[DOC. No. LXXXV.] PETITION or THE JAMES RIÏER AID KAIAWHA COMPAIY, ASKING FOR mm to mm its iproïemeit 1852. [Doc. No. 85.] 3 At a meeting of the president and directors of the James river and Kanawha company, held on Saturday, March 27th, 1852: Resolved, That the president be authorized to prepare and submit to the legislature a memorial in conformity with the instructions con¬ tained in the resolution of the stockholders, adopted in general meet¬ ing on the 26th instant, in these words : " Resolved, That the president and directors apply to the legislature to provide the means necessary to extend the canal to or near Coving¬ ton, and the means necessary to enable the company to construct thence a railroad to the Ohio river, leaving the company at liberty to complete the water line when hereafter it may be practicable." Extract from the records. WM. P. MUNFORD, Secretary. [Doc. No. 85.] 5 PETITION. To the General Assemhhj of Virginia. The memorial of the James river and Kanawha company humbly represents, that at an adjourned general meeting of the stock¬ holders of said company, held on the 26th of March last, a resolution was adopted in these words: " Resolved, That the president and directors apply to the legislature to provide the means necessary to extend the canal to or near Co¬ vington, and the means necessary to enable the company to construct thence a railroad to the Ohio river, leaving the company at liberty to complete the water line when hereafter it may be practicable." The undersigned, in obedience to the instructions contained in this resolution, has the honor to submit this memorial. The advantages which may be anticipated from the extension of the company's improvement to the Ohio river, where it will be able to compete for the great trade and travel of the Valley of the Mis¬ sissippi and its tributaries, have been so fully set forth, that it is not deemed necessary to do more than refer to them in this memorial. The improvement of the James river and Kanawha company has penetrated the Valley of Virginia, and the increasing business of the canal demonstrates its increasing usefulness, and justifies the antici¬ pations of its largely increased income. The stockholders ask the general assembly to furnish the means of extending the improvement by canal to or near Covington, and thence, by railroad, to the Ohio, and in this respect modify their petition pre¬ sented at the beginning of your present session. Its charter secures the right to this company to locate and construct their improvement, by railroad- or canal, to the Ohio river. The incorporation of other companies, whose works look to a connection with the Mississippi Vallej', the location of which may interfere with the improvement of this company, has produced the conviction with the stockholders of the James river and Kanawha company, that it is better that their improvement should be extended in that form, because they believe that it can be constructed in a shorter time, and form such connec¬ tions as to make it a harmonious part of a sj'^stem, by which a large portion of the great trade and travel of the West can be brought over the lines of improvement of Virginia, and the interests of their own improvement be essentially promoted. But believing that the amount ot business will in time demand a larger and more capacious medium of transportation, the stockholders look to the ultimate advantage of the extension of their water line. 6 [Doc. No. 85.] In a spirit of concession, they adopted their resolution in the form presented, deeming it wise and judicious to reserve the power to es¬ tablish their extended canal, when future events have demonstrated its necessity and practicability. In this view, it is a matter of great importance that the prior right of location secured to this company should be respected, and the railway extension he made a part of the James river and Kanawha improvement, located and constructed under their direction, with such restrictions as in the wisdom of the legislature may seem necessary to prevent unreasonable monopoly or injurious exercise of the company's rights in reference to the great interests of the state. But if in this expectation they shall he disap¬ pointed, if the railroad shall be found sufficient to supply the wants of the trade and travel which may use the highway to market through Virginia, then there will he no necessity for the extension of the water line, and the location of the railroad, with a reservation of the ne¬ cessary ground for the location of the canal, can do no harm. The undersigned, in discharge of the duty assigned, respectfully prays your honorable bodies to give a favorable consideration to the request of the stockholders submitted in this memorial, &c. J. Y. MASON, Pres't J. R, Sf- K. Co.. For himself and Board of Directors.