Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1874-03-03

acter, to attract the attention OF the
cities of Louisville and Cincinnati, to
the importance Of this great work.
We admit that for while, Gen. Ma
hone run well' in this direction
But other dreams came across his Wis
ion, ard not Until it was we fear, for
ever too late. Have the people called
upon their Representatives, to demand
that the work should be begun?
Does it suffice to tell the people of Lee.
Scott, and Washington and Wise; we
have spent $4,000 dollars already in
surveys, taken from the capital Of the
consolidated line, and thattoo, after the
State bonds had been deprecated to
comparatively nothing? and as Gen.
Walker said in his speech year or more
ago in Richmond, that those bonds
were not worth so cents on the 100 dol
lars after the stewed down process had
been completed, Is this expenditure
and survey enough to satisfy the peo-
pie who voted to consolidate these
great lines through the State, and for
the purpose mainly, TO secure the con-
nection by way of Cumberland Gap
with the great West? We answer, it
is not the price of the Bond of COnsOl-
idatiOn and it looks like begging the
question, if We call it no more, to tell
Ills when three years of the time has
passed for completing the work, that
it should be more than folly for Gen.
Malone to make a road to the Cum
bertrand Mountain, and then stop
We agree it should, but did not the
same barrier exist there, and it was to
overcome this natural obstruction, that
q h.. To-
solicitation at all. For this and this
alone, Gen. Malone was mounted on
the Consolidated line, with fifteen
millions of 'stewed down Virginia
Bonds" and a charter, to make and
complete the Cumberland Gap con-
nectiOu. But sir, this is not all. He
was backed by princely SALARY of
2.O0O dollars per year, a sum equal TO
the then pay of President OF the U. s.,
with carte bIanch," to DO as he
thought right aud proper with it: so
lie filled the Gap, between Bristol and
Cumberland Gap. Virginia had no
interest, earthly in Consolidation, if it
was not to secure this connectiOn.-
You eau tell us Mr., Editor, and we
know you are posted can we hope for
q road, row, " hen three years of our
time are gone? Our connections have
been lost sight of, by the planning and
constructing of other works, leading
from the same objective points, and is
il not in bad taste for the Richmond
papers in Gen. Mahone's interest, to
hold up tauntingly, to the people of
Scott aud Lee in answer TO the de-
maDds of her faithful representatives.
That the insignificant amount of tax
es, all told, paid by those counties,
coupled with the entire product OF
those Counties, would he insufficient to
pay the expense of running the line
one year. This may all be well for
those who are stuffed to repletion
with Roads, and Canals, and public
works, for which the people of Lee
Scott, and Washington, willingly
taxed themselves, and that too, when
the prospect Of ever getting any bene-
fits, from those improvements, was
very remote; aud yet it is too much to
even demand of Gen. Malone, that he
should go to work and carry through
before 1t is forever too late, the plan
and purpose of Consolidation.
Does any sane man believe that this
Charter, once lost, cali be renewed ?
Does il suffice TO tell us, it will not do
to make the Road through Scott and
Lee, until Kentucky is ready to COLI
meet? We see no effort making in
that direction, at all, and if the work
is to end here land not begiL;) We are
for separation and stewing down
of salaries, until Gen. . Ma
hone has what he has earned-the
full equipment of his road, from Nor
folk to Petersburg, and II return to its
management and control; We would
vote him this, as we now see it, and no
more. LIT our Delegates go to work
and hold up the hands of Messrs.
Richmond and Pridemore, demand
the price of the bond of Consolidation,
or recaut the whole, and put US back
as far as it is practicable to do SO
where we were when Gen, Malone
found US. WASHINGTON"