The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-01-25

4 The SPEAKER appointed Messrs. III YsBls,
/ BARBOUR, ,'TALIaFERR0 of 1GSio esieF, HEE-
4 RY, and MCEoSNELL as COMMITTED on the
part Of the House to'arraDge PLAN for the
meeting OF the creditors. .e.s q ID
l Mr.. T4LIAEERRo Of Norfolk bad the 1oof,
and WIS proceeding fooppose the biiItyhei,
about S:15, he gaze way tea motion 20 iiaa'
loiifn :. + e .. = 90
The First Meeting, OF the Jantes' and
/ Raunwsaa Contbnny. M,
Editors Dispatch; In the discussions to
| whichthe pending project OF arailPoad: con-
nectiou; between Richmond and tynchburg.
and thence westward, has given rise, refer
| enee, not ufhatnrally, has been frequently
made to the FIRST meeting Of the JAMES, and
Kanamba Company, whenthe whole question
OF, the relative eligibility OF ,,canaB abd: mi
ROADS was fully considered, and is Teggardsa
/ the tine under examination decided, and sur
prise expressed. not, perhaps, That prefer
ence was tfsen given toFth6 piaEr.of canal,
but that the railroad policy SHOULD bave BEEN
sustained by So neagre d vote. Some un-
published. facts in that connection may not
I be out OF place or wholly uninterestlns. As
(reeorded, the vote Oh the two propos'tiohs
before the meeting might well justify some
surprise, 1t stands entered on tne lourha
"a 40 for the, proposed railroad survey
against S,S2G for the plan Of the canal. The.
vote was, correctly recorded as, given, but
had .He declared Judgment OF those who
voted been represented by their votes 1t
would have stood. about z, 800 to $500.
livery. well understand that this fact is OF
no material Z importance now, and will
scarcely arrest erepa hurried glance from
the, busy, busting world as it whirls. uast
but there will be, yet some to whom no iota
OF truth is deemed too trivial TO be willingly
let perish, and others to whom it will af-
ford a passing pleasure to-. see again pre-
sented before their eyes in the harness they
wore in action, II even but Tor moment,
Tie aforementioned figures OF some Of the
men who guided and adorned the times
they lived in. hide. Ill., '', ,-s' .. 10 So
As one OF the very few survivors Of the
small band OF gentlemen who met at the
Capitol, in the Hall OF the: Delegates, in May,
1885, 10 organize the James, and kanawha
Company, familiar: with the. interior facts
attendant on thar proceeding, and the only
one TO whom some OF them, which I Shall
state. are or can be known, / feel 1t hardly
less than duty to the actors and to the rea
truth OF events to make them 'public-a
task which, il l1did not so feel, would
much prefer to leave toothers, OF to oblii
won. ,.,..,,
The resolution on which the discussion
arose was introduced by me. One depre4
catory word here! It viii be readily be-
ilHeyedy that, however sauguine mig hit have
been my own views OF the great future IN
store for the, railroad, would scarcely bnve
renturcd at so early stage OF its develop
ment on taking so inportant,a step without
solid backing. This l found more eSDe-
ciafly In two men, Who standing each pre-
Ht, q M ,ni3t. .tC
hardly less so!iiEtheir broad and sagaciouS
views OF tile general business OF their ltfet
I mean John Brockenbrough and Moncure
Robinson. They both enlightened me by
their various knowledge and encouraged
me to 60 forward, by their strong convlc!
lions and hearty cooperation, but for which
I had hardly ucounteredthe ReruBg adverse
current OF opinion then running.
a.Phe debate on the; resolution, embracing
also the contemplated western extensions
OF both plans-Of both to tile kanawta and
Of the railroad to Tennessee and the MissfsE
sippi-consnnicd almost the entire session
Of the Assembly. 1t was participated In BY
Norborne Nicholas, John Robertsop, and
the brothers Joseph and Fleming James, 10
favor; and By Joseph G. .CabelI and Chap
man Johnson, and some, others, against. |
These gentlemen need no introduction TO
Virginians. The resolution gained friends
with The progress OF the discussion. In
the course of hit became known thattwo
OF the city proxies, John Rutherford and
nv excellent friend fhappify still sparedt6
the public serYice), G. Wytlie Munford, had
decided TO support the resolution. Mea-
sures. were Immediately and successfully
taken by thethhd {Robert G.. ScotN to pro-
cure instructioasoto them from the mem
bers OF the City Council outside, to vote |
for the canal, Thcyof course did so, and
thus 1,1G2 votes were lost TO the railroad.
.wIhieh, else BY the Judgment q tAose, who
cast them, would have been given to it.
last to vote, Although, as have stated, no
ones convictions Of the superior eligibility
Of an improv ement by railroad werd stronger
than his, he yet also now cast his vote. for
the canal explaining afterwards that finds
Ing, Whenit came to him to vote, that the.
tuuestien was already decided in irs fayor,he
deemed it his duty. to the interest he repre-
sented (that Of the Bank OF Virginia) to rem
DEF the decision as solid and detinitive IS
possible. The propriety OF his course nsne
will question, but its effect was to give yet
another strong vote TO the canal. which, had
his Judgment between the two systems con-
/ trolled, would have beer. given to the rail-
| road. Thus though the vote given between
the two plans Was, as recorded, 400 to $500,
yet had the opinions ef those who voted
been expressed by it, it would have stood,
as above stated $500 to $500. -...F.1.
{ Per capita Itbink about one third OF Gle
stockholders present favored the plan OF a
railroad. - s., H.. 49," i.
Ihesitate to add another. curious incident
| attending these transactions, but as it is a
! true one, L win relate it.. Mr. johnson,
Representing the State and others, was en-
titled to cast between 1000 and 1000 votes
out of the 5000 present. .Oi course, vir-
tualy, altturned on ibim.. At the adjourn
3ment on the last day for dinner the debate
| was understood to be over, except bis clos
fling and settling speech on our rfassem-
bling. ! asked his conclusions. Hisy an
swer very well remember. TWAS in sub
stance that he had not supposed lt>had been
possible TO stake his life- long convictions0I
| the supcriari eligibility OF canals, but that
he had been brought to doubt. That lie
would see Mr.. Shaw then State Engineer.
think). aiidiif. be Could be satisfied the
Proposed survey. woald NOT preven: con-
tracts being made SO. as to commence Woi X
ION the canal the. following SPRING : he
| world vote for the resolution.
We went togetherto seetthat gentleman.
iSo.ne will remember remarkable DETECTIVE
ness, ,aseweii as rapidity OF >utterance,I that
affected My. Shaw's speech so as tornIake; 1t
EdifiiculElto un derstand Mm. ! left l1r! JOb.3s-
.Eson conSersine with him, bntsnot till u
! thnuohti II had oashe,,nd frottf thglattgr tbrt.