The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-10-15

ohe mas not only appro opriated out OF hel
treasury TO the construction Of sthe principal
\ dlvlsionof this line (Virginia aid TENNESSEE
rallroad) more money than any other city III
4 the CommonRe wealth save Lynehburg, but she
mas paid through the taxation Of her people
from ninth to an; eighth Of the three.
afhs appropriated By the Commonwealth
70 The construction, Of the whole line
from Norfolk to Bristol, and hence has q
a right, which should never bereIinquished to
the use Of this line OF road ON equal terms
with all other cities and people within or
without this Commonwealth. If this be not
4 iaccorded to her now, let her appeal to The
courts; and ,if IL: cannot be.tobtainedE under
the charter as it exists, let her appeal to- the
] Legislature 80 to -nmend the charter that she
may have an equal portion with all others OF
/ this great highway, She asks for DO dis.
Termination in1 her favor-no advantage over
her sister cities-but only equality. Her de-
amandlis simple and precise: the right 10 pro.
rate with Norfolk to and: from all points
southwest, .as well as on all goods carried
through Norfolk or Richmond to aud from
all points north Of Virginia. II the law
now gives Richmond this protection, the
courts will enforce it; if not, then the
Legislature Is bound TO, give 1t, when
asked, through an amendment of the charter
Of the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio. a
measure SO just and equal can hardly meet
with opposition in any quarter, aud With it
Richmond, like Norfolk, will have equal and
harmonious trade connections with all
points reached by the Atlantic, Mississippi
and Ohio and its connections.
| The undersigned, therefore, respectfully
suggest that, in their opinion, it is the policy
CT Richmond to employ any means or credit
she may control in making new connections
between trade centres and existing lines of
railroad and canal rather than in beginning
again at Richmond to build another trun <
line of road to the great West before those
already built and in which she has invested
so much have been able fully to connect
themselves with the great system of the
/ West, which must be done before she can
realize the great. benefits from these roads
| which she was led TO expect when she sub
scribed her money to them. "
| In what has been said no reference has
been made to the relative advantages of the
narrow and existing gauges. The under
signed are aware that different persons en-
tertain very conflicting views on this ques.
ton. Were Richmond now called on, as an
original matter, to decide what is the best
width Of track, this question would be very
pertinent. But the matter has already been
settled By adopting other gauges, and the
undersigned can see no connection the ques-
ton of gauge has with this subject, unless,
as suggested by some of the advocates Of the
pending scheme, it be considered wise to
abandon tear up-existiDg lines. Not
apprehending that such would be the sober
Judgment of Richmond, the undersig ned
forbear any comments upon the subject
further than 10 say that II Richmond sho1ld
determine to make any appropriation to this
enterprise it would, in their judgment, be
eminently wise for her TO see that such q
gauge should be given to the new road as
would be in unison with the system Of roads
/ in the country through which i6wouid pass,
| so as 10 insure sustenance through the roads
| of that system without transfer Of goods.
| With these views the undersigned could not
recommend the building of road from
Richmond TO Cincinnati withauy other gauge
than that which prevails there and unites
that city with the other great cities of the
West. In accordance with these views, so far
from adopting new gauges, it is obvious that
the experience of railroad men and of the
whole country now tend to the elimination
of all gauges but one. s1udeed, so strong is
the feeling that it was an error to have more
than one gauge In this whole country--tbat
break of gauge is tax on the ttaf1c OF the
country--that we have seen movement made
to make 1t subject of Federal legislation.
| True, ia some parts of the billy and sparsely-
settled West it is found expedient to have a
light, three-foot road across the country.
Still, the general feeling is to consolidate all
the existing gauges into one-that one being
the most generally adopted. Hence, within
three or four years We have seen the ROAD
from Cincinnati to st. Louis changed from
6 to 4S1. So also the road from Cincinnati
to Louisville; later, the Grand Trunk
railroad, in Canada; and plan is on
foot to change the gauge Of the Erie
/ in like manner. Is this time, then, for
| Richmond to discard all that has been done,
and set out with new system that will not
| be in harmony with any system with which
1t is to connect? The undersigned think 1t
would be unWise.
All of which Is respectfully submitted.
JOSEPH &. ANDERSON,
a. Y. STOKES,
!. DAVENPORT, JR.
General Anderson addressed the commit
| tee ut some length, urging very earnestly the
adoption of the minority report.
MR. FRANKLIN sTEARNs
next addressed the Council in favor of the
| majority report for the subscription OF $4,000
| to aid in the survey of the proposed line.
Er. Stearns set out by saying tnat his inter-
ests were bound up in the city OF Richmond !;
! that he loved her people, and that be hoped
| it would be the pleasure Of the Councl!
| to lend the aid of the city TO this enter
prise. A few months ago be felt very
Respondent for Richmond, but now that
there are siXty-one narro@-gauge roads IN
the United States, that the people have taken
I'D this subject, he fels encouraged. We
want road of our oWn-one that we can
control, or pay nothing tor it. We want
cheap modes of transportation. Why not
build this road at cost of from 81 700 to
SIS 900 per mile? He would be wiling to
put his money in pony railroads; he would
like to have 100000 IN one OF these roads.
The wide-gauge roads will be historical Id
Hess than twenty-five years. tie oeiieyed
that the road would pay IN less than nYe
wears double the interest on S65,O00. he
would rather have the STOCK than tne CITY
eight per cent. STOCK.
thapgs upon this road; ana II the CITY ~ll
not give the money the citizens VINO ieei "a az
he does will raise il and build the road. We
are bound to have 1t. Inere Is no use ~
t.Ikino auy more. he hoped it would De
the pleasure of the Council to adopt Inc
majority report.
! NIB. BURWELL
sa;d h. had heard with pain the views pre-
senfed by General Anderson IN opposltlon
to a road which promised 30 much 10 Inc III.
tura of Richmond. he regretted that Gen.
srai Anderson had left the nall, for he pro-