Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-11-18

LYNcTE"rG, Oct. Is, 1876
10 The E0Grd IF Commissioners Of TIC LachhHr,, anil
1rnnrs*cr HnIrOad, ior ihc J0'ra Fl Lynchl~rg
Gcn!crcn Your communication Of this date iy the
hand I'll The Chairman Of your Board is Just received.
1t has always given pleasure To express my views
on the sulcc to which you have invited my attention
and il the which have my confidence in the
Improvement in which you cnbGrkcs Of any in.
!eIrs, you are heartily wc!c4m" 10 them.
Considered rs 4 part Of the line Of c0rnexon h.
tween New Orleans andthe Northern cities, the Lynch
burg aud Tennessee railroad tr.cTvcs and bat 10: tho
formidable schemes oI improvement progress IN
other States, which require all their resources IL would
probably receive the comntcnance and patronage of
larger portion Of the country than merely the district
truvrrsts.
Yet the bur;hcn of their projects in Of
the SHtcs affected by this part of the o
rginIa sufficient to prevent effort 10 def ct
the line from lis proper course, and carry the trade
which it, will create, away from your own capital -
With knowledge ofls fact! and lY pnaI1 declaration
Of Tie powerful corporation OF Aayand Of an IN
tcGn draw the trade aud travel from The 'hcart q
irgnia, aud penetrate by preoccupying the ground
The route Of your road to The growing districts
OF Tennessee effort ynnr part 10 nculraIla" tcir
cXcrt!oms By adopting the only means that remain,
might Justify the cooperation OF lii" community at
gr,aler hazaid.
But the Inducements to undertake tic construction o!
great public Improvement are generally OF different
characlur-auI consist ctr in the prospect OF relurc-
ration in the future value of the stock or The enhance
ment Of property in anticipation OF the benefits OF the
work.
The first of these depends chiefly the cost and
length Of the line the nature and nl the
try through which it pussrs, and the fitness Of the lcca
ton for the economical application OF the power
| For information relative 10 the cost of ;he work. |
refer you To the opinions III iEr Engineers WHO
have made an Instrumental examination Of tic route
I'm the report of Capt Croze of ISL, The survey Of
rail. road from Lynchburg 10 New River, emhrar!ng
iii 3 miles of the most difficult portion Of The route
the cost including allowance for stations, engines
&C. is estimated little 81 GOO mile-and III
letter before me from Mr. Thompson Tie engineer
engaged in making additional examinations under an-
| lhory from the Board Of Public Works, the probable
cost down from the present value OF labor, at
Si GOh nib: including: likewise, liberal allowance
| for rngincs. cars and fixtures.
The Survey in progress Under the supervision "i
The State Engineer, has demonstrated the prac!icabty
OF summarizing the iva most n!nldabe obstacles De.
tween Richmond and New OrIcans-tile Blue kdys ana
AlleGlanv luumains-al grades quite within the limit
of the efficient pplIcatinn n tie locomotive cngne-lhc
maximum inclination opposed to the heavy tonnage be-
ing N feet per mr and that opposed to the import trade
&c feet And il appears be the opinion Of the Engi-
urcr tia! these dimcnls inccnsderable they
NAV in The actual location, be reduced: but assuming
the present data the most favorable we can count on
with security, it will he that the difficulties oil TINS
less than have been sutnounted on most similar
works.
There is in general, great uncertainty in iheestnntes
Of the probable Tonnage IN be anticipated on work pass
inr through district Of country which, as lie valley
clnlirs of this State, has previously depended on The
RIDES, of common roads !r to market Such rs.
Inmates resi- statistical details, OF which the actual
trade and travel of The coGntTyiaclS OF themselves dl-
cult prncue-ntr hDa faint index tor 1t Is NOT The
actual trace which should induce the opening ct the !lne
but that which the Improvement Itself IS TO create
And will be less liable To err II We look TO Inc cha
raccr and Of the country farersed by the me
the pGbabc demand for Jig products at the outlet Of Inc
work the trade which it will receive al lis termination
and Tie chance Of competition with rival lines: than IL
| VIC rely such doubtful da!a.
In Tie present instance we should estimate The amount
Of travel to be anticipaed not by the number o stages
nov running in the valley but by the increased com.
uluncaon along the line due to the new facilities, and
that which NAV be drawn from the coast and from the
! Mssissppi And in taking such view, the length OF
the line is an important consde raion-nr rs we depart
from ,b point nj which the trade is To be delivered: the
soace over which it will be brought laeray 10 come
u,un the read increases in proportion 10 the distance
so that long there is no rival TO encounter, the
area OF country accommodated by the Improvement viii
increase the duplicate ratio nf the distance. Ana H.:
50 10 speak the character OF The country. and It's wants
and products be homogeneous, proceed from inc
point of departure towards the termination of The road,
The tolls will increase up 10 that point where the WON
comes in collision with rival lines, rs the cuhe OF LIE
distance has ravcrsed On line of great length tHe1e
will be numerous exceptions TO this law and sfe p'ac'-
cal results will be Influenced By local circumstances ye'
in the transportation Of passengers and many oi Tie me-
crssaries n life il will he fnund sufficiently correct
Ans. in this view of the sub cct VIC should conSine' 'e
length of your road merely the distance covered ny
YOUR charter but That ra9rscd by the works win Which
Yours will he Connected from the Tennessee line 10
New Orleans.
To those who feel interest in The prosperity OF Inc
| lanes and kanawha Improvement the town oil Lynch
burr and the CITY of Richmond, there other interest
inr considerations connected with this subject. ,
That there will be line Of railroad traVersing Inc
State through the Valley longer be matter OF sPc
cua,ion and that this road will be part Of that eSten
ION of The New Orleans and Nashville road, comnlunl