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

Y -
Mr.. WooD: Is It a fair Inference from
your last answer that General Malone had
no knowledge OF any such purpose, so far
as your information extends9
A. 1t is fair inference, think, and do
not believe that at that time any such pur-
pose actually existed.
THE AGREEMENT AT LTNCHBURG.
MIR. WOOD: You speak of the readiness
OF your clients to carry out their agreement
with Gen. Malone, to contract with him
for the privilege of q fYe.foot track along
the Richmond and Petersburg railroad.
Do you mean to say by that, that Gen. Ma
hone has ever had any such agreement
with your clientsS If SO, then how could
this be, since your clients have not yet Sc
cured the absolute control Of the Richmond
and Petersburg railroad?
"A. I have always heard and believed that
there was such an agreement between Mr..
Bridgers and Gen. Malone, and have un-
derstood that said agreement was in the
presence of yourself (Mr. Wood and seve-
raj other gentlemen at Jarratt's Hotel, in
Petersburg, repeated by General Bridgers
to General Malone, and asserted by the
General as substantially aEorrect statement.
From my knowledge of the business of tbc
company and of the purposes OF the ,,rsn
tory-Messrs. Wynne, Ellyson, Lase ,ter orr
Boiling HaXan-I am satisfied that NV ii;
ents have already require and this da,
have, such moral cent? oil of the management
Of that company as will guarantee to the
Atlantic, M .ssissippi and Ohio Company a,
once COD tract flor thepriviiege of laying a
nVe-foot track for compensation, and upon
termss which even General Malone himself
Will admit to be reasonable and liberal.
GENERAL MAHoNE's VERSION.
General Malone was here recalled and
asked by Mr. WooD You have heard the
reply made by Mr.. John Lyon to the last
question, in which he refers to an interview
at Jarratt's Hotel, in Petersburg, between
yourself and DIR. Bridgers, in my presence.
State what transpired at that interview.
A. AT the time and place mentioned Mr..
Bridgers called to see me, and in the pre-
sence of Mr.. W. W. Wood and others said:
" General, Pve come to say that am ready
to carry out my agreement with YOU" To
which my reply was in substance "You
will have to state what you understand by
an agreement with me. for I know of none
that we have" To which Mr.. Bridgers re-
Joined by saying: " Well, am ready, or
We arc ready, to give you the privilege,
upon terms to be agreed upon, to construct
five-foot track along the Richmond and
Petersburg road to the city of Richmond"
made no reply. Mr.. Bridgers, rejoin-
ing, said: "Well, you don't talk any,
and my object is to find out what
you want" On my part, there was no other
reply than what has been in substance
heretofore stated.
Testimony of Colonel Bridsers.
Mr.. R. r. Bridgers was then sworn, and
asked by MIR. WooD: VIII you state your
plans and those of your associates propo-
sing to purchase the States interest in the
Richmond and Petersburg road9
a. The object that we have had in view
was to get an independent connection at the
city of Richmond and to get rid of the
power which the Seaboard road has eXer.
cised over lis at Weldon. BY reference to
the published proceedings Of the Whining
ton and Weldon Railroad Company, of
which l am president, it will appear that
for fifteen or twenty years past it has been
the expressed wish of that company to get
AN INDEPENDENT OUTLET FROM TUE NORTH
ERN END OF THAT ROAD.
was elected president of that road in
1865, previous to which time the stock
holders had directed their attention to-
wards getting an independent road to Nor
folk. Since that time myself and number
of the directors have discussed the ques-
ton whether the same result could not be
obtained by getting an outlet to Richmond.
With a view to accomplishing that pur-
pose, nearly two years ago, MIR. w. Z.
Walters, Of Baltimore, commenced, under
my advice, to purchase stock in the Rich
mond and Petersburg Railroad Company.
In the fall of 1870 (October) it was rumored
that it was the purpose to
CONSOLIDATE THE MANAGEMENT OF THE
RICHMOND, FREDERICKSBURG AND POTOMAC
WITH THAT OF TIE RICHMOND AND Pc
TERSBURG RAILROAD. ...r
II that had been done it would have made
additional difficulties in the way of our get
ting connection from Weldon to Rich
mond. With view of making this con.
nection to Richmond, l came here in Octo-
Der, while the Legislature was in session,
to see what could be done. I came to the
conclusion that nothing could be done
without the purchase of the State stock in
that road. / conferred with several mem
bers of the Legislature principally through
Mr.. Lyon, and came to the conclusion that
if there was nothing in the project adverse
to the interests Of Gen. Malone, and he CO.
operating with me, could get bill through
the Legislature. I Immediately went to
Lynrhburg, and had an interview with
Gen. Malone. told him freely and frankly
what desired. I told him that my con-
nections at Weldon imposed hard terms
on me, and by reason OF
THE UNITY OF ACTION OF TEE SEAB0ARD AND
ROANOKE RAILROAD AND THE RICHMOND,
FREDERICKSBURG AND POTOMAC RAILROAD,
I was not in a position to promote the
best interests Of my road. l also told him
that | was president OF the Wilmington,
Columbia and Augusta railroad. I named
to him amongst the troubles encountered
at Weldon the Seaboard and Roanoke rail-
road, which was 80 miles long, pro rated at
81, and the Daytime steamers, on distance
of $50 miles claimed 100; that by reason OF
having to wait for the Daytime passengers,
which required four hours additional time