more roads than he can now prop
crly manage(as trip over them will shoW)ho IS
anxious to OBJ lain, and hes introduceda scheme:
which,if successful now, will soon give him and
his Steamship Company, 1.-THE latter the prop
erty Ct New YOrkcrsl, monopoly OF every
read in the State ana the almost unanimous
sentiment of the people here is adverse to It,
On Tuesday last | travelled some twenty-five
miles over the Scuthside Railroad, IN company
with some ladies, and | can assure You that q
more uncomfortable trip l never experienced.
The third class cars on the O. & y. Il. Il. are,
in comparison with the ladies cars on the South
side, perfect palaces. The track is uneven and
the rails the ones used during the war. The
cars have most disagrecabc seats, and dirt is the
only thing 10 be seen besides two cards OF the
New Yo.k and Norfolk Steamship Company
stuck up at either end OF tic car. The
windows arc immovcab!e, have 10 blinds or
shades, and ladies and children are al
most blinded with the sun. watcr-cOoter
sets in one end of the socalictl ladies Car. with
veteran tin tlippcr. At the stati0l.s there are
no dcpots or ut least houses unless it Is an old
freight car fitted up with diIa pidatcd desk and
one or two soap or candle boxes to sit upon
This is the furniture that meets the eye, when
YOU once reach the interior but few ever see
this, as it is next to an impossibity to step
from the ground up. And then again at sta
tons the ladies car is not brought within fifty
yards of a few planks called "a platform, and
the consequence is that ladies and children are
set down directly in the mud-the engine being
the only part Of the train that reaches the de-
pot Tor box carr proper.
The profits CT Il As road must be small or else
the present management intolerahle My opln-
ion is that the Board Of Public Works, instead
of dreaming Of consolidation and placing Gen
Malone in charge OF an additional road, should
relieve him Of one Of the two now under his
control, as facts show that ore at least Of the
two cannot be called passenger Railroad. |
should like the Honorable Governor, in compa-
ny with his Board, to take L pleasure trip over
the "Southside," and | am of the opinion that
his Exccllcncy could we'll appreciate the knowl.
edge of a "4SoulhGW War RuTlrOnd" There
is no more comparison between the o. & \. r.
T. Opposition as the General says and the
"S0uthsidc" than there is between coach and
six and all army wagon.
Col. Robt i. Owen and MajorJ. N. Good
win are both popular, enterprising energetic
and accomplished railroad men, as their present
and past management OF the Tennessee and
Virginia Railroad will prove: and it would be q
shame to the people, the stockholders, and also
to the Governor and the State, to supersede
them. | understand the roads under The charge
of Gen. NJ are insovert, while the Tennessee
and Virginia Railroad is solvent, and hence the
anxiety to rob Peter to pay Paul The peo-
pie everywhere are against consolidation, and
those who doubt my statement about the pco
pie or the roads, had better investigate the
matter for themselves '.