Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-05-07

at him right hard he would sing the
long metre doxology. His little speech
to the courthouse meeting rejecting the
Of President Garrett was just
the perfection of taste, courtesy, and we'll
timed and well-applied arguments.
Besides these gentlemen were Messrs.
James L. McLane, the proxy of the city of
Baltimore, Richard Norris, Jr., P. P.
Pendleton and R. T. Baldwin.
THE OTHER MEN.
Our men were to be found about the |
streets. Ex-senator W. A. Anderson of |
Rockbridge, one of the most prominent of
the Valley representatives, is young man
about IS years of age, and very earnest
one-a very hard worker, and speaks well
in explaining his work after it is done.
He made the minority report as a member
of the Examining Committee.
Col. M. G.. Hartman, the Staunton City
Director in the Board, is too well known
to our readers to need description, being
about as well known as the Valley railroad
itself, for it is to be much doubted if. but
for his energy in advocating the road and
worrying and stirring up the Valley peo-
pie about it, whether hundred thousand
dollars Of subscription would ever have
been made. And to him, too, a great
part of the credit of Baltimore city's sub
scription is due. He is gentleman OF
fine personal appearance, with little grace
of oratOry, but with a mind Of ire
iuif nd
is one of those men that it is simply i'm
possible to discourage. He made a good
point in the debate when he met the
doubts about Roanoke's subscription by
the illustration that whel a man givesos
note, the fact that he afterwards refuses
or fails to pay it, in no wise invalidates
the debt.
Mai. D. Shanahan, one of the contract
ors on the road, made what was conceded
by surprised audience to De the hit of the
whole proceedings. He is a man about As
years of age; of medium size, with fine
face, full bearded. He was member of
the committee to adjust the contractors
accounts with the company, and after max
ing his report made short address to the
| meeting. The delicacy with which he ap-
| preached the subject of the sufferings of
| the contractors from the failure of the
company; his vivid description OF the way
in which they had utterly stripped them
| selves and involved their friends; how they
had appealed, when it was yet time, to the
| directors to give them notice of their COM
| ing inability to meet their engagements
| to them, and how utterly this failure had
Frustrated all concerned; his touching ap-
peal to the Virginia subscribers to meet
their engagement, seeing strangers out OF
the State showed disposition to aid the
contractors, and the touching and impress
sive manner in which the closing words OF
his appeal, "Have mercy on us" were ut
tered, drew from the audience an involun-
tary and loud burst of applause.
Messrs. Heber Ker, r. W. Burke and
John B. Evans were the representatives OF
the city of Staunton at the meetings.
THE MEETINGS.
1t was long time getting to the meet
ing, which had to be postponed from noon
till night iii consequence of the difficulties
experienced by the committee in getting
their report ready There seemed to be a
halo of -blind-man 's-buff surrounding it;
but it finally came, and the assembling
took place in the private Office of Shelly
& Bumgardner, the recollections of the
well-to-be-remembered Town hall meeting
suggesting more private apartments than
were occupied on that occasion. When
the hour came, however, the Railways and
4 ante chambers of the private office were
II nearly as densely crowded as the Town
hall had been. 1t may be as well for these
people have registered a solemn VOW to at
tend all public assemblies where there is
no gate fee charged and they are not the
people to fly in the face Of Heaven by the
violation of sacred oath. Judge Nc
Laughlin presided and Maj. Jed. Hotch-
kiss officiated as Secretary.
THE EXAMINING COMMITTEES REPORTS
The report Of the majority of the exam
ming committee verified the accounts. 1t
| gives the cost of operating the road be-
tween Harrisonburg and Staunton for the
last - months to be $3g,S50, and the re-
ceipts were only 81 ,149 go over that amount
| The cost of constructing the completed
road had exceeded the engineers estimate
from the fact that GA pounds rails were used
instead Of go pound. But this was not a
damage in view of the heavy traffic expect
ed over this portion, arising from the con-
nection with the Chesapeake & Ohio R. R.
| The committee thought it would have been
better to construct the road in a less cost
| ly manner, but that is compensated from
the fact that it will not require any heavy
expenditure for repairs for years to come.
They recommend the rejection Of the Of
fer of Mr.. r. G.. Bickle, of Staunton, to
lease the completed portion for 10 years at
$4,000 year.
| The minority report submitted by Mr..
Anderson, of Rockbridge, excerpts to the
| fairness of the charge of the Baltimore &
Ohio against the Valley Co. While the
engineers had estimated the cost of the
track at being 900 per mile, the final
cost had been $14,769 per mile, and rail
| was charged at 500 per ton at a time when
it could have been purchased at from $50
to $65 per ton. Mr.. Anderson says it is
proper to state that the 800 contract was
an oral one, between President Robert
Garrett and the B. & o. r. r. Co. before
the fall Of iron and that after that the B.
& 0. Go. abated the cost SIS per ton and
the freight SIS per ton. He thinks the B.
& 0. Co.'S charges for construction are too
large.
In reference to tie rails MI. Keyser
said thew xuara nurcha sod hofo,.o TIC do