Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1873-02-25
OUR KENTUCKY RAILROAD
ihdignatfau Meeting in Scott
County, VfrgIaia,

OF The Cumberland Gap railroad. It
is said. by its Secretary, to have been
very large meeting, and to such a
pitch has public sentiment in that
county been wrought up that we are
willing 10 eoncede that it was a meet
Ing composed of quite n large repre-
sentation of the population. The pro-
eecdings Were sent to the Richmond
Enquirer and the Dispatch and the
Bristol Courier. The Editor of the
Bristol Ne'cs had previously been ap-
preached upon the subject, but as he
was very free in expressing dissent
from both the policy and Justice of
such action as was contemplated, the
meeting did not ask that its proceed
lngs should appear in this paper. The
meeting seems to have been practi-
cally an indignation meeting, and its
action may be briefly epitomiscd as
follows:
On motion Of Mr. II. S. Kane, Esq.
Charles CULLEN was made chairman
aud Il. A. Ayers, Esq. Secretary
Mr.. Kane then explained the object of
the meeting and made a lengthy speech
ut the close Of which it was unani-
nously resolved by acclamation to
bell the cat of consolidation, which.
as was alleged by Mr.. Kane, was de-
Touring and making way with the
whole of certain large amount of
funds which the State had intended
TO be spent in the construction Of the
Z. q. Il. II. aforesaid. Mr.. Kane is no
man to shrink from an emergency and
he proposed that Senator Smith and
Representative Queen should get the
Legislature to put the bell upon the
aforesaid cat.
Then there were adopted, unani-
mously by reclamation, a very lengthy
preamble and certain resolutions,
which assert, First, that the Va. &K.
II. r. had been organized, located and
partly graded, and in that condition
WAS abandoned temporarily with ST.
100000 unexpended and in the treas
ury of Va, which amount was turned
over to the y. NJ. r. r. Co. in order
that it might construct the Va. &K.
K. r. and make ii a link in trans
continental railway.
I'd. That in consideration for this
service to be performed within six
years and also of 81, 0G0, 900 to be paid
In the year of Grace 1898 with but
eight years interest thereon, the State
OF Virginia did surrender certain stock
In the other links and relinquish GER
tain debts against them amounting to
over fifteen millions of dollars, thus
paying bonus Of nearly eight millions
to said company to build the said c.
@. Railroad.
Sd. That so much of the six years
has already expired, without the re-
moval of shovel full of earth that
the tunnel cannot now be completed
In the remainder, and that therefore
the A. NJ. & o. r. r, has forfeited the
charter.
Resolution No. makes it the duty
OF the delegate and senator to ask the
legislature to investigate the whole
matter, and if it be found that the
above alleged facts exist to take i'm
mediate action to protect the state.
Resolution No. . asks the legisla-
ture, in case the charter has not been
forfeited, to cause the Attorney Gen
eral to proceed by injunction to restrain
the a. NJ. & o. II. r, from expanding
otherwise so much of the proceeds
Of the fifteen million first mortgage
rs may be necessary to complete the
G. G.. r. II. 1t furthermore asserts
. that the said Co. did, as they believe,
attempt 10 use such proceeds. or part
thereof in purchasing the E. T. Va. d
Ga. n. r.
In commenting upon this action OIL
our friends in Scott, we desire TO say
with all possible respect for them, that
we consider it unwise and its allega'
tons generally erroneous. II is very
plainly intimated, ifnotdirectly charg'
ed that the A. M. & o. Co. have haC
the power and opportunity, but have
lacked the purpose TO build the Ken
lucky link, and that they do design
to inappropriate tie funds provided
by the State, and TO leave the Ken
lucky link unbuilt. 1t Bmoreover al
firmed that bonus of eight or ter
millions is the advantage that vii
thus DO used by the company for for
eign purposes.
On the contrary, the published cor
rtspondence between Gen. Mahon'
and the Louisville and Nashville Co
shows conclusively that he has from
the first up to the month of Decembe
last importunod that Company to NEE
him at the Gap, assuring them that b
was ready and prepared tog at ono
TO work, on the tunnel, and if neces
AIRY to aid that Company in its owl
work beyond the Kentucky line
Moreover il is well known that til
stocks surrendered to the A. NJ. q Q
Company were of merely nominal va
ne. and cannot be said properly t
mean four and half millions. l
is doubtful il they were worth actual
IN three-fourths of a million. Itshoul
be borne prominently in mind tina
Gen. Malone & his board ofdirector
have always professed the most deter
mined purpose to build the KY. roa'
il "A connection could be secured, AM
that every other portion of that char