The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-05-04
Workshop Grounds,

may he continue III the good WORK.
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Workshop Grounds.
In writing. last week, about the purchase BY
the city and the transfer of the grounds to the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Company fol
the erection of Workshops, there were severa
inaccuracies. We stated that the city made
the conveyance Of the lots, and that If there
were any defect it mist have been the fault Of
the legal advisers of tho city. The facts con
nected with the transaction are substantially
as follows:
The Rail road Company proposed to the city
that they would erect a Round House. to ac-
commodate fifty-eight engines, and Workshops
that might approximate in its business that
done at Richmond, provided the city paid for
certain lots, to be used for that purpose, sec
ton of the Round House to accommodate IA
engines at once, and the Workshops when the
business of the Road might demand them. A
commission was appointedt to appraise and con-
denim the lots in question for the Railroad
This work was accomplished, and the aggrega-
ted amount Of which apprasement was about
$4,000. The matter came before the City
Council for final action, when objection was
made to assuming the amount of the condcm-
nation unless guarantee was given that the
Shops should employ certain number of
| hands, and be completed in certain length OF
time. In default of either of these require
ments, then the grounds were to revert to the
city. Col. Whitcomb, Chief Engineer of the
Railroad Company, and Col. j. b. Baldwin,
! Counsel for the Road, stated that no such
guarantee would be given, and that the propo-
sition of the Company must be accepted as it
was made-otherwse the Company would open
negotiations at other points. Aneeting of the
citizens was held to consider the matter, and
it was determined to ask the City Council to
| accept the terms proposed by the Company
The sense of the meeting was embodied in
communication to the Council, signed by Hon.
A. H. H. Stuart, Judge H. W. sheffey, VIM.
Jordan, and others, and requesting immediate
| action. The objection first made was again
urged by several members of the Council, es-
pecialy Messrs. Bickle and Evans, Col. Bald
win, in the meantime, claiming that 1t would
be wise policy to set at once, and without the
guarantee. Messrs. Bickle and Evans particu-
larly opposed the measure, without the guar
antee. Col. Baldwin urged it. and it was fl
nally determined to make the appropriation to
purchase the lots and donate them to the r.
r. Company for the purposes named, without
| any other conditions. Mr.. Bickle refused to
vote for the appropriation, (Mr. Evans not be-
ing present at the final action) and did not
no CTR Of ho oitiz0OS fort ha
| reason stated-that Is, that there was no guar
antee that the shops would be erected in d
given time. no specific capacity of the Shops
| mentioned and no provision for the reversion
of the property to the city, in the event of the
Company falling to comply with It's promise.
The Council did not call in its legal adviser,
! then Meade f. White, Esq, but having conf
dence in Col. Baldwin, whose interests were
| identified with the city, they acted upon his
| judgment and counsel.
| From these facts, it is very clear that Mr..
Bickle's judgment was not at fault in the
course he adopted, and that he did precisely
what the Hndicator complains that he did
! not.
| If the purpose is to do justice to the present
Mayor, who at the time this transaction was
conslmmated, was President of the City
Council, and to accord him credit for tena-
cious purpose to protect the city's interest. all
objection to him, on this point, should cease,
and the Vindicator enter as his advocate, be-
cause of the sagacity manifested in the legsla-
ton connected with this subject.
We do not think, however, that it will event.
ually be a source of regret that the city of
Staanton paid for the grounds for the purpose
named. We by no means despair Of the
Workshops. We are confident in the belief,
that the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad is des-
| tined to be one Of the greatest enterprises On
! this continent, and that as trade develops and
| the carrying capacity of the Road utilized, the
Workshops will be erected and the city real
| ize all that 1t ever expected from them. The
Company had to yield to the financial pressure
| that Frustrated more solid and substantial cor
porations, and while the whole country was
| feeling the paralysis resulting from the panic
| of 1873, it could hardly have been expected
| that this improvement would have escaped
derful mineral wealth along its line will be de-
veloped, and with its western connections
completed, the business 1t will command will
compel the construction of tire contemplated
! improvements, from which the benefits eXpec.
ted will be fully realized.
The Vindicator makes great ado about the