Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1831-09-08
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT.
REPOR L.


lhe COMMITTEES To whom was referred the FOL.
lowing resolutions, reported by lhe select dom.
'nItlre OF eight members,
" Isl. ResoiCed, as the opinion OF this commit.
ce that II - practicable 10 construct "A railway
from Ltnchburg 10 Knoxville.
2nd. ReS0tped, hl>o, that the amount of trans
potlaton thereon Will assure TO the stockbol5-
ers a safe aud profitable return Tor the sums
"xPeAoed IA said work." respectfully repo,t .
HAT they have given to tue important on.
q"lry reie'ied 10 them the most careful exam.
nation that the short time ulIoaed them m,uld
permit.
In regard 10 the enquiry, involved IN the
hr't resolution, oi the prsCtlcability Of con-
'tructing raj way from Lynchburg 10 KNOT
V'le, Your coniinlttee have not the means OF
arriving ~ such facts. Connected with the sub
Ject, Ms would cunclusivey satisfy the public
mud. No regular scientific survey OF the
whole route oil the proposed rail way has vet
been made Unt thls Is done, perfect de
mons'raton OF the praoIicahiny of construct
Jog the rail way must be wanting. From the
facts, however, which have already been ascer.
tanned, your committee are fully persuaded
that the construction OF the rad way along The
whole line proposed, Is SO far practicable as
10 be entirely wnhn the power vi the cou,nu-
nifty.
The country from Lynchburg to New River
has been Carefully eAsm,ne by the P,mcinal
Engineer OF tbs safe of Virginia. From the
town of Lynchbuig, 10 the pass through the
Blue Ridge at Bautord's, no dlli culcs Of any
magnitude, are 10 be encountered. The pass
through tue Blue Ridge presents FAR less dit
hculty than any one who had not carefully er-
amlned II could we'll suppose the ascent ives,
wardly np the course of a small stream run
mug through the pass being very gradual and
certainly uOt exceeding at any point, mole
than thirty feet IN the mile. F,oIn the pass OF
the Blue Ridge at B1iord's, To the mouth of
Ellip"s Creek at the loot vi tue Allegheny
mountain, he route is over IA country so near
ly level, that no difficulty would be auy where
met with. From he mouth Of Elloti's Creek
to the top OF the Adequacy mountain, The DIS
lance by careful survey, Is thiiieen miles, and
the ascen oSi iest be,ng an average ascent OF
81 Sl3 ieet 10 the mde. From to. top OF The
Al eghany to Now RIVER at The mouth oi Ltttle
River, tl,e distance IS eleven milts twenty three
chains, aod the desCen 33S cet being Az ave
rage descent of about 30 feet 10 tue mile. II
val at once be perceived from tire foregoing
Statement, that there - no part oi the ronie
from Lynchbug TO New River, where The a.
cent could not be conquered without the aid
OF stationary engines, as II is now we'll Bscer-
tanned that locomotive engines oi HE ptupe6
construction and power al" capable oil STIR
out difficulty.
When the barrier ofthe Allegheny is passed
the greatest difficulties Of the sentrrpuze are
conquered. The route would heal up New
River and either up the valley OF Red Crrek
aud across the ridge which divides the watrts
OF New kiver from those OF the Holstan 10
the head stream oil the middle fork of Holstoa (;
or II would lead up the valley oil Cripple Greek
through very low depression OF tne same r,dge
and down the valley oi thu south folk Of Hol.-
ton yer. y iiheT OF these routes. have II yet,
been surveyed, The mann ros.I from New
River TO the ncIghbourhooI OF Abingdon, has
been ,crJ recently surveyed by the assistant
Engineers oil this state, for the purpose OF lay
Ins down n base iue Tor sefies Of surveys
From tho reconnaissance OF these gentiemen
as veil As from III formation de- iVeI ICON va
rioa3 olner quarters, yonr ConmIttee have no
hesitation IN saytng that The Construction OF IA
,aIl way from New River to Abing lon il pinc.
ticable Al much lees cost than from Lynchhnrg
10 New River. Your commute wall here statr
"A iaot. when will wsIgh strongly an argu-
meul 10 support OF their opinions on tho sub
ject. II IS well known that lhs 10 al from Lynch
burg 10 Abingdon we'll merts the re,roacn
deseryediy cast On all Virginia roads 40 care
was taken IN lis original ocatlun. and IL ire.
qneutly passes over succession OF heights
which mlghl have been avoided Ivy Avtry snght
change ~ its dttectlon The srpaIr 81 the road
IS as much neg iectcd as the roads OF Virginia
generally are, "h'cais saying enough 10 he
understood Nv nay one who ha, oser had the
labour OF travelling Virginia foads ; and OWING
| 10 tho unusual quantity Of rAiu which has
fallen du,ing The present season II is NOW ia
unusually bad order. Under all these disai
yaniages two ordinary sk horse teams nave
each 0roughtta Abingdon from Lynchburg at
IL, a,
the present season.
Yoar committee from their intimate know
ledge of the oouutrY bet"e,u ahing dun and
Knoxville have no hesitation Ia saying, that the
construction OF n rail- way between these Two
| poInts viii he attended with less dhhCnly aud
expense, than along a"y other par OF the route.
! As YOU proceed from Abingdon 10 knoKynl-
| The western slope Oi the country becomes more
gentle, and ITS undula,ion, less teqnent. A
| succession Of long and level valleys parallel
with ia. Course vi the HJlston river present
themselves, ~h,ch are finely adapted tn the
location oil rail road. Your committee Can
MOI indeed inciOse this part ot their report
muhont remafklug, that III the progress OF TINS
great undertaking. when the Allegheny and
! New RIVER ate passed, amt the ridge dividing
the waters OF Hoiston All New River Is SUI
mounted, all the difficulties oi the work art
conquered. Your commitiee therefore, rePoT
the inst esoullon, referred 10 them, "hhou
amendment. Your coa,a,Iltee are uevefihe
le.s a~are, that however luiiy they mst b'
satisfied oil the ruth OF Ibe conclusion 10 which
they have arrived, yet that this Is not s"iic'en
TO satisfy the puohc mind. Nothing snor
vi periect demUnstrauon On this SUBJECT VII
induce capitalists to expeud their n'oney in ih
construclIo OF the road they therefore re
commend, that the convention Inmed'aie'
= ! i,,ni lar al