Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-29
TO THE EDITOR.
An EARNEST APPEAL FROM sourHsrpE
vIserHIA.
The Richmond and North Carolina Railroad
and the Extension Of
It's Charter.
LAwRrNcEvILLx, Va, Jan. 90, 1883.

ment OF the c0lored man, when il ceased
to DO known IN the geographical division
oil the State by its ancient and natural
designation of Southside Virginia and
was derislvely christened with the new
and unenviable appellstion OF "rhe
Black Belt" these people have had all
manner of ills and hsrdships to bear :;
their rights and their interests appear TO
have been studiously ignored, and in nu-
merous instances 10 have been practical
~ denied. During all this time, with the
exception OF the brief period when re-
adjustment was living issue in the poll
tics of the State, the white people of the
Black Belt " have, despite the treat
ment they have received, with no other
incentive than high and noble devotion
to principle, been true and loyal to the
Democratic standard, and 10y their
votes have contributed in small
degree 10 those grand victories that
have rescued and redeemed tine
State ; and IN 1884 the gallant aud I'M
broken front presented by the Democracy
of the Fourth congressional district saved
the State to Cleveland and preserved in
tact the sohdity of the South. While
the strength OF their "Cood night arms 1"
has been felt with decisive effectin State
contests, tho white people OF this section
have been pOwerloss TO fight successfully
their battles for local supremacy. The
odds against them have been too great,
aud thus with rare and notable exceptions
have been unable TO elect either 10 the
Senate or House of Delegates the men of
their choice, wherefore as TO many mat
tiers of legislation vital to their best in-
terests they have been practically with
ont representation III either branch of
the Legislature. In our forlorn and
powerless condition, it does seem that
the members of the Legislature from
other sections Of the State moro favored
by fortune than this, ms recognition of
past services, In q spirit Of generous APP
probation and sympathy, would take
our interests under their special guard
ianship and protection, ana de
mand for this section that fair
and just treatment that We are
impotent TO exact for it, In this We
have been most sadly and bitterly disap-
pointed Our dearest and most vital in
terests are ignored, and deaf car is
turned to our paintive appeals for relief
from wrongs that are sapplng our mate
rial prosperity to their very foundation.
This tram of thought is suggested by the
recent action of the Senate Committee
on Roads and Internal Navigation IN fa-
vorably reporting bill granting an ex-
tension of charter to the Richmond and
of
the most strenuous opposition on the
part of tho municipal authorities OF the
city of Petersburg and of the people Of
the counties through which 1t is proposed
70 construct the road.
This road is a matter of vital import
ance 10 Petersburg aud Dinwiddle,
Brunswick, and Mecklenburg counties.
The people of that city and OF each OF
the counties named are unanimously IN
favor OF its speedy completion; but at
the same time they are also unanimous
" opposed to an extension OF ITS charter
unless the extension is coupled with
a sufficient guarantee that the com
pany will complete it within the period
Of extension. Why. it may be
asked, is there this great opposition to an
extension Of the charter ? Does 1t not
seem paradoxical that a community
whose every material interest IS de
pendent upon the completion OF a line OF
road should interpose objections to an
extension of its charter necessary (as IS
claimed) to enable the company to bulld
it? The answer is PLAN. These people
whose interests are 80 deeply at stake
know full well that the object In asking
the extension is not 10 get time to build,
but rather to enable the company to
play "dog in the m0nger, and neither
complete it themselves nor permit
charter TO be granted to other parties
who could and wOnld do so. 1T may be
asked what evidence can be adduced IN
proof that the present company has no
intention OF completing the road ? The
answer is that this same company was
before the Legislature two years ago ask
ing an extension of its charter. The
representatives of the company then gave
10 members OF the. Legislature who
were opposed to an extension OF
its charter the most positive and
solemn assurance that the extension
was only asked to obtain sufficient time
TO complete the road, which would I'M
Questionably be done within the time
asked for. Opposition was thus IN
great measure silenced, and the charter
was extended. How has the company
kept faith with the members whose votes
were obtained or whose opposition was
silenced by its plausible assurances and
promises ? Has the road been com
pleted No; and so far from 1t not
shovel OF dirt has been thrown and not
a hex of work of any kind has been
done towards it since the Legislature
deceived by fair promises, was duped mo
granting the extension asked by the COM
pany. And more than this the company
hassold a controlling interest IN their pro
;ected road TO competing parallel road
Itbe Atlantic Coast Line), whose sole
nurpose in buying such controlling IN
terest was 10 prevent the completion OF
the Richmond and North Carolina rall-
rosd. knowing full well that with com.
netting line such as the last-named ROAD
will be when completed tho Attain
&c Coast Line could no longer
maintain the naughty, shti-necked'
and dlctatorial attitude 1t now
maintains towards It's patrons, and that
1reicbts would be so reduced IN conse-
ouence that tho farmers OF this section
Yonld not be obliged, as a matter OF
economy, TO patronize road-wagons over
our winter roads a distance OF from NIT,
% seventy miles, rather than be extorted
mon by the Coast Line. An extension
81 charter 10 the Richmond and North
Garolina railroad without guarantee oil
Good faith means simply this, and no
.h;ng more: That it gives TO the
Atlantic Coast Line an additional period
during which it may extort al h6it,im
,,non the necessities of people who have
M other means OF communication with
The market, except by wagon, which the
coodition of our roads during winter
almost entirely precludes. Can 1t be that
sha I'eoislatnre of Virginia, with the
tacts before it, will subsidIze the best IN
terests of large section OF the STATE 70
the sordid greed and selfish purposes Oh
a. arrogant and insolent corporation
COMPOSED for the most part OF non'resi-
dents by giving it a new lease upon me
without at the same time exactlng SUI
"'Nh~N~ cNOI fifth HOr