The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-01-21
evening State Jonrnal.
The Alexandria and fredericksburg
Railroad.

lne pupiic are tnotougnly pOsleu III ic
gard to the inquiry instituted before th
o Committee on Roads, Of the House of Dele
gates, into the affairs of this road. l
occupied several days, and after the mos
stupendous efforts on the part Of the enc
mics of the new company, to convict it
managers of fraud and corrupt practices
In which the best legal talent that coult
be engaged in the city exhausted all it,
Ingenuity and skill to ruin the prospect!
! of the present Alexandria and Fred.
ericksbnrg company, the committee re.
ported yesterday and both the major
ity and minority fully exonerate the CON-
pany from the charges brought against
it, although the majority of the committee
give it as their opinion that the original
organization, from which the present one
holds portion of its rights. was illegal
and fraudulent. But even they, the ma
jority, who are not thought to be friendly
to the new all-rail line to Washington,
candidly admit-"we find nothing to show
that the present. owners of the purchase,
G. b. Roberts, & Co., were In collusion
with or had any knowledge of any fraud
perpetrated by the original corporators.
and believe that they are innocent pur-
chasers for value, and should not be dis
turbed in the enjoyment of all the rights
thus acquired"
hn rs,Ia ~ 10 4ata a
somewhat similar view of the matter, but
gives the new company fuller and more
hearty endorsement. We publish it
below, aud are pleased to see the names Of
so many Of our Republican friends APP
pended to it.:
minority report was also submitted. 1t is
signed by w. W. Wood, of Halifax; f. L,
Marshall, of Fauquier; A.. N. Fretz, of Prince
George; and Isaac d. Budd, of Loudoun.
evidence ELECTED before the committee, it con-
cludes as follows:
"Your committee finds from the evidence
before it that the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany is aiding materially in the construction
CT the Alexandria and Fredericksburg COM
pany; that it is now constructing railroad
from Baltimore to Washington city at cost of
some six or seven millions of dollars that it |
has obtained possession of the long bridge at |
Washington, and is proceeding to reconstruct
II in the most substantial manner that the |
Alexandria and Fredericksburg Railway Com
pany, backed by the Pennsylvania Railroad |
Company, have purchased all. of the stock of |
the Alexandria and Washington Turnpike |
Company, at a cost of 500, 900 that the said |
company has expended $4,000 in land dam
ages, and in surveying and locating the road |
that twenty-six miles Of the route southwark
10 ont,, ,,oll nd
and more than one hundred hands are now at |
work upon it; that ample means have been
provided to complete the road as now
chartered; and so finding, they cannot doubt
the honesty of purpose and ability of Geo. b.
Roberts and bis associates to complete, at an
early day, the construction of the Alexandria
and Fredericksburg railway.
"Your committee further finds that, while the
Alexandria and Fredericksburg railway COM
pany has distinctive organization and name,
yet it is being contracted and will when COM
pleted be operated by the Pennsylvania rail-
road company, and that it is that company
which has furnished the sums already ex-
pended, and has provided means for the con-
struction and completion of the line of railway
Southwark from the city of Baltimore to
point in Virginia at or near Fredericksburg,
and is now asking of the General Assembly
the privilege of coming to the city of Rich
mond.
"Your committee deems it proper to report
that there is nothing whatever in the evidence
adduced at all calculated to excite the faintest
suspicion of want of the most perfect integ-
rity and good faith on the part of George b.
Roberts and his associates. And if it should
be the opinion of the House that there was
ilegality, or fraud in the original
of the company, and that the
same was not covered by the act approved
June 4, 1870, then your committee recommends
that such action shall be taken in regard there
n aa xuil f1lI ID |
his associates in their rights of property, and
insure the completion at an early day of an all
rail through line from the city of Richmond to
the cities of the North"
We are gratified to find the committee
10 unanimous In its opinion on the real
merits of the case, -and that all the mem
bers of the committee fully agree that the |
conduct Of Mr.. Roberts and his associates
aas been honorable and upright, and that
there is no evidence calculated to excite.
he faintest suspicion of a want of the
most perfect integrity on their part" We
rust that the House will approve the ac-
ion of the committee, secure the company '
n its rights, and then dismiss the whole '
natter from further consideration. !,
1t is of the utmost importance to the :
interests of Richmond, and that portion of s
he State through which our roads con-
lecting the North with the South pass, .
hat we should have the time and distance /
this city and Washington where
he only delay occurs, the only break
xists-s shortened, and the rates Of trans 4
'ortation lowered. Even In the matter Of :
he transmission of the mails, the con- D
tructon of this road would be Of the 81
,reatest benefit to the people of this city
nd State, and of the entire South, and f.
specially would this be the case in winter a
vhen the Potomac is frozen over. We
must have the road, and whoever inter- P
'oses obstacles in the way of its speedy
obstruction, is an enemy to the prosperity h
+ Richmond and the State. W
-~ :,
ABOLITION OF THE INCOME TAx.-Gen. til
'leasanton, Commissioner of Internal Rev
nue., has had an interview with the Com is