Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1877-05-29

Dt ltti~Cu ~ DIS ~ lFlltN 4 ne - "a x lAblh
all expense on account thereof, as j.
done in other States, can tie State
furnish this labor to any person or
corporation free Of charge without
violating a plain provision Of the
constitution ?
The Legislature failed to make any
appropriation to transport the con-
victs to lie furnished this company, to
build prison-pens, feed, cIoIhe and
guard them. Can the Governor APP
ply the money appruprinted for the
support OF the COnviCls Gin the peDi-
teuuaryn to the support of conylcts
out of the penitentiary and in the EN-
pioy Of work of Internal improve.
ment free Of charge?
IS THE CHARTER FEASIBLE?
Can any convicls be obtained under IL,
and If 50, what assurance is there that
the company will be able TO eep
them longer than the meeting of the
next Legislature.
The authority granted the Governor
toy the charter To furnish COnvicts free
does not constitute contract between
the State and the Company 4; it II
Il mere guarantee OF the part OF the
'Htdits 1 AG l'lI|' - - eh''' NV W.
vernon is no part of the franchise of
tile company, and may be Withdrawn
by the next or any succeeding Lrgis-
lature.
If th.re is any profit in this convict
labor, there will always Le persons
ready to pay the State something 10.
it, and unless and until tbs convict
labor can be assured fora definite pc
ri a ,,Ft a
rance now of getting them, ana ii oh-
tanned, Of holding them longer than
the Legislature meets in December
next, it VIII be folly in Scott aud
Goodson to invest their money.
Is not the law charteriug this COM
pauy in violation of vested rights >
BY an act Of the Legislature OF Viz
GINA approved the 18th day Of June,
1870. the Va. d. Ky. II. r.. was au-
tLOriZrd TO consolidate its line of TuuG
with the three lines stretching from
Bristol to Non folk, ami upon the or
gauiZatiOu OF the consolidated COmpa-
ny that act vested all rcad-hed, right
of way, franchise, corporate POWERS
and property and rights of property OF
every description belonging To The Va.
X Ky. Co., in the COusOld dated com
pau AiN a. - - h'tN'N N ihNi''N ! -
aud the Stockholders Of the other
three companies. accepted this act and
transferred their stock &c, TO the new
company, which organized under The
name of the y. NJ. * .. L. Il Co.
and thereby become fully invested
with all the property, franchises,
right of way, &c, of the Va ~ Ky.
Co. and of the other three COMPANIES.
BY virtue of this act The orEauiZa-
ton of the \. NJ. T. o. Co.., aud the
transfer Of the stock, the county Of
the Scott become the owner Of 50 coo
and Lee county OF $50, 900 stock III 652
miles of road, 1872 Of which was butt
and equipped, instead OF being stock
holders in 100 miles of unbuilt road ,
and they have voted this stock in ali
the meetings of the \ NJ. & o. Conn
pauy since It's organization.
BY said act of l7lh Of Jane, 1870, the
a. NJ & o. Company was authorized
to mortgage it, entire line from Nor
folk to Cumberland Gap. together Wi h
all the franchises, property &c. there
to belonging, for the purpose of re-
pairing the old line from! Norfolk to
Bristol. Of building the Ky. link, and
paying the Indebtedness of the old
companies composing the consolidated
line.
Pursuant to this act the a. NJ C. O.
Company did execute mortgage in
1871 on its entire line and franchises
aud property between Norfolk aud
Cumberland Gap, to Skiddy, Duncan
& Barlow, Trustees. This mortgage
was accepted by said Trustees ana re-
corded in every clerks office along the
entire line, including the counties OF
Washington, Scott and Lee. The
bonds o! the 4. NJ. e CO., were there
upon issued To the amount Of $4,000,
600. aud about s. 900 600 were sold
and 50, 50O, $50 delivered TO the said
Trustees and set apart 10y them for the
construction of the &. Gap link, and
are now held for that purpose.
by the act Of June l7th, its accept
ance 10y the Stockholders of the four
Old companies, the mortgage or deed
Of trust and its acceptance by the
Trustees, the issue Of the 4. NJ. Il O.
bonds and their purchase 10y the bond
| holders, the State, the four old com
ponies, the A. NJ. & o. Co., the T~us-
| tees, and the holders of said bonds
| thus become bound hy contract that
cannot he annulled Ey either party
! thereto without the consent of all the
others, and each party becomes vested
with rights that the Legislature OF
Virginia cannot divest them of with.
out violating the constitution of the
State and that of the United States.
The Legislature 10y the passage OF
| the charter of the Narrow Guagc road,
attempts to transfer TO That company
the road-hcd, right of way, franchise
and property Of the Kentucky divi-
sion of the a. NJ. ,E o. Co. which had
pre- yiOusly been conveyed to the sand
| Trustees and upon which the bond,
holders have lien, Il attempts to de-
| prive the counties of Lee and Scot OF
/ their interest IN So 500, 600 OF bonds,
for when the whole line of 532 miles
of read its rolling stock, &c, is bound,
aud force them to transfer their stock
| TO the Marrow GGago Co., which de-
Ponds for it's success wholly on the
uratuity Of the state. Without the
consent Of the a. NJ. & .. Co., the
! Trustees, i'm whom the legal title Ia
! the whole line is vested, or OF the
bondho!ders, who have II lien on the
whole line, the Legislature attempts
! 10 force the A. NJ, Il q. Co., to turn
over and deliver possession To the new
company one hundred miles of its
| line with its franchise and all the
property thereto belonging, An i'm