The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-02-18

KEYsyfLLE AND CLARksy!LLE RAILhoAD.-
al , Zoe %s,s @ nn mn Gsd Yesterday
noon ut tue Guy Hs u vas sgrecd y rec,m one M
g he Comet ss saa'ss es s 'E y
tfarlsvIe railroad. believing as the coinmi. tee
DID, that the railroad would be built private en-
tcrprtse aud that an appropriations by THIS cry WAS
not needed 10 ensure LIS competition.
From the above II IL reasonable to assume
that the Bomd Of PublIc Interests aud me
Finance Committee are not fimillar WITH
the history OF the MeckIenburg railroad or
the present situation Of It's affairs.
When the scheme for building this road
was projected an animated, we may say
acrimonious, contest arose for the location
of The route. The friends OF The city OF Pc.
tersburg and Of The S0uthside railroad
plead for Blacks and Whites a. the eastern
terminus OF the road; the friends OF the
city Of Richmond and Danyille railroad f0f
keysyie.
Those who took part in the Clarksyille
meeting which located The route have for
the most part passed away. Among the
living few are General Joseph X Anderson
and Colonel John Il. Purcell, OF Richmond.
But when the keysvilie route was adopt
ell, and some hundred and hfty thousand OF
money expended upon IT. the city OF Rich-
lDond and The Danyilc Railroad Company
became The chosen allies OF its local friends.
aud To them it is respectfully submitted.
have they n right TO look for cooperation to
complete the work! We deem this fact
worthy TO be presented TO the attention OF
the city government. It. imDlies relations
| to the enterprise which, ii is believed. the
city OF Richmond would not Willingly Tor
get.
Subsequent relations also have existed
between the city OF Richmond ana tue
other parties to the work. The first we'll
sustained etfJrt 10 build the road was Ter
minated by the war Of 1861, and The last Nv
the financial panic OF 1873. In 1873 It's local
friends subscribed in the amount required
Of them, and the city Of Richmond s3O.OOO.
| These subsciD tions were made az dODu'
| tions, and in consideration thereon the Dan
VILE Railroad Company engaged 10 COM
plete the road within two years from the
| date of the contract. AID under penalty OF
forfciting. IN event OF failure, all work done
by il upon the road. when 1t had eXpeDdtd
upon it some $40 900, before the local
subscribers or the city OF Richmond
had paid in dollar the panic came. Work
upon every unfinished railroad upon the
ninent ceased, and for years scarcely 4
syllable Of a new railroad was heard. f.
nancial distress covered the land. At the
expiration OF the two years, when The iOlee
OF the panic was still undated, the penalty
was enforced. The donations reverted TO
the subscribers. and the work done by II
was lost 70 the DanyIlle company. The
local friends OF the enterprise have accepted
| the panic ~ an excuse for not completing
the road, renewed their subscriptions, and
increased them to $4,000. The Dan
VILE COMPANY his again offered TO take
such charge OF the work as VIII en-
sure it, early completion. provided the
civ of Richmond reuewS lis subscription.
With the revival OF business all OF the par.
ties 10 the work have resumed their former
relations 10 il except the civ OF Richmond.
| The Board Of Public Interests and Finance
Committee believe The road will be built
without the city subscription. The other
! friends Of the work are without any sncb
assurance. The resources Ct local sub'crlp.
ton have been utterly exhausted. ana the
| DluYIlle company has indicltcd no purpose
of going on with the work without the city
subscription. Having induced the people
OF Mecklenbure 10 adopt this route, the
merits of the enterprise remaining HE >ame
| il would be u1iihe the CITY OF Richmond to
abandon is ancient allies by refusing TO re-
new the small subscription it made in '3.
Il was then Il donation. II is now proposed
| to issue certificates Of stock to the sub>crlb-
ers. MECKLENBCRG.