Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-02-14
RICHMOND LETTER.
RICHMOND, Feb. 11th, 1896

While business genera. ly is rather
dull here just now, we are looking
forward to a season of great pros
perity in the near future, from the
fact that the Chesapeake & Ohio
will soon commence the building of
one ofthe finest and largest depot
in the country at an estimated cost
of about two millions of dollars.
The Southern R. R. Co. too is con-
tempIating building ola new Pass
enger Depot and it is hoped that
by the time spring fairly opens both
of'these big Improvements will be
we'll under way. This means work
for hundreds of men. The anti
gambling and horse race betting
bill called the Maupi1 bill, was
passed in the House of Delegates by
a large majority, your Delegate, Mr.
Sager voting for it, we'll done!
The HERALD IN last week 8 issue,
speaking of tie economical manage
ment OF the Penitentlary might
Justly have given the credit for 1t to
the Board of Directors, for they
really so far as the financial and
business part Of the management is
concerned are the controllingpower.
They make the contracts and they
manage the expenditures and all
business transactions. But really
the increased revenue to tbs State
for the last twelve month, was sim.
ply and solely due to the fact that
the Davis Shoe Company requl cd
more hands and Of course paid for
them, if next month their business
should fall off and they would turn
back a hundred or more conyicts of
course, the State would not draw
quite so large an amount for hire.
The Superintendent has no agency
whatever in the matter, no more
than the man in the moon, all he has
to do is to furnish whatever number
of men the Board orders him to
supply, and which has been con-
tracted for between the Board and
the Contractors. By all means
should the members Of the Legs.
lature who have friends among the
guards at the Penitentiary adopt
the suggestion made by the Presi-
dent Of the Board and mentioned in
my last and deprive the Suporinten-
dent Of the power of removal Of
the guard without approval Of the
Board, the men then could not be
used as electioneering machines in
the interest of the Superintendent,
and the service would be impr we'd.
This and other matters that should
engage the serious attention Of the
committee, they would find ample
room for reform. 1t is already
rumored that as soon as the Legis
lature adJourns several of the guard;
will be summarily discharged not
because of any neglect Of duty but
because of personal spite. And
DOW as the Legislature is inclino
tc cut down expenses here is thu
place to begin. The salary il
900 per year with house, fuel
water andlights free, besides ser
wants and other "perauisites.' Yol
can find a number of good ACTIVE
real business men to take thu
place for $1OOO-and glad to get 1t
Let the members think ofthis. An'
also while the different InSuranc
bills are under consideration le
them choose we'll and consider tht
best for the interests Of the peopl
aud not altogether for the companie
be they home companies or not Tn
Insurance Companies through thel
agents are hard at work among tL
members of the Legislature. Viii
the peoples side be represented?
INCREMENT.