The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-06-01
The Railroads.

The decision Of Judge ScHENcK, In Char
lotte, N. c., 10 the case Of Mr.. MENDESHALL,
MAYOR of the town, against Colonel BUFoRp,
president of the Richmond and Dinville rail-
road, and w. 81. GREEN, superintendent, is
gratifying result. The accused were tried,
as our readers know, upon the charge OF vio-
lating the statute passed By the last North
Carolina Legislature prohibiting change OF
gauge on the Dauville or Atlanta Airline
railroad. The Judge decided the law un'
constitutional and void Another learned
Judge had already pronounced the law of no
effect in commenting upon charge OF the
Commonwealth's attorney to the jury. The
law was passed under the excitement OF
manufactured agitation adroitly gotten up
under very questionable circumstances. The
right of the Atlanta Airline to change the
gauge on the North Carolina railroad was held
nnder the contract N ,de at the time the said
road was rented to the Atlanta Airline, and
the Supreme Court of the State bad pro
noupced this contract valid. We cannot see
how the Legislature could interfere with II,
pissed to abrogate the contract uneenstitu-
tionpl. .....
We said the law was passed under excite
ment-au excitement undue and unwise.
The very best thing for North Carolina, as
we have often said, would be to make the
gauges Of her roads uniform with those OF
the roads south and west Of her, for if She
gets any trade she must get it from those
quarters. II is, therefore, the worst policy
TO obstruct trade from those directions by
break OF gauges upon her southern and west.
ern borders. The war against uniform
glure with the Sourk and West cannot p ,s-
sib,y be in the interes. OF North Carolina, but
must be conducted is the interest of roads
outside of the State, aud for reasons that are
not creditahe to the public spirit and State
devotion Of those North Carolinians Who
carry on this war.
But q great change has already come over
tie views Of the people Of North Carolina,
and little while will make the change SO
complete that only the fass.m akers, who are
Interested in some mysterious manner ia do
ing their own State greatiJurv, will be left
10 carry On the war against the unifeasa
gauge.
This change Of gauge set~eeu Greensboro
and Charlotte his done great deal Of
good to the pa ,lle, aud especially to this city.
1t is, indeed, one of the hest thirgs that ever
happened for this city. The facility afforded
by it to trave! has changed railroad tactics
smartly, aud promises to hurry up travel.
We just hear that car-lifters are to be EN-
ployeG at Lynesburg 10 expedite travel via
that city. That is a sign Of the eGHtence OF
circumstances that render 1t advisable TO in.
crease the facilities of travel between the
Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio and the
Orange and Alex indris railroad, no " called
Virginia Midland. There was time when
those roads did not love one another, and no
especial facilities for transhipment were
deemed important; bat when the road from
Lypchburg to Dinvlle was foishej, the great
southern express was pnt on that route, and
one Of the two daily trains that ran upon
the Atlantic. Mississippi ADD Ohio was sus.
pended, while the remaining train was not
one whose passenger business was to boast Of
The route from Washington ora this city
was also sufferer. The route pia l., pch.
burg and pauville drew of some travel that
previously passed through this city and it
followed, CT course, that there must be an
improvement of comfort and speed yia this
route to avoid Injury from the new aili-
ances.
We are gra'iied at these things They
grow out OF the Lynchburg and Danvlle
connection, and out Of the uniform gauge
between this city and the gull. We are GLAD
OF 1t because 1t Is helping to bring railroad
corporations 10 reason. They will lind some
new reasons TO show that woat is best for the
public as well as themselves is to give al! |
possible facility and comfort to travel, and 10
bring down the charges upon travellers 10
the rates that prevail 90 all competing lines,
We have every faith 10 the lines through
Richmond. Iitbey have but an equal cbapce
Win Others they will triumph. Richmond
really the only town in the Sac where
here are decided eommercial reasons to ir-
'ile the strdngerto depart a little from bis va,
see u he could not profit by so dong. It'll
place aisgeliYe for lis history 40 a. At ~ &c.