The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-02-13
The DISPATCH and Gen. Echols.

sin our article of Saturday, headed ''DE-
FENCE OF GEN. EcHoLs," in commenting
upon an article of the VALLEY VIRGINIAN,
we sale, General Echols is estopped from
making an objection to the building of
railroad from the chief city of his own State
on the ground that it mould destroy the ca
naJ.''
It was not our purpose to do Gen. Echols
any injustice and We now, on more accu-
rate information. cheerfully explain that
his opposition to the bill selling and trans
ferring the property, Sc, of Canal Compa.
ny to the Richmond and Allegheny Rail-
read Company was based upon the idea that
the passage Of the commissioners bill"
proposed by the Canal Company to the Cen
eral Assembly last winter, or some similar
measure, would give the needed railroad to
the people of Richmond, and of the James
River Valley, and at the same time, per-
haps, secure to the State some direct COM
pensation for her stock in the canal COM
pany.
We cannot agree with Gen. Echols that
any better or more advantageous arrange
ment than that proposed by the pending bill
could be secured to the State and the people.
Nor are we willing to prejudice and endan-
ger the prospects and interests of Richmond
and of the James-River Valley by endeav-
ors of doubtful utility, to say the least of it,
and consequent delays in matters OF such
immediate and pressing Importance. We
must insist that the people OF the cities and
counties, whose interests and prospects are
so directly and vitality concerned, deserve
the special consideration OF gentlemen OF
such enlarged and just views as, on other
great subjects, General Echols has proved
himself TO be-
As we understand him, Gen. .Echols has
never been opposed to the construction OF
railroad up the James River Valley. He
did not, however, favor the bill transferring
the franchises OF the canal to the Richmond
and Allegheny Company, because of the
loose construction of the terms of transfer,
and the absence of proper guards for the pro-
lection of the interests Of the State. The
adoption Of the Bernard Moffett amendment
shows that the opposition was well founded,
and that large majority Of the Legislature
thought there should be greater security by
the adoption Of that amendment. 1t is a
question yet whether there is not loop hole
left, after the adoption Of this amendment,
for huge speculation. It will be within
the power of the company to place mort
gage upon the property proposed to be con-
veyed, pocket the proceeds, abandon the
work, subject the property to the demands
of the creditors thus created, for even in the
forfeiture clause contained in the Bernard
Moffett amendment, it is provided that
such forfeiture shall not prejudice the
rights of any creditor of such railroad COM
pauy.'' Had the provisions here cited been
less sweeping and confined to creditors ere
ated for work actually performed, there
would have been an exactness that would
have disarmed suspicion, but a mortgage
debt could be created which would bind
the whole of the property OF the company,
and yet not secure the construction of the
road.
We do not mean to intimate or charge
that anv.such purpose is concealed beneath
the proposition Of transfer, and certainly
not that the mover of the amendment re-
ferred to, Intentionally left such an opening
for speculation, but it is possible that such a
thing might occur, and it would be nothing
more than business precaution to have the
bill of transfer fortified against any posi-
Bile contingency of this kind.
Mr.. James Lyons, prominent and hon
ored. citizen of Richmond assures the Dis
patch the ''canal- railroad will never reach
Richmond. 1t is not designed to do so.-
And you may well call Richmond lunatic
when she surrenders her docks and all her
water-powei.' to this company. The State
complains that all the representatives in the
Legislature from Richmond, except one,
opposed the original bill, and we presume
that the reluctant support finally given the
bin as it passed the Legislature by the Rich
mond delegates, was the result Of the clam
or created by the newspapers Of that city,
who think they see millions" in propo-
sition that may eventually turn to ashes on
the lips. We hope otherwise, for we are in
favor of not only railroad up the James,
but ia every other direction through Virgin
ia, where railroad can be constructed with
profit, but there should not be such unne-
cessary haste to Jump at conclusions, such
as the Valley counties and cities have done,
in Railroad subscriptions, and the Legisla-
ture did in the enactment of the Funding
Bill. There should be caution and sagacity
observed in all such matters, and not a
childish craze, which may lead to results not
pleasant to contemplate.