The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-03-13

interest of the Seabcard and Roanoke IN
road or of any corporation identiheu W." ,he
~ Whatever may be the interest on VIZ
seaboard and Roanoke railroad ~ w.. ~
nection is matter OF no conee,n :, at 81.
those whom represent, ana IL 20 NV
,,,,rnosc If myselr or those whom l. repre-
,no,,t ,r this matter, should the contfol OF
40 p;cbmond and Petersburg road revert
TO such authority, to employ oreNefclse Inc
s,,no in the interest of that corporatlon-l
,ho Sc,board and Roanoke Railroad Com
pany. Nothing could be more foreign to
nv purpose and to the purpose Of those
who are behind me in this proposition to
purchase the States interest in the Rich
mond and Petersburg railroad. just pro-
lection to the interests Of the cities of Vir-
cinia is the primary and principal considera-
ton which inspires the propositionto ~hlcn
have adverted. ......
@. Do you expect, or have you reason 10
hope, in any contingency, for aid from any
source whatever outside of the resources
of your company's treasury in making or
connecting for the purchase proposed oy
YOU to be made Of the States interest IN
the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad.
Company?
A. I expect none, and would accept
none that would lay the interest repre-
sent under any obligation whatsoever 10
any party or influence outside OF tins sease,
and I have the confidence to know tnat
within the circle of board of directors OF
the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Com
panv such obligation as is proposed TO De
assumed ON the part of the Atlantic, MIS-
sissippi and Ohio Company will be prompt
" and cheerfully met; and if their capacity
were inadequate to the undertakings
have reason to believe that there are any
number of citizens Of Petersburg, ana Oh
Norfolk, and along the line OF the Atlan1ic'
Mississippi and Ohio road, VINO "oulu NC
but too glad of the privilege to discharge
such obligations. The Atlantlc' Mls ~,
sippi and Ohio Company are To-Day Inc
owner of more than sufficient amount OF
State bonds to nquidate the urst lts'ai,
ment required to be made by the ternls oi
| the proposition.
Mr.. GUY: Have any such citizens as tnose
referred to in your last answer tenoefeu
their good offices in this regard!
A. The directory of the Atlantic, MlsSls-
sippi and Ohio Company whom nave nao
the opportunity to meet have not oniy CIR
dorsed the proposition, but, as III all u'ue.
takings requiring their individual responsl-
bil,y to raise means for the Atlantic, MIS-
,issippi and Ohio Company, express their
readiness to make good this proposed un'
dertaking; and from my interviews WIN
citizens, sustained by their recent petlt'o,'S
$50 TO sneak to the General Assembly, pup
Iisbed in the papers of this city, l venture
to suggest their readiness to DO what nave
stated.
Mr.. GUY: infer from your answer that,
outside of your directors, no such tenoer
of assistance has been made by any party
whatever. Am I correct in that:
Answer: Because no such tender was
deemed essential, as the ability of the party
Che Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Com
many y proposing to purchase the States in
tercst has not been heretofore brought into
question.
Mr.. GUY In the contingency, doubtless
contemplated by You in procuring charter
for read from here to Petersburg, OF your
having to build that road, would the means
of your company have in all probability en-
abled you to do so!
A. Not in the present time, for its under
takings otherwise were yet more urgent
and important to the public interests OF the
State. But it was with view to prevent
the trade of the Atlantic, Mississippi and
Ohio Company from an exclusion from the
market of the city Of Richmond that THIS
privilege was in that time procured-a
privilege which becomes the more import
ant to the city of Richmond now that we
are to anticipate change IN the gauge OF
the Danville road by the new and foreign
authority which, it is believed, has taken
possession OF the control of that work.
The more important, because the control
of the line from Norfolk to Bristol has been
exercised by one authority. A volume OF
produce from the country tributary to that
line has in the brief space of three years
been given to the city of Richmond, amount
ing to over $4,000, 900 Of pounds; in fact,
to one-fourth more than the aggregate OF
the produce tributary to the line from Nor
folk to Richmond, and when therefore such
trade to the city of Richmond from that
section amounted to nothing.
Mr.. GUY Then you contemplated in the
future making under that charter Rich
mond connection?
WHAT WOULD SUCH CONNECTION COST!
Answer Such contemplation was the
foundation of the proposition. If not to be
secured 10y lease or arrangement with the
Richmond and Petersburg road then other
wise, whenever the interests involved
should justify the outlay which an indie.
pendent connection would entail-a con-
nection which would not fall in its cost be-
low $3.50, 900, upon the basis OF first-class
railway.
Mr.. GUY In that estimate Of cost do you
make an allowance for the advantages to be
gained by road-bed alongside of the pre-
sent road, and the use, as far as practical
BILE, of the bridges of the present road?
Answer: Not so but entirely outside of
and independent of the Richmond and Pc
tersburg road.
Q. What would be the probable cost if
you could avail yourself Of these advar-
tages?
A. 1t ought not to exceed 100000.
THE FINANCES OF THE CoNso L1DATED LINE
Mr.. Guy: Has not your road been so
burdened with debt and embarrassed in its
finances as to have been able up to this
time to make no material progress in the