The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-02-17
DiGLAND RAILROAD WAR.
Judge CTunl's Argument.
TRIUMPHANT VIZ SDICATE0N OF
H;CsLn0ND. EnEDERECKSBERG
AYH POTOMAC COMPANY.
FEBRUARY Is, 1878.

r..fe 10 CrdeT al HtTcn minutes altef 8
o'clock IN the evening.
.Jud@" Crunp: air. Chairman, I appear
r.pr. The committee tonight, cir, 10 repre-.
sat in NY feeble way those vital and impor-
tan. interests OF the Riclisnond. Frederick>-
l.ur- and Potomac Railroad Company,
which are seriously rncnaced by the bill uu-
der consideration. That bill calls upon this
coalnHtiee 10 delegate one Of the
HIGHEST icScTIoNs AND POWERS OF GOVERN
MEHT To PRIVATE HAEps.
L asks that portion Of that night Of emi-
I,ent domain and supreme sovereignty which
rests III tie State shall he conferred upon
;-5Cr 1SplvIprAls. who, as we have learned
In The course Of this inquiry, are the only ap-
pijcant> for The measure. Ii il called for by
80 PUBLIC NECESSITY Of which you are aware
il is demanded by no convoca,ion of stock
holders ; it is required by no petition Of the
citizens Of the State assembled, either In
town or country. One would think In a
measure OF this gravity, some such public
..eccssity or somo general entreaty should
appear; but It comes solely rs an application
from fGm citizens to be allowed TO consoli-
dale, TO lease, OF to buy 1ve several railroads,
or, failing in this, 70 construct another rail.
road pQroNc} tcih thcm. These measures.
,nnic OF which arc comparatively
harmless. and might be ulobjectonable pre-
>eOtcd alone, are coupled with that further
and faia! provision referred to-confcrring
,oyc!cign pOWcr-yiz, the right TO construct
. new railroad parallel with every railroad
stretching from the city of Petersburg to the
ci!y cf Washington, with all the franchises
attending such grant.
No,v. air. it is Il maxim with which this
ronGite" is perfectly familiar that before
lHs
FTrTsNrnus rowEE OF SEEING TRIvATE
PROPERTY;
Of entering upon every mans plantation
along tine liuc Of this projected road, where it
viii; of passing witbn sixty feet Of his
clearinghouse; OF enjoying tho right to
"l:ar-c for transportation of passengers and
fr"@h, whatever sum it may please the cor
uoritors; that before this vast authority is
;!elcgaira 10 any hntty of citizens, large or
small. there must DC some occrruling pubtic
necessity % justify ii. There is already q
continuous railway along the route upon
which tbs road is proposed to hc built.
Why, IL: he ask, in the impoverished con-
Q;ti,W OF our State. and in i!e eager desire
We crl that our public improvements should
Ii pressed in directions where they do not
exist and are 80 much needed, shall YOU sanc-
'ionn wanlon and prodi&;l waste Of capital,
and a, the same tiGle destroy chartered
rights aicady granted, and vast property
interests dependent upon them? Are
YOU prepared to sanction useless
waste Of capital, which could be 50 pru-
dcntiy and bcncfciaiIy bestowed elsewhere
il the construction Of other and needed rail
ways, unless there lie paramount public
be"ctt Whch compe!s you.
Now, sir, what is the pretended need for
!hiS bill: What puUiic cXigcncy demands
IL: Why. thc parties who offered tl.is Till
!myc come before you and declared that
THEIR ONLY ;GAsoS FOR ASKING ITs PASSAGE
is because uey ycould not get rate q tfeigit
transportation 0'oag ;i:e Mchm0aG, F5edc-
rjriSdNrn. .0Hd Potomac TGj!rVad. That IS the
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