The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-10-22
Sensational Rumors.

/
been prolific of numberless sensational
rumors, most Of which were the produce
! Of nii:tlned imaginations or an insane
! desire to add fuel TO the flames that pre-
country that several hundred negroes
had gathered at Iron Gate about one
and half miles distant, for the purpose
of raiding Clifton Forge on Sunday
Another rumor was that 81 negroes had
left Iron Mountain for Low Moor, where
with their ranks augmented, they were
to march on this place Another state
ment was that Hinton and Ronceverte
and Buena Vista had each a company
under drill to come to the assistance OF
! the beleaugered city of the mountains;
and other similar rumors sped swift and
! free through the air, disturbing the ner-
vous and causing excitement. None of
these rumors had the least foundation
| in fact. Not only were the negroes OF the
city quiet and orderly, but no unusual
gathering took place at any other point.
Ii anything, ever SINCE the lynching
tragedy the negroes have been seen less
frequentlyon the streets; have remained
at their places OF work at the mines,
and generally have manifested no unu~
sual excitement over the occurrences of
Saturday. Monday night several white
persons. who were on a self imposed
guard duty. in the eastern part Of the
town, installing each other for an enc
my, shot off their pistols several times.
frightening some of the neighbors, but
doing no other damage. Since then sew
eraI quiet negroes have expressed wish
20 leave the place, as they said they did
not feel secure where shooting of that
kind was going on.
1t must be said, for the credit of the
people of the town, that much of the
excitement since the hanging has been
occasioped by two or three e2citable
men, who can see gorgons dire every
where after shutdown, and imagine a
whole legion of devils perambulating
the air when the shadows of night have
obscured the light of day.
Growing out of some of these rumors
was the excitement which caused the
Mayor to telegraph the Governor for
military protection 1t was very un
necessary and totally indefensible re-
qnest, which the Mayor regrets having
made at the instance of others.
So far as is known, there were but five
or six negroes implicated in the disturb
ance OF Saturday, and they were under
the influence Of liquor, and one of whom
particularly bore the character of des-
perate man. Had there been six hun
bred, there would have been no occasion
for inviting the aid of the State, as the
people here are plenty able to take care
of themselves. There has been no unu
sual gatherings and no hostile manifes>
tations on the part Of the negroes, and
no fears are entertained by level~headed
people that there will be.
1t is to be greatly regretted that these
sensational rumors were started 1t is
hard enough for Clifton Forge to bear
the odium of the lynchng, without Civ
ing it to the country that the people
here are q parcel of neryeless, cranky,
panicky creatures, who would run from
their shadows and tumble over in fit
OF fright from purely imaginative causes.
Important Railroad Deal.
1t was stated several weeks ago that
negotiations were pending by which the
Ohio and Mississippi railroad, running
from Cincinnati to St. Louis, would be-
come part of the system of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio Company Since then, it
seems, if such negotiations were ever
under consideration, they have been
broken off, and that instead of the Ches-
apeake and Ohio, the Baltimore and
Ohio has the inside track for the con-
troll of this important road. 1t was sta
ted that such an arrangement had been
contaminated, but it appears that mi
nority of those interested in the Ohio
and Mississippi are not satisfied with the
terms of the deal. There was conten-
whether the arrangement of transfer
of the Ohio and Mississippi to the Bal
timore and Ohio will be finally concu-
ded, cannot now be said Itwould have
been an important achievement if the
Chesapeake and Ohio could have gotten
control of the Ohio and Mississippi and
its connections, embracing over 600 miles
of road and we regret that the informa
ton gotten from the papers is not such
as to encourage such an event The plan
of transfer to the Baltimore and Ohio is
outlined below:
The plan to give control of the Ohio
and Mississippi to the Baltimore and
Ohio, it is said, provides for a CONVEX
sion OF the bonded debt from per
cent. to a A per cent. basis. 1t also Sc
cures adequate funds-at least $$3, 900, :
000-to put the line in first-class order
and provide the needed equipment and
improvements. The Baltimore and Ohio
guarantees the maximum amount of in
terest of $1,100000 per annum. which is
said to be ample to cover the interest on
the new bonds to be issued.
1t is proposed to form new CONTROL
ing company, which, as the name i'm
plies, is designed to control the reorgan-
lzed OHIO and Mississippi Railway. The
capital of this company is to be as fol
lows: Five per cent. first income morris
gage. bonds, $5,S00000 per cent. sec
ond income mortgage bonds, $4,000, 900;
per cent. preferred stock, non-cumu-
lative, $16000,000; common stock, SIS, 600
0oo. TO preferred shareholders it is pro
posed to give $3.50 IN first income
bonds and q per cent. in cash for every
$1,000 of existing per cent. share Of
capital; second, to give to every 81 900
of ordinary share of capital $500 in sec
ond income bonds and $500 of the new
preferred stock.
The ordinary stock OF the control com
pany is to be handed over to the Balti-
more and Ohio, which will then resume
control over the Ohio and Mississippi,
but which, in exchange, guarantees the
interest upon the new issue of A per
cent. mortgage bonds issued to retire
existing bonds and to provide new CAPT
tai for the physical rehabilitation of the
line, A b. g., O. official yesterday said