The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1881-10-05

- ~ ASSVhb ticAb W Wis HSNtlOu vi
Captain IL. G. Parsons, to whose in
domitable energy and enterprise the
great progress already made is main
" due, has stimulated activity in
railroad circles, and revived inquiry
as to
THE PROSPECTS AND PROGRESS OF THE
ROAD.
AS TO its construction there is not
the slightest doubt. About the ex.
act route there may be some question,
whether the road shall follow the
kanawha to the falls and proceed
thence through the New river
canon, or whether it shall leave the
kanawha below Charleston, go up
Coal river to its head and strike
New river at the mouth Of Piney or
Blue Stone is not so well settled. So
far a part Of the people Of Kanawha
have shown purpose to drive the
enterprise out Of the county entirely,
if such thing be possible. The re.
cent awards Of damages for right Of
way along the Kauawha from Charles.
ton to the Putnam line have been
extraordinary, extravagant and out
rageous. Upon lands that are assess
ed at $50 per acre, the Commission.
ers awarded damages at from 5000 to
81, 600 per acre. The Lenslow farm,
containing 800 acres, was bought
last year by man named Ryan for
$500. His damages for six acres
were assessed at 5000. Land for
which the county paid Mr.. Joel
Quarter $50 per acre, as part Of the
poor farm, was charged to the rail
road at S745 per acre. And thus
through the whole list. The most
preposterous claims were set up by
the counsel for the landowners and
evidently allowed ely the commiss-
toner's. Damages for imaginary dan
gers to life and limb; damages for
disturbance of rest and distress of
mind; damages for increased insur-
ance on houses that will never carry
a policy; damages to the tillage Of
fields as barren as the desert of
Sahara; damages to bridges that
would not bear up a calf; damages
for roads impossible to a cart; dam
ages political, fictitious, romantic;
damages to gnarled and blighted fruit
trees that do not bear three crops in
u century, and $1,000 a mile for i'm
aginary damages TO hypothetical
fences that will never be built. The
INJUSTICE OF THESE AWARDS
is admitted by the great majority of
the people of the county. They rec.
ognize them as the work of few
men to take advantage of the situa.
ton to organize system of legal
pillage, and are not slow to denounce
it accordingly.
Kanawha has always prided her.
self on her public spirit. Again
and again has she voted to subscribe
large sums in aid of railroads under
the management of men who we're
unable to fulfill their pledges. Now
that an enterprise Of merit and sub
stance knocks at her door the great
majority are averse to having it mer-
cilessly skinned.
AS q matterof course the company
will not submit to these awards.
They will either abandon the route
along which such an extortionate
disposition is manifest, or will seek
that redress which is guaranteed
them BY u resort TO the courts.
THE ACTION OF THE COMMISSIONERS
has excited much unfavorable com.
ment, Some Of the land owners are
expressing themselves as anxious to
compromise. 1t is possible that such
concessions may be made and will
close the breach. Last Tuesday was
the day fixed to hear an application
by the R. A. &. 0. c. Co. for the ap.
pointment by the circuit court of
condemnation commissioners in
FAYETTE COUNTY.
1t being understood that the Chesa.
peake and Ohio claimed both sides
of the New river, and had taken out
a special charter for the Greenbrier
and New River Company to occupv
the route proposed to be taken bv
the R. A. d. 0, c. Co., it was suppos.
ed their counsel would resist the ap.
plication. General Thomas Ewing,
Of Ohio, and Messrs. Miller and
Couch, of Charleston, appeared at
Fayetteville before Judge Holt, on
the day named, and on behalf Of the
new railroad applied for the appoint.
meut of Commissioners. No opposi.
tion was made, and happening that
notice had been given to all parties
interested, of the time and place of
the application, and there being no
objection, the application was grant
ed and an order entered appointing
the Commissioners, all Of whom were
prominent and influential citizens
of the county. They at once pro.
cecded to view the route. Having
done SO they made their report as.
sessing the damages at SlO0 per
acre. The report was promptly con.
firmo1 tho rOnnv maid INN no,,..