Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-07-07
WEDNESDAY MORNING, July 7, 1869.
VIRGINIA RAILRO ADS.


Railroads and their interests and in-
tiuences have entered largely into the
canvass in Virginia, and the history of
the proposition alluded to on the part
of Governor Wells now opened up by
General Stoneman's letter from San
Francisco, explains the nature of the
contest. Prior to his appointment as
Governor, Wells, of his own volition,
pledged himself to secure the consolida-
ton of the railroad lines terminating at
Norfolk and Bristol, of which General
Malone is the president. Safely in
stalled in the mansion on the square the
Governor, with strange inconsistency
forgot his pledges, and few months
afterwards found him appointing men
who were republicans directors and
State proxies, but who did not own a
dollars worth of property in the State.
In October last, however, the event c.
CURED referred to by General Stoneman
which caused such widespread astonish-
ment among the leaders and members
of the republican party when it be-
came known. On the 25th of that
month Mr.. R. T. Wilson, of New
York, arrived in Richmond for the pur-
pose, as he himself disclosed, of defeat
ing, if possible, the reelection of Ma
hone as president of the consolidated
line of railroads, particularly the Vir-
ginia and Tennessee road. 1t was then
understood that the Board of Public
Works was in few days t. make the
appointments of State proxies for that
road, and that the Governor did not
accord with the other members of the
Board as to these appointments, his
object being to put in men who would
be inimical to the reelection of Malone,
aud consequently the defeat of consoli.
dation. With this effected, the Vir-
gnia and Tennessee road would then.
like the Orange and Alexandria road,
at once become a tributary of Balti-
more. Norfolk would be irretrievably
ruined, and New York would be de-
prived of the large and increasing trade
that reaches it by the Old Dominion
line of steamships. At this opportune
time, also, there appeared number of
written complaints from Mr.. John S.
Barbour, of the Orange and Alexandria
roads; Mr.. Thos Fl. Galloway, of the
Georgia and Tennessee road, partner
Of the Mr.. Wilson above mentioned;
Governor Brownlow, of Tennessee, and
O hers; and Governor Wells stated that
Mr.. Peter Cooper and Senator Morgan,
of New York, had also written COM
plants against the management of the
Virginia and Tennessee road. Malone
was at once arraigned as culprit be-
fore his Excellency and the Board of
Public Works to answer the trumpet
up charges against him, which he then
proved to be wantonly frivolouss but
he clearly intimated to the gentlemen
present the real object for which the
written complaints were intended.
About the same day or that previous
Mr.. Wilson, of New York, had visited
Governor Wells, and made him a pro-
position to purchase the States interest
in the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
for $4,000, 900, to pay $2,00O,0OO
cash, and the remainder by instalments
at stated intervals. Whatever private
understanding there existed between
. Mr.. Wilson and Governor Wells is un-
known, except that the Baltimore and
Ohio road, whose agent Wilson is sup
posed to have been, were to build @
railroad along the Georgetown Canal
partially owned by Wells, which would
connect the Orange and Alexandria
road with the Baltimore and Ohio road.
All the freight and travel coming over
the Virginia and Tennessee road would
then be forced over the Orange and
. Alexandria road into Baltimore, Wells
receiving heavy percentage on every
passenger and pound of freight trans
ported over his line of canal, if the pro.
position of Wilson could be consum.
mated. He visited the treasurer, Geo
, Rye, and endeavored to induce him. as
a member of the Board of Public
Works, to sanction the proposed sale;
but that gentleman replied that he
would suffer his right arm to be pulled
from its socket before he would lend
his aid to such a scheme. Returning
to his office, out of which Wells had
called him, Mr.. Rye remarked to a
gentleman present, his face pale with
excitement, "My God, sir. monstrous
proposition has been made, threatening
the very overthrow of the Common
wealth, regarding her interest, as l do,
to be so deeply and vitality involved in
volved in the maintenance of her rail-
way consolidation scheme" .af
Finding himself foiled in every at
torox,f ~ oorr,,,t tho Roor6 of puhtif