The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-07-03
virginia and the important Railroad

There Is a great deal lacking TO make the
railrcads located In Virginia. Virginia rail-
roads. They have not been directed with
!. the view OF prouso,ing the interests Of the
Commonwealth, xnd have been Just as ne
xhectiul OF the interests Of Richmond as OF
saose OF Virginia. They were gotten up
chiefly for the benefit Of small secsio&s and
OF come iuassed communities which ina
gined that they were destined to be
leaders and controllers OF commerce, aud
other places were to dwindie into instgnih-
canoe. 9he system, II we may be forgiven
Tor the outrage OF calling by such name
a thing which was no systsxs at all, came
from ,tse old way OF building public i'm
iprovepaents out O. public money Dor
,rowed on the credits OF the State, and the
disbursement OF which was under the con-
troll OF public representatives whose main
object was to promote their personal ambt-
:tion and popularity among the people
Money so raised and diSbursed, under such
incompetent direction with such motives,
could not OF course enure to the geneyal
good, nor could il fail TO come at last to S5c
disastrous end wbich4he improvements in
Virginia have reached. E
We find our principal city depressed. md
the means aud energies OF the State scatter
ed and enfeebled. The improvements are
not achieving compensation for The invest
ments in then, ard the general welfare Is
far behind what 1T should be had the money
expended by Virginia been so applied as to
maintain something like unity Of object
and q concentration OF the commerce OF the
State in manner to increase the wealth
and population OF our principal cities.
The great canal which ut ore time was
the chief source OF the hope Of Virginia,
was found at the close OF the war to lie
dead beyond the hope of resurrection. AHd
all the other works were so conditioned that
there was hardly point to which we could
direct our hone for concentrated effort to
revive the commerce and encourage the ell
terprise Of Virginia.
It was, In the estimation OF the wises:
and most sagacious men and OF our most
patriotic citizens. the surest IL not the only
way out OF the difficulties OF our condition
River canal. After long debate this was
decided to be the true policy OF Virginia.
and the aforementioned and lOng-discusS-
ed bill with that object was passed. 1t is
story fresh in the minds Of ALL We all
know the excited nature OF the debates, and
the animatcd and energetic prophecies
which have been uttered in the spirit OF de-
nunciation, as it were: many people SEEM
ing TO consider every man who proposed 10
invest money in Virginia alien to our inter-
ests and seeking to impair her welfare by
getting something out CT her. in what man
ner it was difficult to imagine.
OF course it was unavoidable that those
who should build the railroad should be-
come the owners Of the rights and fran
chiscs OF the canal company. The lon"
period which has elapsed since the compile
ton OF the act which chartered the corpO-
ration for the purpose Of building the road
has been consumed in efforts 10 effect the
sale and purchase OF property aforesaid.
OF course the claimants under the mortgage
OF the canal property and their representa-
tives were seeking to get the highest price,
and the corporators Of the railway company
to buy Mt the most reasonable price.
1t was this long period that multiplied
doubts rs to the objects and purposes Of the
corporators. The two parties had different
interests, and their counsels were not with
out restraint. Naturally. there was impa-
thence and something like irritation. Under
this state Of feeling, with the attendant de-
lay, there could be no surprise that there
should be engendered sort of growing in
difference. Whether such feeling has
arisen. or whether for policy sake there has
been only the appearance OF such feeling,
we know not. But it is true that Il strong
belief in its existence has taken root, and
the James-River Canal Company has at last,
as our readers know, determined to wait no
longer, but have given the legal len days
notice, by which time the corpo"ators must
signify their readiness to accept the canal
property or leave it to be disposed of under
the act supplementary to that Incorporating
the company.
We scarcely know what to say Of this
step. Further time, it was deemed, might
be given; but the large majority OF the
company determined not to give it. Will
the effect OF this movement be good or Diet
rimental? That must be developed by
time.
That the property is most valuable, and
that the corporutors may think it too highly
So to be allowed to drift into Others hands.
is thought By many to be true; but that
may be u mistake. The yeXatiouS delays
and unpleasant contests in the peculiar ar
guments about interests and values may
have cooled them and disguised them. II
SO, the result will he that they are off.
In that event the warm friends Of the en-
terprise are full of hope and expectation
and plans for the immediate organization OF
another set Of corporators who have the
most thorough faith in the enterprise and
believe that ii can be carried out in short
time, and that it will result in great adyan-
tage to the company and the Common
wealth.
Now, then, there are several days yet in
which great deal Of work may be done,
and there is no telling what may be brought |
forth. We believe that it is the most pro- |
missing railway enterprise open at this time
in the United States; therefore it should |
be an object Of great attraction to capitalists.
That it will bring TO those who invest their |
means in it and IN the mineral wealth that |