Newspaper Page Text
THEi aTLANTA WEEKLY SUN, FOR THE WEEK ENDING AUGUST 14, 1872.
mm? v rny A ATT A CTTV gether prevent such results, and g-parti-
-ulX JuAiN X A. O U flnvprnor would OllCOtU
The Majority Report on the State Road
liemc—No. 6.
zan Governor would encourage them to
retain power.
rors, and every man can see them and
put his linger on them. There are the
one-sided snmmiDg up, the misquota-
good order and fully equipped,
t,,., ^ .. . - will always do the business neeucmoi
. Rl,!ors CwisUKdioii: There) are periods J™ l and connec ting roads. In
m every public man s life, when if he I of the state) the road was of-
would really serve the people, he must; - dange roas conditions, and block-
hazard lumself. Prejudices must often ^ f ent> Tbe effect was felt
•be resisted if benefit would be accom-; “S overthe state. In the hands of a
plisbed. He must often, politically bear h of traders in one locality, it would
the curses of those whom he would save | „„„„ tn nrn A n n* these blockades
from the evil consequences of their own
iollies. In free countries the most strik
ing illustrations of these truths are fur-
2 The road will always be kept in tions of law, and the mis-statements and
- - — ■ * — J Thus it >nntniitinnR nf the endenee) Von can
nished. It is easier to flatter people
than to admonish them, and a hundred
public meu will do the first to one who
will dare the last.
Men whose post offices in the perilous
months succeeding the war were Paris or
the Alps, or “Hollow Log,’' now, that
the dangers are past, claim to be the on
ly heroes ready to “defend the old Com
monwealth, " to serve tue “dear people,”
and to “die for principle."
Men who did not lift a finger to save
the State Road from utter loss, now
come forward with booming tongue-
artillery fired from pocket breastworks,
to denounce and punish the **'plunderers”
who did. Their only fit picture is “dem-
Agogueism illustrated.”
When the swarm of consuming car-
pet-bag locusts took possession of the
Southern State governments under the
reconstruction invasion, they turned
their greedy-leering eyes npou every
thing valuable left iu this desolated laud.
Finding bat little left to the present
generation, they commenced issuing
bonds to fix a lien on the labor of fu
ture generations. We were poor, and
most be burdened that oar children and
our children's children might be kept
poor. The richest public prize—open
for seizure—lying between the Potomac
and the Rio Grande, was this same West
ern and Atlantic Railroad. From the
beginning some of us quietly took the
position of sentinels, and watched the
approach of the spoiler. After two
years of its depletion, at last the move
ment for its final appropriation was
made in the shape of a bill to sell the
road, to be paid for in the spoiles’r own
bonds. The government was in the
hands of those who desired to take. The
•odds were great, and the fight must be
gallant, but a small minority of true and
noble Democrats, under the lead of the
fearless Scot!, made a manly stand for
the struggle.
After a full survey of the field, the
plan of defense adopted was, to bring
forward the bill to lease; ana thus to save
•the road, put it beyond the power of
future plunder or seizure, and make it a
source of income to the State.
Fortunately there were Republicans in
the Legislature who were also Georgians.
These nobly abandoned the ranks or the
enemy, joined tbe Democrats, and thus
secured victory by the passage of the
bill to lease as a substitute to the bill to
sell.
The annals of State legislation do not
furnish an instance wherein so much was
so well, so nobly done, under circum
stances of such adverse surroundings;
and if those who did it never do more,
they are still entitled to a life-time ot
honor and gratitude from the people of
-Georma.
Th^me.mbers of the Legislature who
passed the. act could not become mem
bers of a company to make sure the
proper execution of the contract. This
much had to be done by others. The
air was full of rumors of combinations
to secure the use of the road by those
who eould not secure the road itself, or,
■of a determination not to lease the road
at nil, nut to keep it for spoil, while the
spoiler rnled.
Now let the reader examine, with an
honest, fair mind, the evidence taken
before tbe Legislative Committee, and
he cannot fail to see how and by whom
these purposes were defeated, and how
a safe, fair and reliable contract of lease
was secured—indeed forced. If the rua
jority of the committee had based their
charge of unfairness on the ground that
Governor Bullock was forced against his
will, instead of was bought, to make the
lease, they would have found it unnec
essary to mutilate either the law or the
evidence to sustain the charge with, at
least, a very plausible argument. There
are certainly many of us who can truly
say we asked no favors of Governor Bol
lock, and to him are under no obliga
tions. True, as a feeling of -preference,
the company was not composed alto
gether to suit us best. But, as a matter
of business success, a combination to
harmonize conflicting interest and to
counteract the damaging effects of con
templated lines, and thus preserve the
value of this great State property,
it would be impossible to form
now a better company. Most certainly
nothing could more surely destroy the
harmony oi management, and the power
of the company to avert inimical com
petition, ana tints destroy the value of
the road, both to the State and lessees,
than to exclude some who, politically,
are hated, and included others who claim
to embody iu themselves an exclusive
patent of patriotism and wisdom. Still,
as has several times been more than
hinted to ns, such exclusion and i elus
ion—such reconstruction—would harmon
ize all opposition. Wo would like the
harmony, nut the price is too “unfair,”
- and the dangers too great.
And now indulge me with a few words
on the merits of tue lease and the char
acter of the opposition to it. There are
wree results from this lease, neither one
of which can be denied, and either one
of which ought to put its propriety and
State beyond discussion.
1. The lease takes the road out of pol
itics. I see from a certain memorial
• and some anonymous articles, that this
result is denied because some of the les
sees are politicians! Well, he must be
stupid beyond the ass who cannot see,
or deceitful beyond the fox, wbo will
pretend to conceal the difference between
politics and politicians. A man’s bouse
saay belong to a politician, but is his
house, therefore, in politics ? But I am
writing to honest, fair-minded people,
the ass or the fox tribe.
Who does m b know + l'afc this road has
been always used as a political y-,
more or less, by whatever party had the
power^ in the State ? Wno does not
y know it h:i3 controlled elections ? Who
’ ii does not know it has had three times the
t number of employees needed, especially
1 tt\just before elections ? Who can estimate
~ irruption with which it has festered
end to the other ? It has been
ore ou the political morals of
renty years, some times
£ than at others. No
could alto-
v
be very easy to produce these blockades
to order. Such lessees could fill up their
now stores, and then have a blockade and
exact enormous prices. In this way such
lessees could afford to pay an unusually
high rental In the present hands equal
justice and prompt delivery of freight to
all, and safe travel for all, are the only
interests of the company.
3. The State run this road, after it was
built, over twenty years. The loss in ex
penses over receipts exceeded two mil
lions of dollars. The receipts under the
lease will be, principal, six millions of
dollars; add interest on tbe monthly pay
ments, and the receipts exceed ten mil
lions of dollars; expenses, nothing; cor
ruption, nothing; speculative favoritism,
nothing.
Thus, twenty years under the lease is
better for the State by over twelve mil
lions of dollars than twenty years not
under the lease.
He most be a during invader ot public
interests and public opinion who would
disturb this lease in the face of such re
sults.
With such patriotism in the passage of
the lease act; with such fairnes- in pro
curing the lease contract, and with such
advantages to the State iu the operations
of the lease, how does it happen that so
much “noise and confusion” have been
made about it ? I will tell you.
Another company made a bid. In
preparing their bid they (seemed to pay
but little attention to tbe law, and much
special attention to Blodgett and Bul
lock. They thought the result depend
ed more on these two officials than pn
the law. They gave the first a large in
terest—pressed it on him—and author
ized him to offer Bollock’s friends, as
Bullock mivht suggest, an interest of
two hundred thousand dollars. With such
shrewd work how could they fail? JBut
they did fail. There were fortunate pro
visions which wise men had pnt in the
act which rendered Bullock unable to
do as he pleased. The disappointment
was terrible, and to this day, the bewil
dered creatures don’t seem to under
stand it! I will tell them the true and
only secret of their failure: While they
were going to Blodgett and fixing up to
get control of Blodgett and Bullock, the
present company were complying with
the law, were relying on the checks on
Bullock provided in the act, and were
putting themselves in condition to defy
Bullock and compel him to accept the
only legal bid made!
I do not desire to do injustice to this
Seago-Blodgett Company. The evidence
fully warrants the following statements,
and puts them beyond dispute:
1. This Seago Company did give Blod
gett a large interest solely and expressly
to get the benefit of his supposed influ
ence over Bullock.
2. They did authorize Blodgett to say
to Bullock, that his friends could also have
an interest of two hundred thousand
dollars. All this expressly to secure the
lease!' *' ****** V! /. r
3. Bullock did assure' tHom, through
Blodgett, they should have the lease if
they furnished the security. See testimo
ny of McNaught, Dobbins and Blodgett,
What was this but an attempt to se-
our^ the lease by offering Stale officials an
interest in the lease—the most odious
form of bribery?
Yet, this company employed distin
guished lawyers, who for large contin
gent fees, have been filling the air with
charges of fraud against the lessees;
have been blustering in bar rooms,
around hotels and on the streets and rail
road cars, and filling newspapers with
anonymous dissertations on law, and all
under pretense of serving the “dear peo
ple.” These are the adjulators of this
majority report and, are now daily whin
ing around members of tbe Legislature
to induce the chosen representatives of
the people to give effect, and thereby
become parties to this attempt to bribe
State officials / Was such a spectacle ever
before exhibited ? There is nothing in
tbe history of earpet-bagism to equal it
Will they, can they get one vote ?
Anil what is the pretext ? Why, that
they offered a larger rental 1 That is,
that the State is asked to ratify a bargain
with her own officials, or pay ! But
would it even pay ? Mr. Dobbins plain
ly says the Road was to be run for a time,
and if it did not pay, the legislature was
to be asked to reduce the rental, or take
back the road. Mr. Blodgett says they
were to run no risas, and if the road did
not pay they were to throw it back on
the State. And these are the people who
are prating about the “poor widows and
orphans” of the State !
Bullock was compailed to lease or not
lease. If he did not lease he v/ould have
kept the road at a cost of a million of
dollars per annum to the people. Was
this fair? This meant impeachment,
and we told him so. If he leased, he
wa3 compelled to accept the bid of the
present company for it was the only legal
bid made. He desired to lease to the
Seago company, but could not. If he
could not have done otherwise than he
did do, where is the unfairness ?
As long as the slandeis upon the les
sees were confined to this Seago-Blodg
ett Company and their paid counsel and
anonymous writers, I cared nothing for
them. But when their slanders find ex
pression in the official report of a com
mittee of the Legislature, the time ar
rived to dissect the report and expose
its errors, and this is the justification of
this review.
I feel that I am incapable of doing in
tentional injustice even to an enemy. I
certainly could not to a friend. The
gentlemen who sign this majority report
are my friends. Judge Reese I have long
known, and known him only to respect
him. Mr. Pierce bears a name I have
ucen taught, from my eriicrt Hsnincr
to love acd revere, and no man could
wish him a more brilliant future than
-ir-'-- IZcatii. N therland and Hud
son I have known but partially, but cer
tainly only agreeably. I have never
doubted their integrity, ability or patri
otism. But these four gentlemen have
committed a great bluuder, which, un
exposed, would inflict a grievous injus
tice, which none would ultimately regret
more than themselves.
I have written this review “more in
sorrow than in auger.” I would gladly
correct any possible mistake. But I
cannot be mistaken. Tlitre are the er-
mutilations of the evidence! You can
see them with your eyes, and count them
on your fingers. Judge Story repudiates
their report of his law; Capt. White re
pudiates their report of his evidence; and
our own Supreme Court repudiates the
authority of their legal anonymous myth.
What ought these gentlemen to do? To
deny, is folly. To defend is
impossible. To justify, is to con
fess intentional guilt. Nor can noisy de
clamation about Kimball and Bollock
avail even to palliate. The great truth
is that the day this lease was signed,
KimbaWs power began to wgne and Bul
lock's reign began to end! This was in
tended to be, and is, the glory of the
lease—though some, I concede’, did not
at the time so see it. Bullock’s posses
sion of this road cost the State a second
reconstruction, and his loss of the road
saved the State a third reconstruction.
That “wining and dining” at a memora
ble feast, at which some feasted more on
hope and purpose than meat and drink,
was the iast of the carpet-bag revels in
Georgia.
Now, gentlemen, there is but one
course left you. Tlie highest type of a
true man is ho who confesses his error.
The highest type of a brave man is he
who repairs a wrong. Show yourselves
both by voting against your report!
Do this, and 1 pledge you now I will
transfer my interest in the lease to you,
if you do not, in the near future, lift
your hats to me for having written these
articles. Benj. H. Hill.
(Communicated.)
The Greeley, Cincinnati, Baltimore anil
Atlanta Conventions — The Radical’s
Nest—Its Egg—Its Incubators — Who
They were, and how They Performed.
Editors Daily Sun: “ When Demades,
the orator, by tricks, devices, &c., stu
diously sought throughout his whole ad
ministration, to please the Macedonians,
and Autipater had gained great author
ity in Athens, he often found himself,
by reason of this complaisance” and syco
phancy, “obliged to propose laws and
make speeches injurious to the dignity,
virtue and honor of his country.”
He used to say ho was excusable be-'
cause he came to the helm when the
commonwealth was no more than a
wreck. This assertion, which in him
was unwarrantable, because untrue, was
nevertheless true enough, when applied
to the administration of Phocion, for
Demades was the very man who had
wrecked his country. And Antipater
did not scruple to say of him, when he
had grown old, “That he was like a sac
rificed beast — all consumed except his
tongue and his paunch.”
The foregoing caustic declarations of
the eminent Biographer and Historian—
Plutarch—is pregnant with interest and
instruction when viewed from any stand
point of truth, and applied to the work
ings and inevitable results of the late
Radical, Greeiev, or qnasi Democratic
Gonven.ions in Cincinnati, Baltimore or
Atlanta.
This strange medley, mixture or her
maphroditic compound, called,variously.
Democratic or .Liberal Republican—as
occasion might require—brings promin
ently into view two grand ideas, or sys
tems of ideas, each worthy of the closest
attention capable of being bestowed by
philosopher, patriot or statesman upon
sublunary matters.
First, to demonstrate that heteroge
nous political elements—such as have
no affinity for each other in nature, (as
water and oil), can readily be made to
unite, and form a compound or other
mixture, unique, grotesque, loathesome,
repugnant and forbidding in the ex
treme.
Secondly, the means and appliances,
whereby this stupendous object has been
attempted to be effected.
And last, but not least, the master
spirits.
The Scientists, the Alchemists and In
cubators, engaged in this felicitous under
taking, those who had the grasp of intel
lect to conceive, the strength of nerve to
endure, the artistic skill to procreate and
bring into existence, that strange mon
atrocity now offered to the Democratic
masses of Georgia, as their legitimate
progeny,
And now, Messrs. Editors, to enable
your readers to clearly understand, and
appreciate the mystic means and appli
ances, utilized, in solving the above
problem, it is necessary to take a retro
spective view of the past three months;
and to begin, “there was a time on a day
in the past month of May,” when in a
certain city of the West, might have been
seen gathered together in one grand
omnium gatherum, a choice and select
lot of spirits, composed of miscreants,
scalawags, carpet-baggers, renegades,
apostates and a very precious few of re
spectable seceders from the Radical
ranks, animated mainly by one common
object, viz: hunger fen' office and the des
truction of Democratic principles.
It was here in that Grand Conventicle,
that one Hulbert—whose only notoriecy
consists in his capacity tor manipulating
ballot boxes in Georgia in tbe days ante
cedent to Bullock’s and Terry’s reign,
laid or let an egg, known as the Greeley
egg, which was adopted by that body as
something embodying the embryo of a
new political organization, which was to
sweep the country and astonish the
world. This egg was by them deposit
ed in a sequestered nest, in or near the
classic banks of the Ohio, as is the cus
tom with the turtle and others of the
Saurian tribes, on such occasions. And
as guards for this precious deposit
seemed necessary, it was eminently
proper that they should be selected with
an eye to so distinguished a service.
Ere long the task is accomplished, and
the incubation process progresses rapid
Ivr V»Tlt filO notlVii ii i fv nf 4-V» rv nlimofa
work of slaughtering the Democracy in
the house of its pretended friends.
She is thus made to cajole the Radical
guards, and take into her sacred care
and keeping this bad Radical egg so laid
by Hulbert.
But pitiful as all of this is and was,
the most pitiful of all little and pitiful
things yet remains to be told, viz: the
Southern delegates, composed of Gener
als and high civilians and gentlemen in
high walks of life, are either made to
vote for for, or sit by, and in silence per
mit the passage, with their seeming as
sent, of the 10th item or plank in this
most wonderfully Liberal Republican
Platform,which is in the following words,
to-wit:
“We remember with gratitude, the heroism and
sacrifices ot the Boldiers and sailors of tne Repub
lic, and no act of ours shall ever detract from their
justly earned fame, or the full reward of their pa
triotism.*’
All this, without even so much as a re
monstrance or protest. * Oh! shame,
shame, where is thy blush? Why all
this stultification, debasement and deg
radation? Georgians, it is theirs now;
when you ratify at the ballot boxes, it
will be yours.
Either one or both of the following
propositions is, or are, true: That they
were conscientious and sincere in this
declaration, and therefore, untrue to the
memory of the gallant Confederate dead;
or the declaration was false, and inserted
merely to deceive and mislead the
Northern masses. If this was the object,
they but deceive themselves, for the hon
est- masses will believe no such stuff,
at the North, and will only stand
aghast at such stupendous folly
and self debauchment.
Then why this damning degradation to
serve the Radical party? Do the honest
soldiers, even of tbe North demand it ?
or the Northern masses, in their return
ing sense of justice to themselves, and
to their down-fcrodden and oppressed fel
low-citizens of the South, demand it ?
Nay, none but the Radical leaders them
selves, and they, too, while they might
smile and s emingly approve the syco
phancy, would turn away from, spurn
and spit upon its abject authors.
But the humiliating scene stops not
here. They pledge themselves in the
last clause of the 2d plank in the plat
form to oppose all future arrangement of
past Radical usurpations—thus going
over to the Radical Chief, as well as his
principles, and giving in their adhesion
to Mr. Greeley’s extreme views of the
character of the Government, and oblit
erating at one fell stroke the last vestige
of State rights, except as may be granted
to the States as acts of grace, by the
central power. And the reader may well
ask in all seriousness, why all this ? Of
course neither the Babylonish Garment,
tne Sheckles of Silver, the Golden
Wedge of Achan, nor that moral lepro
sy, known as the Office Rot, had aught
to do with it; but Patriotism, pure, sim
ple, and undefiled, called for the sacri
fice.
And now, Messrs. Editors, the. scene
in the tragic-comedy is shifted from Balti
more to Atlanta; and the ghost of De
mocracy, like Caesar’s at PhilJipi, mast
needs meet her slayers there, and lark in
their midst, an ill-omened portent of the
future. The grand Democratic Conven
tion seizes the Cincinnati nest with the
Hulbert-Greeley egg. The tragic-com
edy lays upon the stage, the bland
chairman of the committee of twenty-
one makes his report, and -applies the
gag law by moving it s' adoption Land Call
ing the previous question.
The dose is scarcely swallowed ere a
noise is heard “as of the rushing of
mighty waters.” The guards are in ago
ny over their treasure. A deputation
from them ask most meekly that they be
permitted to aid in the incubation of
their own “ mirdbile ovum;" but they
are met by some strange specimen of the
ornithological tribe, resembling, in some
of its parts and plumage, the goose—not
cuckoo, as vainly imagined by the great
Incubator, Mr. Gardner, the able and
accomplished editor of the Augusta Corn-
stitutionislfVrith. a positive refusal, and, too
strict a paradox, “striving to make an
ugly deed look fair, their words have
took such pains as if they labored to
bring man-slaughter into form.”
No Cuckoo here. It is a slander upon
that bird’s good sense to suppose it
would steal the egg of another and espe
cially a rotten egg at that.
And, now, the naked question is pre
sented to the Democrats of Georgia for
their ratification, whether they will fol
low these sons of Belial in their depar-
tuie from Democratic doctrines and wild
hunt after Radicalism, in honor and
homage to this rotten egg of theirs, be
gotten by Radicals, and brought fourth
by Hulbert; or whether they will spurn
and reject the loathsome thing, and stand
firmly by the principles upon which
alone, this Government can be success
fully preserved in its integrity and purity
as our Fathers bequeathed it to usj with
Liberty maintained as the priceless heri
tage thereof; and prove themselves wor
thy sons of worthy sires, by staying
away from the polls at the Presidential
election, and thus save’ themselves trom
debauchment and manacled delivery into
the Radical Nest. Phocion.
bond
of view the insufficiency of the
given, and the alleged fraud?
What exists to prompt such inquiries;
and why put the same and the reply on
record before the country? If his opin
ion on these points was desired by them
to satisfy their own minds, why not ask
the same of him privately at his office?
If this opiniou was for others, why not
let others officiate prominently in pro
curing and publishiug it?
But these questions are asked in the
face of a known fact—well known by
every man in Atlanta, and to most men
in Georgia, that a thoroughly responsi
ble set of men are offering to pay §9,500
per month more than the present lessees
are now giving, and are able and ready to
give a satisfactory bond for twenty years,
to do so, no sham—no worthless affair
which can be set aside at pleasure, but a
real bona fide bond which can be sued
on and the last dollar recovered at any
time.
With the road in the hands of such
a responsible company, why should Leg
islators trouble themselves about the
Western connections of the road, or any
thing else concerning its management?
The State’s rental would be sure, and
we cannot see what interest any one can
have in the details of the road’s manage
ment or prospects.
These questions are pertinent, if the
intention is to let the present company
retain the lease with no sort of respon
sibility attached—with the privilege of
throwing it back upon the State when
ever it fails to pay. If such oe the de-
terminati n, then I can understand why
these questions were asked—otherwise,
I connot see their relevency.
Is the road to be leased out to the high
est bidder, and then the law-makers of
the State still inspect its operations and
foster its management? I think this is
the business of whoever may be the les
sees.
Messrs. Editors, I do not like the looks
of this correspondence. Perhaps I am
wrong. If so, I trust I shall be forgiven
for my apprehensions; bat I think I see
in it that “pervading purpose” so for
cibly pointed out by “Citizen,” in his
very able review of the whole subject.
I cannot but conclude that these legisla
tors are treading upon questionable
ground in thus seeking and publishing
the opinion of Major Wallace.
But I will close at this time. I will
prepare for your next issue, a review of
the Major’s letter, in which I shall show
conclusively, that his opinions are not
entitled to much weight, if he is to ba
judged by himself, and by eminent rail
road men. S. C. M.
An Appeal to Absent Ones.
Atlanta Ga., Aug. 8, 1872.
Messrs, Kimball & Bullock—Dear Sirs:
Some of your unfinished business in
this State, is, at this particular time,
greatly needing your presence and per
sonal attention. You have many devo
ted friends here, who are under lasting
obligations to you for past favors. If
you can come promptly, they will see
that you are properly cared for.
Every citizen of our great State ac
knowledges your distinguished services.
No firm„ever did so much for the de
velopment of internal improvements in
our State, as your own well-knowmco-,
partnership—Kimball arid Bullock. If
any doubts this, we will refer them to
the Opera House,now the State’s Capitol;
the Kimball House—what a monument!
Nobody asks where the money comes
from. The purchase and sale of the
Mitchell Orphan Property. Look at
those magnificent buildings reared upon
this ground—the half dozen new rail
roads not yet completed—some not com
menced—not enough State aid.
The State Road lease needs a little at
tention just now. It is regarded as very
poor property now—rapidly declining in
value, in moat imminent peril from pro
jected competing lines, and must have
masterly influence in forming combina
tions with connecting and feeding roads,
to save it from utter ruin. I think
if one of your firm, and Blodgett,
would come at once, they could satisfy
some people that it won’t pay. There
is of late a wonderful inclination in the
minds of certain parties to the opinion
of the declining value of the road, while
its business continues steadily on the in
crease. And with the use of a little old-
fashioued grease, I think you could se
cure the aid of about fifty unselfish far-
seeing patriots in furtherance of this
idea.
If you can come, be quick about it; for
some of your best friends are in trouble.
Sharp and Q” is here working for your
friends. You understand the workings
of these great public interests now de
manding the time, talents and money of
every friend of the “old Ring.” I will
not sign my name to this for prudential
reasons.
CAMPBELL
WALLACE TO
RESCUE.
!y, but the native gelidity of the climate,
and the rigor of the guard, had told
with wonderful effect upon the egg. In
a snniled condition it was taken, nest
and ail, away to Baltimore, annusu
the wildest .-houts and hosannas of cer
tain delectable spirits, among what is
speci -usly Jeimed as gentlemen of the
4th Estate—the would-be We’s of the
age, in honor and praise of this radical
monstrosity. Accordingly they join in
the hoe and cry, and swell the chorus,
that this is the only way to beat Gi’ant;
and to make others join the insane cry.
they vigorously ply the party lash, in •-
uipolute co’Uity meetings <,o the end
umt Baltimore may be made the sum-
lueisurtlt, isud uuively consummate the!
igi.obl, me iiupiou-, and sacrilitioti* |
Tbe State Road Lessees Playing Trumps,
Editors Daily Sun: The correspon
deuce between several members of the
Legislature, viz: E. D. Gresham, O. T.
Goode, J. A. Etheridge, D. C. Cody, L.
J. Glenn, and John L Hall, and Major
Campbell Wallace, published in your
paper this evening, is intended, no
doubt, as a trump card.
Mr. Wallace is regard d as a very able
Railroad man. He has tbe reputation
of being an honest man, and it is fairly
considered that great weight shooldbe
attached to his opinions.
There is a pervading unfairness and
partisanship about this correspondence,
W hy did the writers of that letter pro
pound those carefully shaped inquiries
to him V They fit so well that it looks
like the substance of the answers was
known before the adroitly drawn ques
tioDs were reduced to shape on paper.
n nr. t, Cud^ is it to thi.se Legislators,
whether in his opinion “$25,000 was a
fair rental for trie Western & Atlantic
Railroad, in the conuition it was on the day
of the Lease," or not ?
Why should they wish to know if he
thinks “the road is in danger of losing
any considerable portion of its business
roui competing lines ? ”
Why should they concern themselves
find out if the lessee- are securing
W-.-tern connections which will counter
.ci tk--effect of competing lines?
W hy ask him it he thinks tha present
i.N.1 as good as can bo had—leaving out
tare when the road will have' pm m ”
all the business it can do, requSL^S
the capacity of the road to clo the lL?
mate business of this Gi: ’rw
Line. Don’t be deceived. The Wes?
ern and Atlantic Railroad is the W
property and the best paying road in the
"We annex the following detailed state
ment, collated from the reports of former
Superintendents of the Road, which er
hibits the gross annual earnings am?
working expenses for the year named:
Gross earnings for 20 months trading Sep-
Sffi g
Excess of earnings over working expen- ’
Being nearly one-halftiiogrossreceipti! 221,709 01
Gross earnings for the year ending Sep-
— shb is
Excess of earnings over working expen-
Being largely over one.half the receipts. ’
Gross earnings for the year ending Sod-
tember 30, 1835
Expenses
253,031 is
338,123 00
688,930 56
259,883 33
429,047 23
871,368 63
380,668 85
490,607 68
Excess of earnings over working expen
ses......
Being very largely over half the receipts!
Gross earnings for the year ending SeDt
30, 1856 i
Hxpenses \\\\
Excess of earning8.over working expen
ses
Again very largely over halt the receipts
Gross earnings for the,year ending Sept.
30, 1857 900,808 95
Expenses * 435,827 65
Excess of earnings over working expen
ses 464,981 40
Over half the receipts.
Grosg earnings for the year ending Sept.
SO, 1858 800,001 28
Expenses 349,217 84
Excess of earnings over working expen
ses and over half the receipts 405,773 44
Gross earnings for the year ending Sept.
30. 1859 832,343 C3
Expenses 377,801 50
454,541 53
Excess of earnings over working expen
ses -.
Being largely over half the receipts.
Gross earnings for the year ending
September 30,1860 835,919 65
Working expenses 418,464 95
Communicated.
Slaj. Campbell Wallace and tbe SCate
Road Lease.
Mr. Editor: I have read Maj. Camp
bell Wallace’s article published in tnis
morning’s Constitution in reply to “S. C.
M.” Among other things we find this
statement. Maj. Wallace says:
As early sb 1869 symptoms of a decline in in
terest or btiBiness of the State Road was so patent
as to attract the attention of the then Legislature,
and being called oa with two other gentlemen, we the way thither he broke away from the bailiff^
suggested a remedy.” charge, but by the aid of eltizens was captured
It wonld seem, however, that the confined -
“symptons of a decline” in the business
of the Road; so patent at that time to the —.
mind of Maj. Wallace, have not been hose who S°. off at fuU S allo P’,. b . 5 ’
The successful men of this world w e
realized, and not likely to be in the' 1 * 1 may use raeing phraseology, those
future. who “stay. It often happens that these
whose early career is slower and gentle*
than that of others exhibit a greater
The very next year—1870, under the
superintendency of that great Railroad
magnate and Legislative manipulator,
Foster Blodgett, the gross receipts of
the Western & Atlantic Railroad were
$1,464,737 01. From this deduct 60
per cent, for working expenses, $878,842
20. You have the legitimate net profits
$585,894 81, which amount, under an
honest administration, should have been
p*iid into the State Treasury.
This, be it remembered, does not in
clude the lttigo ‘-'dead head” buoiness
done by the Road under the Blodgett-
Buliock administration.
Maj. Wallace seems to be unfortunate
in his predictions or conjectures as to
the future business of the State Road.
The opinion of another Railroad
official - of at least equal expe
rience and sagacity, an old
citizen of Georgia, is that the State
Road can be made to pay, at this time,
$50,000 per month net profits, and that
he does not anticipate a time in the fu-
amount of
power, and
at last.—Huxley,
Excess of earnings over working expen.
ses—not quite naif the gross receipts 417,454 CO
Gross earnings for the year ending 3ep-
30, 1861 892,436 39
Expenses 345,394 63
Excess of earnings over working expen
ses—very largely over half the gross
earnings 547,041 76
Gross earnings from September 25,1865
to September 30, 1866 1,315,756 40
Expenses 881,061 99
Excess of earnings over working expen
ses 434,694 41
Gross earnings for the year ending Sep
tember 30,1867 • • • • 1,273,191 35
Expenses 687,462 22
Excess of receipts being nearly half the
gross amount 585,729 13
August 8,1872.
Romantic Robbebx.—A “sneak thief,” Wednesday
night about, two o’clock, broke into the residence of
Mrs. Green B. Haygood, corner of Fair and McDon.
ough streets. He left his shoes on the ground by
the steps fronting McDonough street, then prized
open the blinds of a front window; raised the sash
about two feet and went in. Passing from this
room across a hall he entered a rear room in which
slept Willie Haygood, of Messrs. Chamberlin,.Boyn.
ton & Co’s house. Three or four feet distant from
the bed stood a bureau, from which Mr. H.’s watch
was taken. The thief was not heard, but his pres-
ance was felt, and the challenge was made—“who’s
that?’’whereupon the robber ran. Willie sprang after
him—jvhat a risk 1 and caught him in the hall, about
twelve feet from’ the' bed. * The • hbuB'e was pitch
dark—a darkness that seemed to bo felt. In the
frightful struggle which ensued, Willie'throw him,
both rose and then fell together headlong down the
neighboring basement stairs of fourteen steps. The
thief was still held ‘With a firm grip.
©Mrs. Haygood hearing the noise come into the
dark hall, and enquiring what was the matter, WU
lie, from the basement, answered, “Call Henry,”
colored servant. The mother asked again what was
the matter, and was answered, “I have caught a
robber.” Before she could get a light another stage
of the struggle ensued.
The two scuffled back to the top of the stairs,
through the darkness. The contest was now con
fined to about fifteen feet space. The thief threw
Willie, and then got himself a very bad fall.
Here the combat deepened. While the thief was
held on his back, ho grasped Willie by the throat.
To make him stop that, our young hero very ab
ruptly stuck his left thumb into tho fellow’s right
oye, but wbo succeeded in pulling it into his mouth,
and bit it severely on the nail and just above the
first joint. But he was so badly gouged in the roof
of his mouth, that he let go the -finger and gnashed
oa the left aim twice. The villain then threatened
to shoot if not released. But as Willie had hts arms
securely grasped, there was no such surrender. In
all this time Willie had not even caught a glimpse
of his desperate antagonist, bat bad surely felt him.
Mrs. Haygood succeeded in awaking Henry, the
colored man, who promptly procured a light, as she
had her eon’s pistol. Then the’helpless thief said
“ I give up. 1
He was taken into the room where he stole the
wct«h, and which he returned on demand. He de
nied having any pistol, but on being held by the
negro man, Willie found upon his person a doirin-
gerinasilo pocket, Besides, he had a double-
cased silver watch and chain; three pocket boob,
and a great variety of burglar keys.
The door was guarded by the victor, and Henry
sent <-11 for police. He returned in ten minnteB,
accompanied by Lieutenant Holland, and Policemen
Holcombe, Hntchinson, and Kendrick.
In the meantime, the thief got on his knees to
Willie and begged—“Oh, my friend! please let ms
off. It is my firBt time,” etc. This was oft repeated,
and also to Mrs. Haygood. He gave very evident
signs of intense sickness.
At the foot of the basement stairs were another
lot of burglar keys, etc.
The thief, on being arraigned before Justice Butt,
yesterday morning, waived an examination, and in
default of 3,000 bond was ordered to jail. But on
mind, and touglier staying
come in at the winning-P° £t
Death of Mr. Joseph S. Be a 1 '-'"
Died, in LaGrange, on Friday, 9th hist-i
Mr. Joseph S. Bean, of consumpti 011.
He was for several years foreman of th 6
New Orleans Crescent. During the vrit
he went to LaGrange, where heha8 re "
situ* -iu since. He * man of 6°®
intelligence, and a clever gentleman. 2*
leaves a wife and six children and man?
friends to mourn his loss.
The Elberton Gazette, of the 7tb,
The boll worm has made its appear®® I
in the neighborhood of Centreville, j
Wilkes comity, doing considerable da® J
age.