The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-02-16
CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO RAILROAD.

The Richmond Why, in its fiery zeal against
foreign corporations and capital, includes in
its anathcmas the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail-
road Company. The occasion of it, attack
upon this organization was the introduction
10 the Legislature Of a bill granting charters
for II e construction of certain branch roads
by this company, the substance of which We
gave las. week The articles of the Whl
have called forth from General Wickham. the
following calm and dignifed response. Il
contrasts very favoraby with the rattle-snake
venom ofthc Whig and fairly and disposition
ately states the objects of the Company:
CHESAPEAKE AND ONO RAILROAD CoMpANY,)
VICE PRESIDENTS OFFICE,
| RICHMOND, Va, Feb. 11th 1871.
Editor of the Wing:
DEAR Slr-On my return to Richmond yestor-
day, l met with your paper of the 9th instant
which contains what think is a very unjust at
tack upon the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad COM
pany.
| The bill which we introduced into the General
Assembly, and which you make the basis of your
attack, was framed by Col. Baldwin, the regular
counsel OF the company, from notes originating
with myself, and which had met President Hun.
tington's approval. The provisions of the bill
have Col. Baldwin's personal as well as profes-
sional approval. He attended with nae, before the
committee, to explain the provisions and purpo-
ses of the bill, and it was done fully aud candid
ly.
| In regard to the agencies by which it is being
placed before the Legislature, it is proper to say
that none but those whose regular and legitimate
duties make them the proper organs of commu-
nicatlon between the company and the Legisla-
ture are in any way concerned in it, We have
| no lobby of feed attorneys or others.
| The States of Virginia and West Virginia sffer-
edto any company that would undertake to com
plete the road to the Ohio river, the uncompleted
| work on the Covington and Ohio railroad, which
had cost 50, 200, 600. and which was utterly
vaueless to those States because they were devoid
of further means with which to utilize their pre-
vious expenditures.
The Virginia Central railroad undertook to do
this, became the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad
company. and came into possession of this work
with the obligation to complete the road in six
years from August 81, 1858. It will be done in
less than four years from that date ANY other
interest of the State which has passed to this
company has been paid for within the past year,
together with all the Indebtedness Of the Virginia
Central railroad company to the State, at rates
.@iAN uPoi l0AAio hAoN AohS OV1o pteSeuI
corporation became connected with this company
by regularly appointed agents of the two States.
In this bill we ask the privilege of building
branch of our road from any point on the main
line east of Covington to the James river, at or
ear the city of Richmond.
We ask fer this because we expect to transport
an immense tonnage, and think eur present
grades, though lighter than those of the roads
with which we will compete, too heayey for its
proper economical handling
We use the term at or Richmond, because
with so heavy trade we would not be permitted
by the city, even if it were possible to do SO, 10
pass the cars bearing this tonnage her main
thoroughfares, and it would, therefore, be neces-
sary for to reach the river nsar rather than at
ii. e. in) Richmond.
In regard to the proposed branch from some
point east of Staunten to Washington, this com
pany wishes 10 get full share of the western
travel. They think they offer better line TO
Washington than is now offered fer the accommo-
dation OF the people of a large Of the Yves
tern country, and TO enable them to do this sue
cessfully thf y wish to take the best route that
can BE- found.
The third provision of this bill authorizes the
company TO extend thsir lire to any points on
the James, the York or the waters Of the Chssaz
peake.
Whilst this company believes that its coast
wise trade can and will be shipped from Rich
NoEu, yet IL HopeS 10 DittlL up q trade WHlcn may
require larger class Of vessels than can be made
to float at or Richmond, ard they wish to be
prepared for thai eveat.
Each one of these branches will run throu Oh
sections of country how devoid of railroad facli
ties, and add greatly to the value Of the property
of the State.
You say there is no obligation on this company
to build any road towards Richmond. Nor is
there any obligation to build any read anywhere
in any OF the many charters granted by the Gen
eral Assembly in the two pas: years; but the cor
porators in this company are men of sense, of
business and Of means. and they have something
else TO do than ask for leave to build roads they
do not propose To make.
Furthermore this is the only company in Vir
ginia now engaged in building any considerable
amount of road, and they have expended more
money by far construction in the past ten
months than ever before expended by any
company in Virginia in one year
cannot comprehend how any sensible, reason
able can make objection to this measure up
on the ground that it do injury to any-the
slightest interest of the people of this State. On
the contrary, it seems to me to promise the COM
pletion Of one of the grandest schemes that can
be devised for the development of the material
resources Of the State, and for the aggrandize-
ment of the city of Richmond.
Your obedient servant,
WILLIAM C. WIcKEAM,
V. P. Ches. and Ohio r. r. Co.