The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-07-26
From the Kanawha Valley,
Ohio Navigation-Graud Chesapeake
and Ohio Railroad-Charaete and
Prospects Of the Enterprise- Grand
Railroad Meetinx-A New Feature
OF Regi.tratiOn-Mnii Robbery
Hon. G. w. Summers General
Howard. &c, &c.
Special Correspondence of the Register.i
CHARLESTON, KANAwHA Co,
July ~, 1867.

DEAR REGISTER:
lsuppose that the low stage of watel
In the Ohio has almost, if not entirely
suspended intercourse, by that channel
with the whilom Head of Navigation.
But as the New State and other boats
owned by that enterprising firm, Booth
Battle N Co., seem capable of floating
upon a moderate sized dew, they are
probably sparring their way up anC
down between Wheeling and Parkers
burg. Ii so, am sure you cannot en-
Joy respite from editorial labors bet
ter than by putting yourself under di
rection of the gentlemen aforesaid and
coming down the Ohio and up the IA
nawha 10 this garden spot" of West
Virginia. ! guarantee that you vii
have gentlemanly officers to conduct
you, comfortable boats 10 carry yOu ant
warm-hearted friends to welcome yor
whenever y0n may find il convenient
to come.
The people of the valley are consider
bly, excited just now over the visions ot
wealth held before them as the result
of the completion of what is to be call
ed the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad.
This road is, as your readers are dOubt
less aware, merely the cid and much
talked of Covington and Ohio" with q
few "slight variations" 1t is now pro-
posed to complete the road from Gov.
ington III Allegheny county, Virginia
to some point on the Ohio river; then
consolidate the new road with the VIr'
ginia Central, of which it will be an
extension, and christen the whole road
chesapeake and Ohio" its eastern ter
minus being the city Of Richmond and
it's western extremity the mouth OF
Sandy river or the msuth of the Great
Kanawha.
II is estimated that the road upon the
route proposed will cost about five mil
lions of dollars and now the all absorb
ing question is. how can the money be
Obtainedf
1t is proposed that the counties lying
along the line of the road or cOntingu-
GUS to it shall subscribe the funds, ac-
cording to their ability to pay, and is
sue bonds, bearing interest at eight per
cent. for the amount of their subscrip-
tions. The bonds are to be redeemed in
preferred stock of the road when com.
pleted, and it is thought that the inter
est upon these bonds during the two OF
three or four years necessary for the
completion of the road is all that the
counties subscribing will be required to
raise by taxation, the profits derived
from the road being considered ample
provision for future interest.
OF the five millions to be raised, it Is
said that the city of fRlchmond will sub
scribe two millions. The remainder is
distributed rs follows among the coun-
ties of West Virginia most interested i'll
the matter: Greenbrier, $3.50, 600; Mon.
roe. 5000 900: Mercer, 500, 700; Raleigh
SlOO,OOO; Fayette, Sl5O,OOO; KaDawha
S5OO,OO0; Mason, $500, 900; Putnam, Ca,
bell, Wayne, Logan, Wyoming, Poca'
bontas, Nicholas, Clay, Roane and Jack
son counties are expected to raise, III
the aggregate, from one to one and a
half millions. This, it is supposed, will
be enough. 1t furnishes ali average OF
more than twenty thousand dollars pc
mile for the 10 miles of distance be-
tween Point Pleasant. or the mouth OF
Sandy, and CovingtOn, Va. The whole
length of the road when completed from
Richmond to the Ohio, will be 43O miles,
affordinC the shortest route between
the Atlantic coast and the great cities
of the west that has yet been projected,
Meetings have been held in most OF
the counties directly interested in the
matter and the public spirit has been
stirred up by skillful orators, who are
now thoroughly canvassing this re-
giOr.
A railroad meeting and barbecue were
held last Saturday in beautiful grove
on Mr.. Silas Rutfner's farm, about a
mile and half from Charleston, The
dav was fine, and about thousand per
sons were assembled, some to see and
some to be seen, some TO hear and some
TO he heard. but all to eat.
The meeting was organized by the
election of Greenbury Slack, Esq, to be
Chairman. Speeches were delivered by
Cen. Lewis Ruffner, Of kanawha; Major
]. q. Paxton, of Rockbridge; Mr.. Hen
drick, of Maiden; Capt, G. w. Smith,
Rev. Arthur aud f. B. Knight, Esq, OF
Charleston. The speaking commenced
about eleven o'clock and was continued
until nearly four, abuut an hours recess
having been taken for dinner. The din
ner consisted of roasted pork and NUT
TON which had been cooked upon the
ground. accompanied by potatoes, bread
and salt. 1t was devoured with relish
which spoke volumes for the appetite OF
the peOple and the skill of the cooks.
Music was furnished by the Charleston
Brass Band, an organization which is
vet in its infancy, but which performed
well, considering the small amonnt OF
practice it has had. At the conclusion
of the regular speeches, Mr.. Morris
Whitaker, an old gentleman who was
horn in the town of Charleston and has
lived here sixty years, made a few hui
morous and earnest remarks. He has
aerrr seen a railroad, but hopes to live
long enough to hear the neigh of the
iron horse as it thunders along the IA
nawha Valley.
The following resolutions were offer
ed by Capt. Fl. C. McWhorter, and
unanimously adopted, and the commit
tee provided for was appointed by the
Chairman.
LIST. ResoIred, That this meeting ap
proye of the subscription of the county
of Kanawha of $500, 900 of the preferred
8 per cent. stock of the Chesapeake AND
Ohio X. r. Company, payable in bonds
of the county as provided in the resolu
tions of the White Sulphur Convention
said subscription not to be binding on
the county until at least the sum of five
millions of stock has been subscribed
all of which is to be expended in the
constrnc' ion of said railroad from Gov
ingtou to the Ohio river.
Cd. Resolred, That the Chairman ap'
point o special committee of twenty
one to prepare for publication an ad,
dress setting forth the advantages and
importance of the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railroad to the people of this section
and the necessity ofprompt action to Sc
cure the same. Vs.
/. A similar meeting is to be held in
Mason county on next Thursday, July
25th. The vote of the people of Mason
y