Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1879-02-11
Our Richmond Letter.
RICHMOND, Feb. 8 1870.

been worked to the limit Of my phys
zeal endurance. During the week,
the bill to convert the canal into a
railroad, has been passed by the
House.. II was very materially
amended in order to protect the State
from possible imposition. Its friends
were impatient Of any amendment at
all, and threatened to toss it over.
board and abandon it If any serious
amendment should be engraltcd on it.
Some Of us were seriously criticized
because we persisted in providing that
If the road should not be built, the
whole property should revert to the
State, but we perscvered and succeed
cd. The Senate is likely to pass it as
II is, and suppose in short time
we shall have a railroad beginning at
Clifton Forge on the Chesapeake &
Ohio R. R., and following the waters
OF the James to this city. Then one
can just about remove the brakes from
train at Clifton Forge and it will
almost run TO Richmond without
steam. The canal is humbug and
nm expensive luxury--a failure. OF
late it has merely served TO gobblc up
all the convicts, SO that we can get
none for our narrow gauge enterpris-
rs. am thankful we are about done
with that. caused to be Incorporate
ed in the bill a clause providing that
when the Richmond and Allegheny
Co. get possession Of the Canal they
shall return all the convicts to the
State-some $50 in number. Now il
our Bristol people, and our friends
from that point to Scott will go to
work and make the due arrangements,
we can get as many convicts as We
need, feel very sure.
The MolTctt Liquor Law amend.
ments arc still pending in the Senate.
Owing TO disagreements about the
penal feature, as TO violations OF the
law, and the inlormers provided for
heretofore, the bill has been recon-.
mitted to the committee. When it
gets to the House mean to move 10
reduce the tax on each drink Of alco-
hoic liquor to one cent | believe
this will bring more money into the
Treasury, and will give much greater
satisfaction to the dealers.
Col. Fulkerson has had the bill de.
hning the Main st. limit OF Goodson
passed in the Senate, and am sure
it will be passed by the House in due
time.
Our blessed State Treasury struck
ground last Friday--bad luck to such
a day as Friday. The Governor call
ed on the Legislature to help him out
of the trouble, and we did not be-
have unseemly by saying to him in
reply "you did it,"
We are going to try the Barbour
bill, piece meal, thinking may be we
can get a joint or so through the Gov.
ernor's mill,
| am preparing bill to "provide
casual deficit to the Treasury and to
cquaise the burdens Of taxation"
by 6o,yooof9g 6om each hr payer the
amount Of money he will owe the
State for taxes at subsequent date,
and to pay him therclor-say IS per
cent, making tho certificate Of his
loan receivable at par for all taxes
due the State. This will be playing
the coupon game to the end Of It and
will give every one chance at II. ]
don't know whether ,;e can pass this
sow, but Il ought to pass, and, my
word for II, It will cut up monsieur
coupons by the roots.
The conference with the Bondhold.
ers still hangs fire. It's whispered on
street that McCulloch & Co. have
agreed TO modify their offer SO as to
make the ] per cent period run 10
years instead OF s years. As Major
Grimsley, Our Chairman Is absent ]
cannot verify the report, Of course
they insist ON the coupons, even TO
death. have very little idea our
friends will run these bonds 10 years.
That would extend the coupon peri
cd for - years longer. | do feel,
however, satisfied We can ruin their
coupons, II We make up our minds to
H.
Col Fulkcrson Is hard at work
making arrangements for the Con.
yention on Inc 'Sih, lie and Major
bland had very amusing tie yester
day and today over tho Good,on |
boundary I'm in tho Senate,