The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-12-14

n6EIln1 tOr' GiaIlEISS IIEAA-fA 1EhS, BUSi-
NEss-siEN, AND oTHERsJ / AsT NIGHT
DRESSES FROM MAJoR JOHNSTON, MR.
,srEARNs,, GENERAL ANDERSON, AND
! oTHERs-THE HOARD or, AZ DER MEa
/. ASKED 10 CONCUR IN THE EEsoLUTIoN
/ FOR .s25,ooo TO AID IN EEPAERING THE
CANAL, &C., &c. .s.a,5GsF htTr i,
.Tk;.,sT -.----e-- e.----------------, -----------, IL;
2 a weltattended meeting Of citizeein,ss-mer-
chants, taxpayers, and others Interested In
the James River and Kanaw lIa canai-was
held In the old dihing-room OF the Exchange
Hotel last evening. ~ ,.t'L
The meeting was called to order By Mr..
Frederick e. Scott, and on his motion Mr..
Thomas W. McCance was invited to preside.
Dir. McCance stated that the object Of the
meeting was we'll known. :. ~
General Heth moved that Major John w.
Johnston, president Of the james River and
Kanawha Canal Company, be invited to ad-
dress the meeting. Agreed to. 49, -.
Major Johnston gave in detail history of
the application OF the company to the city
for aid In the sum OF $4,000 to repair the
canal. He said that at this time, while the
city OF Richmond was deliberating as to
whether the canal should be repaired, the
work was being prosecuted vigorously.
The question was, Shall we abandon the
canal? He had already gone in debt to an
extent equal to S5, 600 withthe people OF the
things to carry on this work. Fl
Richmond did not come. to his aid be
would have to return tie convicts to the
penitentiarv and abandon the canal. Ought
the canal to be abandoned for the miserable
pittance OF S25,000? So far rs he was con-
cerned he would say "No." If he was to
have the money he would have to get it
from the city OF Richmond, and he appealed
to the citizens to give the mid asked for.
| The money would be spent in repairs be-
tween Richmond and Lynchburg, and not
| west OF that city.
Mr. Blankenship, representing the Cham
ber Of Commerce, said he had been in
structed by the Board OF Directors OF that
body to appear before this meeting and do
all he could to secure the appropriation OF
| 325, 900 by the city to aid in repairing the
damage to the canal. He was certain that
81, 900 a day was being lost to the city by
the stoppage OF the canal. He thought the
city had better make present OF $4,000 to
the canal than to longer delay the repairs.
Judge Lay said he was here to represent
body Of citizens at large. He said that
the city was suffering more than thousand
dollars day by the suspension OF opera
tions on the canal. He said we, ought not
| to consider the city OF Richmond alone in
this matter. The people all along the line
Of the canal were suffering because they
were unable to bring their produce to mar
ket. He hoped the Council would be in
duced to make the desired appropriation.
| Mr.. Franklin Stearns said we had been
expending money patching and repairing
the canal for twenty-five years, until vast
amount OF debt had been piled up. From
his intercourse with the good people OF
Richmond for the past few years, and espe-
cially for the past three weeks. he was satis-
fed that there was an almost universal de-
mand for railroad from Richmond to Cliff
ton Forge. He said it would take but few
months, and by October we could reach
| Clifton Forge. Such road would pour
wealth into the city, and be the means OF
saving the State and her chief city. He
referred to Mr.. Todd's resolution, and
said, there would be no computing the
wealth that would accrue from the develop
ment Of the James.Riyer valley. He spoke
of the wealth Of the iron-ore banks in the
Valley, and said that II a railroad had beer
built up the canal few years ago this city
\ would now have population OF 200, GOO
| He thought il the proposition could bt
amended so rs to connect railroad with il
| it might not be so bad, but he doubted the
propriety OF giving S25,00O, though there
| was much to be said on both. sides Of the
question. ~ ..t. i" ~. - =
Mr.. Stearns spoke at considerable length
and with much enthusiasm. He thought il
was high time that Richmond should pu
| her, shoulder to the wheel and cease to be {
town, and become O great a. city. Such {
road would be worth millions on top Of
millions to the city Of Richmond. ~
Mr.. Stearns moved to amend the PROPOSE
ton so as to give $4,000 instead Of S25, 600
General Anderson addressedtbe meeting
giving his views on the questions at issue
and explaining his course in the House o.
Delegates in reference to the bill author
| izing the city to subscribe the $25, 900 asked
| for. He referred to resolutions he present
ed to the Common Council asking the BOARD
Of Public Interests to take the subiec
OF o railroad up the James-River valley
under consideration. and said 4n he
could not be considered as opposed
to g., such a scheme, n but he. thought
we ought to make haste slowly. % There
were many things to be. considered..e He
| wanted to know what it would eost.f1 He
l.could say now what the; superstructure
would cost-$1, 10000 for the steel rails
ties and ballasting-but what would it cost
to prepare the roadhed for the. superstruc'
ture? L ~. .'..-....r,,..s
IL General Anderson spoke atsome length,
Law presented the following; which was
adopted by the meeting :,.;H zl4e..figH
G, iResolued, That o committee iof:fiteen be
appointed by the chairman to present tothe
Board of Aldermen, at their next meeting
the sentiment OF this meeting; that with
tous passing upon the wisdom OF heioficers
or management Of the canal; or the ques-
tion of the better advantages Of railroad or
canal in. the future, they recommend the
appropriation of S25,000as asked for by the
James River aud Kanawha Company to re-
lieye the immediate emergencies i Of said
company, by which important, interests OF
the city and adjacent counties are seriously
impaired, and from causes. beyond the con-
urol Of the officers Of said company. :1"ss
The Chair appointed Messrs. Lay, Blank
enship, Stokes, Scott, and Stearns., &.
d, On motion Of Mr. Scott, Mr.. McCance
was added to the committee. ssIg 1at! ;4ns
Mr.: Stearns said he could. not serve on
the committee, and the Chair appointed Mr..
L. D. Crenshaw, Jr., to fill the vacancy.
~ On motion OF Mr.. Pulliam, the resolution
was subsequently reconsidered, and the
committee enIargedto fifteen. ..io1 3s~1fi
The Chair appointed the following addi-
tional gentlemen: James g., Brooks, F. G.
Rufin,: w. E. Tanner, CIV. Sublett, A. 3.
Clarke, Jr., e. Baker. II! %. JCabeli, E., s,
Turpin, aud Charles E. Whitlock. -
LA communication was received from Mr..
James Lyons in reference to the restoration
Of the canal, and read by Mr.. Puliam. =
Adjourned, .::a7 nj -s3@.
=. Ce,NRvp M, CoMHERCE.-Ats a meeting? OF