Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-03-06
FOR THE ENQUIRER
BALTIMORE AND OHIO RAIL. ROAD

Inc decision OF the controversy between the Rail Road
ana canal Companies probably bring before the Ie
gslature oil Virginia, during its present session question
oil vital interest to large portion of the State and of no
Importance TO every section of it, I'M
Gersooa 'nat VIII be very difficult il impracticabe
Tor the Baltimore Company conduct its road on the north
sue OF he Potomac; and that i'm effect but two routes
DC Ie. open 10 them-one along the south of that
river until 1t ceases TO interfere with the Canal Comnan
and is in the most direct line the Ohio-the Other
through the valley of the Shenandoah to the great
wha, penetrating the heart OF the State for 37O nils
through fertile and extensive gions which have too
angusned Tor the want such Improvement The route
to the Little kanawha seems to be of the question he
cause that involves the interference with the Canal
Company as the originally selected and if to avoid
the rail road reaches Cumberland by any other route il
WILL no doubt be conducted by the shortest and most
practicable road to tho Ohio which is shewn v the Rcno
of the Engineers the Company in 1928 not ,o b h.
leading TO the Little kanawha. The former objection
plies also TO the South Branch routefor the road must he
constructed TO point above Hancock before il can
mis directon-and 1t moreover terminate like the
Shenandoah route at the Great KanawIa These
are made to shew that part of Western or North west
en virginia sinerested to oppose the location of the road
through e valley on the ground that il NAV otherwise
be brought nearer to them The only portion of the State
ana mat very small one which could possibly be a
lected, Will have the benefit of the Chesapeake and Oo
Canal, and cannot require two such Improvements
The choice must then be confined to one of the two
routes specified That through the Valley is certainly
me longest but is believed to be- by far the most favor
able Tor the construction of railway and il
other such manifest and decided advantages that cannot
Dnng myself TO believe the Company will hesitate in So
lectng it, Nothing can think prevent this desirable
result but the refusal of Virginia to remove the res,;co
imposed oy her act oil 1926 and her declining TO afford
reasonable aid to the undertaking. Already the ntei
gent interchangeable Directors of the Railway Comnany
have applied TO the Legislature of MARYLAND to relieve
them from the obligation of locating the road tronh
certain part oil that State and if they succeed of which
there is no reason doubt is said they will
petition the Virginia Legislature remove the Kanaw-
Ina restriction, and TO embark with them in the nobIes
and most useful enterprise of the age
such propositions are made, ought Virginia TO hesitate
III auoPung mem: say heSitdfe because delay might
have the same effect refusal Until that restriction il
taken OIL, the Company with propretv even nm
dertake to examine the Valley route nor venture one stem
beyond the Potomac, until the road clear before on, a.
ITS termination the navgabe waters of the West If
virginia delays, or refuses TO give permission TO pass
through her territory by the only practicable route some
oher may be adopted OF necessity and the golden oppor-
tunity be lost forever. VfF
verify believe, that if the Baltimore Company were
to oler, upon condition that Virginia woud Give 'er, h
convenient insalments three millions dollars TO spend
not only that sum, but four half millions ,nore i,o
an Improvement within her limits it would be- upon the
stncest principles OF political economy GOOD BARGAIN an
the part oil the State TO accept it, The immense bonoG'
which would result 10 hundreds of thousands of ber &
zens, from the bare expenditure of so I,rro i,,
amongst them In the construction of the work alone would
be worth the three millions and more But the Offer u,;
DC nnmeIy more advantageous TO the State She will he
sockholder IN the Company, and thus be reimbursed for
her advances; for there is the greatest reason for
that the stock must be profitable On that mart oc The 5
aeady Completed the traffic increases daily and would
be four times greater than it is if the Compony had
ready to transport the produce offered The Djrcc,o
Increasing their stock, and in a few months will bavc
enough for every demand. have il from tIo b;hos. 80
thority, that the receipts Of the road arc no, ,',
$4,000 per week; and it is confidently anticnrted ,b,
when The arrangements referred are completed the re-
ecpts will be at least $1,000 per day. on the line If
the road It's extension westward through the fertile
icy Of Virginia, independent of the distant trade II ,i
command will secure to it profits in the same ratio AT
20 me capital expended and thus the subscrpon of Inc
od.e ~ mere pccuniary point of view would be In
cIduVc Investment But this is not all. The Bali.
more company would undertake to make $50 miles of
,ne roau IN 'he direct line OF communication TO the Me-
sGPo oa o. 'ne sta'e upon that which she is deter
] e Up , ana Tor distance which she inn
prove or less man Three millions Of dollars And if ns
Improvement is to be made at all where can be STATE
ma more experienced, intelligent or eneroec agents ~
conduct the work, than the Directors Of ie B,lnore
Road Company u '"' "'iu"'O'e nan
characters which cannot be mistaken ,,e ae, 1912 80, ~
improvements suitable TO The situation of virenia The
chesapeake bay and the Ohio river are ib a;, ~,
connected The elevated chains Of monnta;O" - 70 "
Nof-east and Southwest, present obstacles fo ,s
wnch can hardly be surmounted, except AZ o o'''
points fortunately, the most practicable admits b
srucuon othe main trunk Of canal or road which ~
lou miles, runs IN direction sung the views Of ~ ,
ost important sections Of the State From the rnovs ~
NC GREAT hanawha to the ncighborhood Of Covnrfon The