Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-03-28

these your creature corporations, the South
ern Security Company, bureau of the PENN
sylvania railroad a control acquired under
the instrumentality Of laws which bear upon
their face such an Interpretation as would
forbid it's exercise to that power which has
by some species of legerdemain come to
the direction Of these works for the accom-
plishment of its own ends, and whose actions
this General Assembly is powerless to gov
ern. Who shall the people of Virginia hold
for the introduction of this twin
sister of the Credit Aobilier? If would be
governed in the discussion of this bill by its
context would conclude that it was a pro-
position not for building railroads, but for
the single purpose of enabling one railroad
in Virginia-and that railroad, shall l say
refusing the jurisdiction of this General As
sembly-to secure privileges at variance with
the policy on which the work itself was
Under this bill it would be easy to
subordinate your entire railway system to
the power of alien interests and to overthrow
the policy Of the State. Under its operation
obligations may be absolved even
the very fundamental principle of gauge may
be varied at pleasure.
Mr.. Chairman, we want policy in refer
ence to our railroads, unlike that which seeks
and aims to make them instruments of ag
and profit to people outside OF
Virginia we want policy which shall be
to the public interests of our
State, and in order to secure its enforcement
our public works should be under the control
of those who are of the bone and blood of
this people. | say to you, from an expe-
rience Of over twenty years in connection
with the public works of this State, that
there il no security, no safety for the public
under the control of Virginia Legislature
and under the direction of Virginia people
under q management whose interests ar
identified with yours, which shall be read,
to strike for your interests whenever ans.
wherever occasion may arise. In this lie.
the safety of the Commonwealth in referenc.
to her highways. Why not such policy !:
Why should any railway corporation of this
State hesitate, much less refuse to be gov
erned by that authority by whose permission
and all, it was constructed? Why should
they desire any other master than this great
and noble State? Why should they desire
to serve any other people more than this?
IT Is FOR THE INTEREST OF VIRGINIA THAT
OUR OWN CITIZENS SHOULD OWN AMI
DIRECT HER ROADS.
Need say that the ends so much desired
are to be best secured when the management
of these works is contided to those who arr
in interests and impulse to the
welfare Of their own State?
/ have said that the mission on which these
public works were founded had for its oblec;
the public good, and this we conceive to b.
the legitimate work in which we are engaged:
Oh that line of railway in whose behalf am
before you.
This line, Mr.. Chairman. has since the wal
had to contend with more difficulties. per-
haps, than any other line of railway within
your borders. Left at the conclusion of that
great disaster in a WORKOUT condition,
broken down in credit and exhausted in re-
sources, wholly unable to furnish its own
people with proper accommodations, | may
he permitted to tell yon that there were re-
manning in connection with this line of work
those who felt that it We're better to fail in all
honest effort to retain it in the control OF
Virginia hands, than to take the easier
course Of bartering away a franchise SO valua-
BILE and SO important to the future of the
State and the welfare of the people. In the
brief period which marks the lapse of time
since that day, this one single work has ex-
pended over four and a quarter millions OF
money, a sum within five hundred thousand
dollars of the entire amount expended by all
the other railways within the limits OF the
State, mainly upon that portion Of the line
between Petersburg and Bristol, in restoring
that valuable heritage to a condition which
to-day cllaI enges comparison with any SINH
lar work south of the Potomac. While per-
.orming that duty, heavy as the task has
seen, and performed by the instrImentality
done of Virginia people, it has been the
persistent purpose of that line to increase its
accommodations and to lower its rates. This
undertaking has been accomplished under
trials and difficulties, the like of which nc
other line has endured. 1t was the coveted
property to secure which the interposition Of
lawyers. brokers, provisional Governors and
military commanders was invoked by mimi
cal interests.
RESULTS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE ALLAN
TIC, MISSISSIPPI AND OHIO RAILROAD.
May be permitted briefly to relate some
of the results which have attended its opera
tions under the guidance of the policy tt
which have adverted 6Q
In the year 1s66-'67, before these line
were placed under one management, ant
that policy of opening up to the West free ant
Inntrammeled Intercourse with Virginia cities
land her great outlet upon the ocean had beer
the number of tons transported
amounted to $4,000; in the'year which ter
minated September 30th, 1872, the numbe
Iof tons transported by this line amounted t,
l3O5. 1000. In 1867 the average charge pc