212 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 4. 



proper measures to have lands condemned and 

 damages assessed according to law. The board 

 are pleased at being enabled to state to the stock- 

 holders that the benefits of the improvement to the 

 country through which it passes, appear to have 

 been generally appreciated by the land owners. 

 In most cases, releases of damages have been 

 freely given, and in others where it has been ne- 

 cessary to apply to the courts for the appointment 

 of freeholders to assess damages, their awards, 

 except in a ihw instances, have been fair and rea- 

 sonable. 



A different view of the subject, by the owners 

 of lands, or by commissioners, would scarcely 

 have been anticipated. Forming as this rail way 

 does a link in the great line of communication be- 

 tween the north and south, and executed on a route 

 so cheap and favorable, there is every reason to be- 

 lieve that in a very short period the maximum di- 

 vidend allowed by the charter may be expected 

 from the northern and southern travel. When that 

 period shall arrive, it Avould seem to be the clear 

 policy of the company to charge on the transpor- 

 tation of produce and merchandize tolls very 

 little, if at all, higher than may be necessary to 

 pay the expenses of transportation, and to look lor 

 the profits of stockholders, to the travel chiefly, per- 

 haps entirely. 



The act incorporating the com pan)*, authorized 

 subscriptions to be received to the amount of 

 $700,000, of which three-fifths would have been 

 $420,000. The subscriptions actually received 

 during the ten days that the books were originally 

 kept open, amounted to $ 305,200; being $114,800 I 

 less than three-fifths. One of the first questions 

 before the board was as to the expediency of re- 1 

 opening the books of subscriptions. Satisfied as | 

 the board was of the future productiveness of the 

 stock, they entertained no doubt that if the books 

 were re-opened lor the purpose, there would be a 

 prompt subscription on the part of individuals of 

 the balance requisite to make up the three-fifths, 

 but the} - resolved in the first instance to offer to the 

 corporation of Richmond, the option of subscrib- 

 ing for this balance, or for any portion thereof. 

 The common council declined acting upon the sub- 

 ject. After they so declined, the board allowed 

 the books to be re-opened on the 19th of Novem- 

 ber, 1834; and subscriptions were received on that 

 day, to the amount of $44,600. On the same day 

 a memorial to the general assembly was adopted, 

 asking a subscription by the commonwealth when 

 three-fifths of the capital stock should have been 

 subscribed by individuals. While this subject was 

 before the general assembly, the board had reason 

 to believe that the deficiency in the subscription of 

 three-fifths by individuals, though small, might 

 yet be urged as an objection to the usual subscrip- 

 tion in such cases by the state, and on the first of 

 January, 1835, the books were re-opened and ad- 

 ditional subscriptions received to the amount of 

 $75,000; making ihe whole sum subscribed by in- 

 dividuals $424,800, or 4,800 more than three- 

 filths. After this, an act was passed authorizing 

 the board of public works to subscribe on behalf 

 of the commonwealth, and requiring that board to 

 make the subscription, when it shall appear that at 

 least one-fourth of the private subscriptions of not 

 less than three fifths of the capital stock have been 

 actually paid up, and when certain other conditions 

 are complied with. All these conditions will be 



immediately complied with, and the board of pub- 

 lic, works, it is presumed, will thereon make the 

 subscription. When this subscription shall have 

 been made, the whole capital stock will be sub- . 

 scribed that is at present allowed by the charter 

 of the company. 



In their applications both to the common coun- 

 cil of Richmond and to the legislature of Virgin- 

 ia, the opinion of the board was expressed as to 

 the future productiveness of the stock. The grad- 

 ual rise in its price from par to seven dollars and 

 ten cents per share above par, furnishes strong 

 evidence that, in the judgement of the community, 

 that opinion is well founded. The board now ven- 

 ture to express their belief that within a very short 

 period after the completion of the work ample evi- 

 dence will exist of its value in adding to the trade 

 of the city and developing the resources of the 

 state. 



A branch rail road which has been projected from 

 the neighborhood of Taylorsville to the South 

 West Mountain, lor which it is understood a char- 

 ter will be asked at the next session of the legisla- 

 ture, must add largely to both the trade and travel 

 of the road, and may be expected to stimulate the 

 industry of the region through which it will pass, 

 by conveying its products more cheaply and quick- 

 ly to market. A rail way to connect the Rich- 

 mond and Fredericksburg Rail Road with that 

 between Petersburg and the Roanoke, will, it is 

 believed, be equally an object of legislative atten- 

 tion. The execution of these two works must 

 promote greatly the public interest and conve- 

 nience, and at the same time add largely to the 

 productiveness of that committed to the under- 

 signed. 



With such motives to impel the rapid comple- 

 tion of the enterprize, the board have made all 

 their arrangements to effect the work between 

 Richmond and Fredericksburg at the earliest prac- 

 ticable period. The location having proceeded 

 beyond the North-Anna, a resolution was adopt- 

 ed on the 16th of May, 1835, authorizing the en- 

 gineer to put under contract from time to time, 

 further portions of the line. And it is now confi- 

 dently believed that the whole line between Rich- 

 mond and Fredericksburg will be in readiness for 

 the transportation of passengers, merchandize 

 and produce, in eighteen months from the present 

 time. 



The following persons were unanimously re- 

 elected president and directors, to continue in of- 

 fice until the next annual meeting, to wit: 



john a. Lancaster, President, 



1 



J- Din 



cctors. 



NICHOLAS MILLS, 

 CONWAY ROBINSON, 

 JAMES BOSHER, 

 RICHARD B. HAXALL and 

 JOSEPH M. SHEPPARD, 



avm. p. sheppard, Secretary, 



R. F. & P. R. R. C. 



22d June, 1835. 



THE SHEEP DOG TAKEN. 



Riga, May 9, 1835. 



Sometime last fall a strange dog commenced 

 depredations among the sheep in Avon, destroy- 



