Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-09-23
sTAUNToN VA, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2s 1897

of my hands and also that Of Gen.
Michener's to H. Hutchinson. without
any explanation whatever. After the
time and money I had spent in the
matter without one cent of compensa-
tion from any source whatever. l am
peremptorily asked to step down and
out. In reply to this. I wrote under
date of May 6, 1895, stating the case in
as few words as possible; also my
views as to the justice of this matter
toward Gen. Michener and myself and
the interests of the railroad. To this
l received no response. In July, 1895,
I received a telegram from the Com
missioner of Indian Affairs granting
me leave of absence for 80 days; also
a message that my expenses would be
borne by the parties interested In the
railroad. I arranged my affairs and
started for the east on August 9Th. On
my arrival was asked for all the
maps, profiles, reports, etc., of the
Staunton and West Virginia Railroad
surveys, as il was the property of the
Chamber of Commerce who had en-
pleFed me to make the survey. / had
never looked upon the matter in that
light. I was informed that other par
ties were ready to take the enterprise.
expressed my desire to cooperate in
any manner to expedite the work.
After making two trips to Philadel-
phia, spending my time either on the
road or some place waiting for advice
as to where could see the parties in
terested in this matter. l succeeded
in meeting M. g. B. Diller, the party
who proposed in behalf of his syndi-
cate to put up the money for expenses
on the trip. He promptly gave me a
check for 5000. We then discussed the
topography of the country along the
proposed route. During this conver-
sation [ soon discovered his wishes as
to the direction Of the line he was
most interested in. I frankly told him
his ideas were not practical-that the
route he proposed could not be built
on basis of trunk line road, that |
the grades would be beyond the reach |
of successful through freight railroad |
ing, etc. I carefully explained to him
the difference in the two routes, also |
the ultimate results of maintenance, |
etc., all of which he, to great extent,
acquiesced in. He explained that his
people had large coal interests as well
as other interests in W. Va. and that
they must be protected. To all this
there was solutions: Construct the
Staunton & West Va. R. r. as a trunk |
line, then use feeders to the coal fields,
utilizing roads already constructed, |
and in contemplation, in all about |
1000 miles of survey lines. The CONVEX
versation was entirely satisfactory, and
he named time convenient to him
self when he could meet me- in Wash
ington and should name an annual
salary for which I would take charge
of all the engineering as chief engi-
neer, utilizing all the acquired infor-
nation as to routes, lands, and all in
terests pertaining to the road fully
without reserve, provided the other
members of the charter agreed to the
proposition.
l met him in Washington, d. c., in
the presence of other gentlemen, and
I recounted the fact that had already
spent over two years on the work with
out any compensation-that l had
spent over $4,000 in actual. necessary
expenses-that was drawing at the
time salary from the Government of
| So, 500 per annum, and that the respon-
sibility of one Thousand miles of rail
way was worth salary of $1,000 for
the first year; the first engagement to
be not less than one year, and that the
money handed me would, in the event
my services were accepted. would be
credited to my salary as SO much ad-
vanced. This he took under advise
ment, and promised to let me hear
from him inside of two years. Not
hearing from him 1 returned to my
duty as Superintendent of Irrigation
and Special Disbursing Agent for the
U. 8.
| The next report from railroad mat
ters is copy of the amended bill of
the charter of the Staunton and West
Virginia K. r., with my name stricken
from the charter, with the comment
"a matter Of small consequence aoho
partiuipates in the preliminary organ
azatioaa, bat important that 1t should
not again be delayed as hereto fore. -
All this after the time and money I
have spent and the work / have done
for over two years-this, say, coming
from the very men who hardly turned
around in their chairs to give me an
audience when returned from work.
| ing for days of continuous labor for the
enterprise Was 1 expected to resign
a 50, 500 position to take charge of a
thousand miles Of surveys, and work
not less than one year for nothing, to
subsist on scenery and the consolation
that my friends were ready to stab me
in the back the very first opportunity
presented? This being the condition
of affairs it is not pleasant to eontem-
plate, but will not allow my personal
feelings to stand in the way of lending
la helping hand toward a matter in
which we all have a common interest.
Referring to the above mentioned sur.
vey and report around which appears
to be considerable misapprehension