Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-28
The south Atlantic and Ohio Railroad
Company.

teTeu MATCH ~. lofos
The Bristol Coal and Iron Marrow
Gauge Railroad Company, by its char
ter, became invested with all the rights,
powers, and franchises of the Virginia
and Kentucky division Of the Atlantic,
Mississippi and Ohio Railroad Compa-
ny, which, by acts of the Legislature,
had become possessed of the rights and
franchises belonging to the Virginia and
Tennessee Railroad Company. charter
ed March 3, 1862. Considerable work
was done by this company prior to the
war. After the close of the war moth
ing was done towards the construction
Of the railroad until after the charter of
the Bristol Coal and Iron Narrow
Gauge Railroad Company was granted
by the General Assembly, under the
provisions Of which charter the
Governor was authorized and
directed to furnish to the said COM
pany free Of hire as many of the able
bodied convicts from the penitentiary
as care on hand when applied for, and
can, in his opinion, be spared without
detriment to the State, upon such con-
ditions as to safe-keeping as may in
his opinion be necessary, such conyicts
to be used by said railway company, or
its contractors, in the construction of
the said line of railway" Under the
provisions of this charter in 1879 con-
tract was entered into between Cover
nor Holiday and the railroad company
under which, during his term of office
and that of Governor Cameron, con-
yicts were furnished to the railroad
company upon exactly the same terms
as those now employed by the present
company. In November, 1888, the
financial condition Of the company being
such as to render the further prose-
cution of the work of construction
impracticable, the convicts were
returned to the penitentiary. On
the 18th day Of November, 1885,
satisfactory financial arrangements
having been made with parties possess
ing the necessary capital to build and
equip the road, contract was entered
into between Governor Cameron and
the railroad company, under which it
was stipulated and agreed by the Gov
ernor to furnish s. free Of hire so many
convicts as are not actually employed
in the workshops Of the penitentiary at
manufacturing or mechanical labor, to
be used and employed for the purposes
set forth in the said acts of incorpora-
ton " until the said railroad shall be
COMPLETED. "True and de-
tailed statements Of the expenses OF
maintaining, guarding, clothing, and for
medical attendance shall be, on or be-
fore the l4th day of each month, certi-
fed by the president of the railroad
company to the Governor, through the
Superintendent Of the Penitentiary, who
shall endorse his approval Of the same,
and the amount thus expended and APP
proved shall be paid by the Auditor Of
Public Accounts to the president
of the said railroad company upon
the requisition of the Governor, but
the cost to the State ofsuch maintenance,
guarding, clothing, and medical at
tendance shall not exceed the cost of
maintenance, guarding, clothing, and
medical attendance per day per capita
Of convicts in the penitentiary.
And all excess over this amount shall
be paid by the said railroad company"
In compliance with the conditions of this
contract a statement of the expenses
of maintenance, &C., Of the convicts en-
ployed upon said railroad for the month
of December was prepared and certified
to the Governor as provided in said
contract. This is in accordance with
the acts of the General Assembly ap-
proved March q, 1877, and February
90, 1873.
Under the provisions Of the above
contract one hundred and fifty convicts,
who had long been idle, have been fur
nished to the railroad company, and
are at the present time at work con-
structing the road. In addition to this
force of convicts over one hundred and
fifty free laborers are, and have been
for several months, employed upon the
road. The heaviest grading for forty
miles has been done /; the masonry for
the bridges has been constructed. A
contract has been made by the COM
pany with responsible parties for the
entire line from Bristol-G oodson to
Estilleville, in Scott county, TO be COM.
pleted and fully equipped and in actual
operation before the first day of Sep
lember, 1886.
The contractors have expended al.
ready many thousand dollars on the |
work. They have made contracts for |
1 large amount of timber and ties to |
be delivered, and which are now being
cut and delivered, the cost of which
aggregates q very large sum. Nego.
'iations are now pending for the pur.
,base Of steel rails, locomotives, and |
,ars for the line. This contract for
he construction Of the road was made
md entered into and is being carried |
'ut in good faith by the contractors, I
hey relying upon the provisions con-
aimed in the charter Of incorporation
md the amendments thereto that they
would not be interfere with. The
epeal or alteration of the charter,
which would act to the injury of the
would impair the obligation
II the contract between the contractor.
md the railroad company and cause
cessation of the work, and entail great
oss upon both the company and the
f2t3 % iaiaif
The line Of this road runs from Bris-
ol-Goodson, Va, through the counties
4 Scott, Lee, and Wise, and would be
Ised a. means Of transportation By
everal other counties beyond. Unlim. |
ted quantities of the finest and most
aluable varieties Of timber, now with
ut value, would DO brought to market |
yer this road. The coal, IRON, and |
,arble-deposits along the liue are |
imply inexhsustibls. No railroad pro- |
scted In this State would do Is much
D increase the valuation and revenues |
{ the State as this. CONSIDERING al |
aess features, the question u, viii the |
BY taking away a import