Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-10-19

Let us then suppose man, difficulties in our
route as tho State Eng,n reported, TO offer
themselves III the route from l.,nchburp To New
River, the greatest difficulty which ", should on
counter, would be an elevation OF - feet per mile
over a SO, ton OF six miles, aud that wholly in ia
voi oi the heavy traffic and the greatest average
expenditure on n section of fifty miles would be-
81 cooper milc.--With ,hcsetacts We canno long
cr doubt tho practicabN of the work at mode
rate expense. We entertain no doubt, however,
that the estimate and surveys Of an experienced
engineer will bring the expenditures and Difficult
ties Tar within this admission. Assuming, them the
estimates Of Col trohct Tor a more difficult
route, the upper section of our work embracing
Inc of fifty milcs,at 81 900 per mile, would
cost $500, 900
The lower section, taking the highest
combined average of the Peters.
burg and Roanoke, and the Ports
moull, and Roanoke rail roads, pre-
Dictated actual expenditures,
would be $4,000 per mile, making
for one hundred and fifty mile, tine
sum of 81 200 900
Presenting an aggregate expendi-
turc ON the whole of the proposed
route OF ALSO 900
Allowing then Tor every contingency and the
most unasorablc result of the surveys it may be
OF dollars would cover the whole expenditure on
the contemplated work.
Is that a sum within rcsourccsl l. it, mag
nitudc such as 10 deter rs from the prosecution of
an enterprise, pregnant we believe il IL with
blessings incstimable 10 so large a portion of our
people Upon this part OF the subject obscr.
vation OF ours can be necessary.
In times like these, Of samplcd prospcr,v
when so large portion OF capital in every par, Of
our widespread conicderacy is counting a profit
able investment, it can only be necessary to ,hcw
that ample returns must reward the investment 10
insure the application of the estimated sum TO any
contemplated work.
by reference to the synopsis of the James
River and kanawha Impro>cm &c' we find
the amount OF tonnage on the Soutl, western route,
embracing part only of that region which must IN
ov'tably scok our Improvement as the cheapest and
most expeditions, estimated AT 100 600 tons.
Oh tins by far the largest portion Is now
carried To Baltimore at an enormous expenditure of
time and money. The time ordinarily occupied
by u Wagon IN travelling from Wvlhc court house
to Baltimore may be estimated at fifty days. while
on the contemplated rail road the rich productions
of the valley may reach Norfolk, Petersburg or
Richmond in two days, or the Baltimore market
in three. Taking then as the basis of our calcula-
ton the Report of the State Engineer, confirmed
ny INC INphTt ~ mo Abingdon convention, sCt
forth IN the synopsis above referred to- we may cs-
innate the immediate trade meeting this improve
mcnt at Eyansham a. Welding a tonnapc OF
lOO,O 900 Tons.
To this add the trade Of the coun-
ties east of Wylhc, in Virginia
and North Carolina, bordering
on the proposed road, which, ON
the iairc,t pr Iciplcs Of calcna-
ton known to the committee
may be estimated at 10000 Ton,
The aggregate amount of Ton
mage annually seeking its
destination by wagons, and
other means of transportation is 10000 Tons.
From this calculation are excluded the vast min
cral resources on the immediate line of the road
The Sail, Lime, Gypsum, Iron and Lead, the
three last sufficient to supply every possible dc
mand, in fact, inoxhaustibc, yet according TO the
rcpor, OF the Abingdon Conv ention, which ,alua-
Die document we beg leave to recommend To the
attention Of the public " the Transmission Of the
mineral productions of South Western Virginia,
and East Tennessee, would form the largest source
of profit to the stock holders of the rail road com
pany." Add to all these the continued stream of
travel which now runs through the southwestern
valley, and which, as certainly as chcapncss, COM
tort and expedition invite the steps Of the traveller
would manly be diverted to the projected route
and the revenue OF the road would sw ell to nm a
mount, which this committee would feel rcluctan,
to indicate. Here reach the great thorough
fare to the South and South West Since January
last not less than thirteen thousand slaves alone
have passed the western Terminus of this improve
ment. But excluding from our estimate of profits
all these sources OF revenue, excluding also every
prospective addition to these resources which may
be derived from the awakened energies of people
now sumberng their invaluable interests
and combining our calculations to the tonnage known
to exist, and now inviting this improvement, we
shall see that on capital of S2,00O,OO0, adopting
the calculations of Col Crozet, the return would al
most exceed credibility. Suppose the 10000
Tons, actually seeking its destination, to travel on
an average only through half The extent of our
templaed road, and suppose the average freights
exports and imports to be reduced to four cents
per ton per mile, the aggregate amount of tonnage
on the road would yield revenue Of six hundred
thousand dollars annually.
Without pretending to accuracy in all our esi-
mates and calculations, although they seem to US
! based on undcnable facts, and on the public Re
! ports Of accredited public sgests, We may safely