The Albany and Susquehanna Railroad

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The public mind is excited, and the reputation of the Em pire State scandalized, by the recent shameful transactions on ?he Albany and Susquehanna Railroad, Whatever may bo the merits of the case, one thing is certain, the power of grant-1 ing injunctions, now vested in the judiciary, affords opportunities for bold and . unscrupulous operators to embarrass the transactions of rival interests, which, in our opinion, ought to be curtailed. It only seems necessary to trump up a series of charges i with or without basis, to obtain an injunction, and the appointment of a receiver, who forthwith takes possession and ousts the holders of the coveted property. In this case the citizens of Albany have been told by one of the high contracting parties, that the former superintendent of the road is a poor railroad manager, who has been running j the road against the interests of the stockholders—a veritable King Log, for whom they are kindly offered in exchange a King Stork. Not having lost confidence in Mr. Ramsey, or having much reason to repose confidence in Mr. Fisk, they reject the offer. Whereupon all the forces at the command of both parties, legal and otherwise, are marshalled in battle array, and a series of disgraceful encounters have takenplace. We have neither time nor space to review the history of i these transactions, but their effect upon the morals of the community cannot but be disastrous, while the confidence of the public in railroad management must be more or less shaken. What the final result will be, time will show. Meanwhile the action of Governor Hoffman, in taking possession of the road and appointing Gen. McQuade Superintendent, will meet hearty approval. It is about time that some check was put upon the conspiracies now going on in connection with railroad transactions.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 21 Issue 9This article was published with the title “The Albany and Susquehanna Railroad” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 21 No. 9 (), p. 137
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican08281869-137e

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