▁is ▁now ▁West ▁Virginia . ▁Of ▁the ▁many ▁people ▁who ▁help ▁build ▁Virginia ' s ▁transport ation ▁infrastr ucture , ▁Cro zet ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁better - known ▁individuals . ▁His ▁work ▁in ▁the ▁An te bell um ▁period ▁was ▁exception ally ▁well - document ed . ▁ ▁Mass ive ▁state ▁deb t ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁with ▁the ▁on set ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁ ▁Virginia ' s ▁invest ments ▁in ▁" Public ▁Works " ▁was ▁interrupted . ▁The ▁State ▁had ▁purchased ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁$ 4 8 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁worth ▁of ▁stock ▁in ▁turn pi ke , ▁to ll ▁bridge , ▁canal , ▁and ▁water ▁and ▁rail ▁transport ation ▁enter pr ises . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁War , ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁improvements ▁had ▁been ▁destroyed ▁but ▁the ▁deb t ▁remained ▁to ▁be ▁paid . ▁This ▁state ▁deb t ▁became ▁a ▁major ▁issue ▁during ▁Re const ruction , ▁including ▁questions ▁about ▁an ▁app ort ion ment ▁to ▁the ▁newly ▁created ▁State ▁of ▁West ▁Virginia . ▁Polit icians ▁Harrison ▁H . ▁R iddle berger ▁of ▁Wood stock , ▁an ▁att orney , ▁and ▁former ▁Confeder ate ▁Major ▁General ▁William ▁Mah one , ▁a ▁rail road ▁builder , ▁organized ▁the ▁Read just er ▁Party ▁largely ▁based ▁upon ▁this ▁issue . ▁Their ▁coal ition ▁of ▁newly ▁enf ranch ised ▁black s , ▁Republic ans , ▁and ▁Conserv ative ▁Democr ats ▁was ▁a ▁factor ▁in ▁state ▁politics , ▁elect ing ▁William ▁E . ▁Camer