Year: 1874

Last week we published merely
the resolution of the Committee on
Roads &C., as a substitute for Mr..
Richmond's bill. We publish,
herewith, this week, the preamble
and also reproduce the resolutions.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.


The COmmitte on Roads submitted
the following substitute for Mr.. Rich
mond's resolution proposing to ill.,
srruct General Malone to commence
the construction of the Cumberland
Gap extension by the 10th of May,
next:


WHEREAS, The leading object of
the act of the General Assembly of
Virginia, authorizing the formation of
The Virginia and Kentucky Railroad
Company, was to secure Il connection
of our Virginia railway system with
the railway system of Kentucky, at
Cumberland Gap, and whereas by the
terms of such act of assembly, a sub
scription on the part of the Common
wealth for three-fifths of two millions
i've hundred thousand dollars, equal
to fifteen hundred thousand dollars, as
authorized on the expressed condition,
that if shall not be made, in whole or
in part, until the Board of Public


Works shall be satisfied that steps
have been taken, which shall insure
the construction of railroad through
the State of Kentucky 10 connect with
said road at Cumberland Cap" the
Legislature thereby asserting that the
State did not intend to contribute of
her means towards (if to authUriZe) the
construction of such work as a local
road but for the purpose of eflecting
connection of her railway system


with that of Ken tucky; and whereas
the right and obligation to construct
such road, on the part of the Atlantic,


Mississippi and Ohio Railroad Com
pany are none other than such as
vested under and by the act of the 3rd
of March, 1888, Incorporating the Nir-
ginia and Kentucky Railroad Compa-
ny; and whereas il appears that the
said Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio
Railroad Company have made every
reasonable effort to secure the guaran-
ty of q connection of their road with
the railway system of Kentucky point
ing to Cumberland Gap, in cOnformi-
ty with the design of the act OF as
semby aforesaid and whereas it
further appears that the said Atlantic,


Mississippi and Ohio Railroad Com
paDy did promptly institute the ne
cessary measures for building, and did
negotiate means to build the said road
on that estimate of its cost which had
been taken as sufficient for that pur-
puse, in making up and prescribing
the amount of bonds, which the said
company was authorized by its char
ter to issue, in order to cover the in
debtedness of the Norfolk and Peters
burg, the Southside, and the Virginia
and Tennessee roads consolidated into
the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio
Railroad Company, and the cost of
their repair, restoration and equip
ments, and the construction of said
work 1T Cumberland Gap as well =; and
whereas, it further appears that a due
proportion of the bonds, so authorized
to be issued, has been set aside, and is
now held by the Atlantic, Mississippi
and Ohio Railroad Company for the
construction of the said extension to
Cumberland Gap; and. whereas, ii ap-
pears that the cost OF the construction
of the said work as ascertalned upon
the most eligible location of the said
road actually exceeds by about two
and one half millions of dollars that
estimated cost on which the under
taking was based and whereas, unless
there be a diversion of bonds appro-
priated by the law to aid other pur-
poses there remains no other resource
for the supply of such deficiency than
the nett revenue of the Atlantic, NJ is
sissippi and Ohio Railroad Company's
completed road from Norfolk to Bris-
tOl, which revenues, as il fully appears,
are not sufficient to furnish any mate
rial part Of such deficiency aud,
whereas, it is shown attractive as may
be the resources of the country local
to the line of said work that they are
not of sufficient magnitude TO justify
the outlay of money such work would
involve, and that the cost of operating
such work based upon the service re-
ouired to accommodate the local busi-
ness of such section would largely eX-
coed the gross revenue of the same
from the business of such section, and
email a very heavy loss on the said
company and, whereas, to begin the
construction of such work before that
guaranty of connection with the
kentucky system OF railroads at Cum
berland Gap is rightly and definitely
assured, or before the nett revenues OF
the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio
Railroad Company shall be sufficient
to make up the deficit reqIired to COM
plete the said work, would net only be
unwise and unauthorized, bat at once
imperil the very safety OF the Attain
tie. Mississippi and Ohio Railroad
Company, and, Of consequence, en-