Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1831-11-14
INTERNAL IMPROVE nENr.
From The abingdon Republican. Nor. b.
10 The PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA AND
TENNESSEE
FELLOW CITIZENS:

ifNNr4SObts
FELLOW clTlzENs
A convention Of Delegates from tho two
States. whose Inhabitants we now address, was
assembled al Abingdon, on the TWEEN dnh dsy
81 August last, for the purpose of considering
the construction OF a railroad from Lynch
burg, in Virginia. to some point in the Slate OF
Tennessee. III primary objects winch ocou-
ped the attention ofthe convention, were 1t.
Whelhrr 1t is practicable 10 construct rnh- wHy
from Lynchhurg to Knoxville 2dy. What
will he the probable cost Of constructing such
iail way Aud 3dly. Whether the amount of
| transportation thereof will assure 10 siockhold-
| ers safe aud Profitable return, for The sums
expended ~ the work
These three enquiries were. ~ the frat in.
stance, referred to n select committee, whose
report wa, on mature consideration, approved
aud adopted. by the convention, without the
dissent oi single member. II rs true, as 10 the
first. that nenher the select committee. nor the
convention. cou1 obtain access TO such facts as
would conciUuueiy establish the prnctcability
al forming he proposed road n result onl y
o BIZ asoertalnod with certainty, by actual sur
yes aud none such tad then been made,
NTH an fge 10 n raii road. But, survey was
nahe III he year 1923, by Mr.. Ctozei. Prince
pal Engineer ot the State OF Viz gina the oh.
jeci NJ which was, To determine the practicable
~ ol n canal, connecting he Watrs Of RoI-
n1ke, nth hose Of NeW Htrcr. TIN report rem.
dered by Mr.. Crnzrt, To the Legislature, III
whose service he was employed, furnish the
special committee with such information, ms
exhibited the grades OF ascent, and descent,
III passing The Allegheny mounlaln, aud shew.
ed, that the rise aud fall Of the surface no
where exceeds an average oi fifty three feet To
The mile n degree OF IneqpalIty, which eApe
renee hns unrquivocally proven to be com.
pletely, and easily, subduahlc. by tho mnch,n-
cry usually employed on RAILWAYS. II TIN.
species oil mformati u IS not conclusive, II is so
nearly So, That HUE, if any, douhl, ought 10
rest on thu subject. II IS surely sufficient TO
remove all scruples The convention, there-
tore, did not hesitate 10 concur with THEN select
committee IN expressing clear opinion, that
| II il practicable to construct ~ railroad, tton
| Lyme hhurg 10 the tennessee lIne.-As 10 the
rou,e rom thence TO Rockville, the MIXTURE oil
! he surface, aud the character oil the country,
were so perfectly known 10 n majority OF The
convention, that they were satisfied every Sc
rious obsIncle aud difficulty would be sur
noun ed a tier pnsslne the Allegheny, nnd the
region between the height, and the head waters
of the liolston, or Tennessee river. Thence,
10 knoxyille. there is, generally, descent aud
| a good railroad may he obthinpd, along vallies,
parallel 10 inr Cunr~ spl 'ne streams Hi"ihk
westu ardly. A, Knoxville lhr rond will ter
inmate on tho Tennessee river, where steam
boats n0w ply and thus, the great object will
he effected OF uniting the sienm navigation Of
the western waters, with the navigation Of
James River. But, no subscription for stock :,
nor contributions OF money, will be asked, to
construct this ran way, until n survey OF the
luh0Le route hall have been effected, by compe-
tent engineers. and the practicabilty of the
scheme shall havr been rendered exempt from
all uncertainty
2ndiy. WIN respect 10 the probable cost Of
constructing the contemplated rail way, II was
the opinion of the select committee, IN winch
the convention Cnnc1rrPd, that, tor the whole
distance between Lynchburg aud Knoxville,
the average expense OF constructing railway
with a double track ofraIls LAID upon stone, IN
the most durable amer, will moi exceed tour
team thousand dollars per mile. On some 9th
er railways. the cost, per mile, has been con-
sIaerabIy grealer. especially IN the first mes oil
work -Because, nj the commencement OF such
undrrtaklngs there Is want OF experience,
the d,.Ecuities AIIspg from which will he dI-
mmIshed IN every GAYS progress and, because,
It has happened, "a u, the case Il the Liver
pnol aud Manchester road, and III that OF
baltimore, thai the greatest obstacles, and oil
course, the highest expense, were 10 he en-
r.nu,sre,i at the outset but lalteTly. the rate
of expenditure on the Baltimore railway, has
not gone beyond fontteen thousand dollars. for
raeh ~ L. through a country which docs not
possess equal advantages with ours. 10 ah9rding
all The maierias requisite TO ,he construction oil
the road, and IN yre'iIng labor ana snb'Is'
,-nee. al a much lower rate than they can be
Obtained foI, IN the neighborhood OF the sea
nor, clles. The estimate, therefore, will int,
/ u, ,eI ne
tinp tn distance from Lynchburg, 10 Knox
he. at three hundred aud twenty-wo m,les
IN aggregate of cost, for construction of the
rali>way, " Ill br 81 oOs,OOO.
The next, aud last enquiry Is, whether the
amount OF transportation on the contemplated
railway. will assure 10 stockholders safe, nd
nrnGt,hIe return. for the sums expended 10 the
work
On tho day when the convention frat assem-
bled the members were requested, each, 10
prepare an estimate, exhibiting the amount OF
merchandise imported into the county, or sec
ton OF country. Represented by MN, and the
quantity OF produce. or other articles exPor'en'
annually. thsrefrom and TO lay the same on
the table OF the convcn ton. next morning. ms
was done. and formed the basis Of the calca'
lationS made by the select committee IN ieit-
ton 10 ,hi, third ol 5ct Of thur Investigations
Mos: OF the persons composing the convention
were either mercantile Characters, or pfhctlcal
we'll informed men, in iimately acquainted with
The subjects TO which their estimates related
There u.s. therefore, good reason Tor tho PEI
suason ihat the" reports, n not p'tiec'iy hccu'
rate, are as neatly so, as Can be desired. lhey
show, thai The sum OF $64, 1913 may be assumed
Tor the value Of imports add 800 Jos, tof ihe
value OF exports. annually passing over The
road from NV River to Knoxville forming
sum total Of 1888 76l, without embracing any
OF lne Imports. 81 exports. OF the couniry be
tween LynchbArg and Ne" River. lheY
would, Va addition 10 the above sum oi $3.50
il6and TO the prof. which will be derived from
the conveyance OF passengers, aud tue trans
portaton Of the nal, constitute an amount,
WHICH, ii IS behevej, will yield ten per cenin'n,
per aunnm, OF revenue IT, tie stockholders, anu
" NJ defray the expense Of providing the ne
cessary engines, and of keeping the road IN re-
pair. Tnis, surely, ~ result, which holds
out sufficient, inducements IN the investment oi
capital IN the proposed sche me-
Nv An act OF the Legislature oil Virginia, pas