Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-11-27

terests in their road, and would willingly give
lands and timber for its construction if the O.,
A. & M. r. r. would only come to their aid
Col. Backford, President of the Lynchburg
and Danville Railroad, followed Mr. White,
giving some details of the advantages that he
contended would result to the o., A. & M. r.
L. by the construction of the proposed Dan
vile road. The speaker referred to the absorb
ton of the weaker roads in the State by the
stronger companies, and thought that certain con
soEdation schemes were now acting prejudicially
to the interests of this company, which should
incite it to greater exretions for the construc-
ton of this Danville extension. and suggested
certain measures for stimulating subscriptions
to the proposed road.
Mr. Blackford, Of Lynchburg, made an earn
est appeal in behalf of the Danville road
Thinking that the consolidation" of the Nor
folk and Petersburg, South Side and Virginia
and Tennessee roads, was fixed fact, it was his
opinion that the Orange, Alexandria and Ma
nassas company should span the State in an
other direction, and thus be able to compete
with this great consolidated scheme, thus
fighting the devil with fire. by making a
great through line in Virginia, which, while
they are seeking the trade of the West, should
hold out inducements to the South that would
bring her cotton and produce to Alexandria
and Baltimore. This could be accomplished
by connecting with the great through route
by means of the Danville road. The speaker
complimented Baltimore and her capitalists
for the liberal manner in which they have as
sisted the Virginia roads, and thought that if
the State was made productive, there would be
enough to build up Virginia cities, and Balti-
more too. Everything, he commended, should
be done to give the Virginia farmers quick,
and cheap transit to market. He deprecated
iealousies between markets, and only wanted
the most good to the greatest number of the peo-
pc of Virginia. In concluding his remarks
he said that his poople asked not for ready
money, but for credit merely to enable them to
build the Danville road.
t. T. Hill, of Culpeper, made few humor-
Gus remarks, in derisiou of what he termed the
''bugaboo" of consolidation, which he said put
him In mind of the old man who seeing the
meteoric shower, went out to look for the north
star, and finding that sail right" said that the
"shower" was ''mere Autter, and amounted
to nothing;' that the people up here were
used to hearing it thunder, and did'n mind it
much but that when the Dan and the Poto,
mac were united he wanted Alexandria to be
the bridal chamber. He concluded BY calling
upon Mr.. Patton, of Pittsylyania, for his views,
but that gentleman excused himself, and
Mr.. Dabuey, Of Pittsylvania, being called for
addressed the meeting at length III advocacy Of
the construction of the Danvillo extension,
thus make to Alexandria and Baltimore the re.
cipients of the great trade of the South, to &C.
complish which Alexandria and Baltimore must
construct the proposed extension. He con.
tended that without this link in the great rail-
way system, the Orange, Alexandra and Man
assas road would be but local road, and that
if a supine policy was pursued some other cor
poration would take hold and secure the prize
that is now within the grasp OF this company,
other roads will come in and the trade and
travel be diverted, and the Orange and Alexan-
dria road lose its chance of making for itself q
grand national character. He alluded to the
fact of the difficulty of inducing the trade and
travel over a route, but when once it is secured
that it is permanent He thought that if Al
exandria aud Baltimore refused to build this
road New York, through Norfolk, would
be induced to invest in the scheme, and that
then all the trade and travel would take that
route. The speaker continued at length to i'm
press the importance OF the extension, to the
Orange, Alexandria and Manassas Railroad,
and urged this meeting to take favorable action.
At the conclusion of his remarks the meeting
adjourned until to-day at II o clock.