The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-04-18
49, eanoe Of the NO. Railroad

O,r readers have been Informed that an
;,;unc,;on has been sued OUT. by the, Cover.
nor or North Caroliaato prevent the change
Of gauge upon the North Carolina railroad
between Greensboro and Charlotte. It was
designed to accommodate the gauge Of that
mart of the North Carolina road to the Rich
n,oud aud DanriIle railroad, so that no break
of bulk would be necessary Of the two towns
for all the through freight coming to or to
60 through this city. AS the Danville Rail
road Company is the lessee of the North
Carolina railroad, which extends from Char
lotte to Raleigh, no interest of that road sug-
gested the propriety of the mondamss. The
movement unquestionably comes from the
Raleigh and CASTOR road and the Seaboard
and Roanoke railroad and Bay line, whose
interests in the maater are Affiliated with
those Of the Raleigh and CASTOR road.
The Greensboro Patriot has the following
statement of the case:
at has been in contemplation for some
tine to change the gauge of the North Caro-
lima railroad from this point to Charlotte, TO
make it conform with the gauge of the Rich.
mond and Danyille railroad and the roads
south.
THE object of this change was to enable
the company to run through freight aud pas.
| sengcr cars without change, thus making
more rapid time and competing successfully
with rival corporations. 1t was the inten.
tion, it seems, to change the gauge last week,
| but on Thursday the Governor, In behalf OF
| the State, sued out writ of injunction be-
| fore Judge Watts and served the same on
| Colonel Buford, who was on business here.
on Captain Green. at company's shops, and
several other employees Of the company.
"What influence was brought to bear on
his Excellency is not apparent at first sight,
and why he now takes the position he does
is not apparent either
"The Richmond and Danvlle railroad
leased the North Carolina railroad with the
tuI knowledge and consent of the Governor,
who appointed his proxy, Mr.. Welkcr, who
cast the vote of the State in the directors
meeting and signed the terms of the lease, as
did Il large majority of the private stock
holders. which provided especially for this
contemplated change of gauge; and 1t Is late
in the day now, however their action might
have been questioned then, tor the State all.
then entered into solemn compact, with 4
full knowledge of the facts, TO do. ltcannot
be alleged that the company are endcaIorlng
to do something under cover OF the lease
(which they have no warrant to do, for that
was fully discussed when the lease was made
and the change OF gauge taken into consider
alton, and special provision made for it.
Whether the directors had right TO pro-
vide for change Of gauge in the lease is a
legal question which may be open for discus
sion; but the State authorities, after having
been parties to the compact, are not the par
ties to open it.
Eve don't know what reasons, if any, are
assigned against the change of gauge: but
suppose the chief reason is the opposition of
the Raleigh and CASTOR railroad, which, natu.
rally enough, would view with reluctance an
establishment Of i great through route which
would deprive it OF Il considerable portion OF
the freights which now 20 10y way of Raj
eigh. If we are not n.isinformed, Dr. Haw-
kns has had hankerin@ for the North Caro-
lima railroad himself, and was in a fair way OF
gobbling it up under Holden's admlnlstra-
ton, when Colonel Mcclure suddenly
stepped in and spoiled the game by offering
about double the figure that Hawkins was
negotiating for. Since then the lease has
never set well on his stomach. and it is not
likely the change Of gauge would now.
But, be this is it may. and let who may
he at the bottom of this injunction matter, ii
is a square breach of contract on the part of
the State and violation of faith with Il com.
pany which so far has kept It's part Of the
| arrt ement."