The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-03-20
LOCAL MATTERS.
The Buckingham Railroad.
MEETING At THE TOBACCO ExcHANGE-sTl

! MEETING At THE TOBACCO EXCHANGE-STTR-
RING SPEECHES BY r. T. HUBBARD AND J. B..
| FICKLEN-RICHMOND CALLED On TO HELP.
On the Sd instant we published the pro-
ceediugS OF the meeting held at New Canton
on the day before for the organization OF
| the Buckingham Railroad Company, and
gave all outline Of the plans and purposes Of
! the company, On yesterday there was a
meeting of the Richmond friends OF the
rO1d at The Tobacco Exchange, at which Mr..
Andrew l.. EIlett presided and Mr.. John
OFT acted rs secretary.
Mr.. X. Il. Hubbard. late OF Buckinghap,
but now resident OF Richmond, was intro
duced to the meeting by the chairman. Mr..
| HUBBARD dwclt upon the fact that The taste
of the world changing, the tobacco pecu-
| liar TO the Buckingham region no longer
| brought the cost Of production, while the
| West could beat Us at our own doors on
wheat and corn as staple crops. That
county had a wealth Of minerals. and the
effort Of the people there had turned in the
direction Of their development. II deycl-
! oped, those continuing IN agricultural pur-
suits would have a home market for their
products. and be thus enabled 10 buy what
Richmond had 10 sell. But this develop
ment could not come about except through
rapid and certain transportation, and the
railway projected is intendedto do this very
thing. Mr. Hubard, at the end Of his ad
dress, which was full of interest. submitted
sundry specimens OF iron and other ores TO
the inspection of the meeting.
Mr.. j. b. Ficklen, member Cf the Gene.
raj Assembly from Buckingham, and vice
president OF the road, was then introduced.
Mr.. Ficklen, in clear, business speech, eX-
planned the position OF his company from lis
charter up TO lis present organization. lie
brought out the fact that this new road, in
connection with the Richmond and Ale
ghany road az New Canton, was virtually
the old Straight-shoOt from Richmond to
Lynchburg. Mr.. FIcklen, in bis argument,
proceeded TO show that the country pene'
trated By the road was rich in all the ele-
ments that build up great States and make
populOuS cities. and dwelt upon the fact
that it was to the market OF Richmond that
this trade must come, and that no man
could prevent il. He said, Stretch out your
arms to the west and TO the South, but don''
forget TIE vast undeveloped wealth within
sixty miles Of your city awaiting the touch
of capital and the means Of trans portatiOn.
Mr.. Ficklen closed by SAYING that "the
iron horse, the rolliug-mill, the furnace, the
ores, the mines, the product OF field and
forest, would do Tor Virginia what the
genius Of Alexander Hamilton had done for
the finances Of the young republic. He
smote the rock Of the national resources, and
abundant streams Of revenue gushed forth.
He touched the dead corpse Of the public
credit, and it sprang upon it, feet"
Mr.. Ficklin desired the moral force that
the endorsement by the city OF Richmond
would give to his scheme abroad, and also
such subscriptions by individuals TO the
capital stock OF the company as lis merits
could secure. \ very moderate amount
would secure success to the enterprise.
J. Hampden Chamberlayne, OF the State,
followed Mr.. Ficklen, and endorsed the
scheme and the man. Said he would help
and take few shares. He very gracefully
alluded to the fact that Mr.. Ficklen. in the
General Assembly, was always the fast
| friend OF Richmond and he was glad, a. q
citizen of Richmond, 10 serve him and his
county.
After some remarks by the chairman, the
following resolutions were offered and
unanimously adopted:
ReS0iCed, That the project Of the build
Ing of the Buckingham railroad commend,
Itself to the encouragement OF the citizens
of Richmond, and it is the sense OF this
meeting that this encouragement should be
extended to 1t.
ReSOlred, That the thanks Of this meet
ing be and are hereby rendered TO Mr..
Ficklen and Mr. Hubard for the interesting
account they gave Of the resources to be
reached and developed by the proposed rail-
road.
1t is understood tha, the repres eniatiyes
of the company will call on our business
men during the coming week in furtherauce
OF the project. They already have the
promised aid of some OF our people.