Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-08-08
THE, Rail. ROAD

lie RAIL ROAD.
After advertng TO the controversy in reference
TO the most judcious location, &c OF the Rail Road
hHed Of between Lynchburg aud Richmond,
The Abingdon Statesman makes the following re-
marks
"Our interests imperiously demand tina, we
should, as early as practicable, have some outlet to
market 1 hat we feel but little interest in having
Road from Lynchburg to the Tennessee line.
while II is left opionary with the James River and
hanawha Company to extend it within the period
OF II years to Richmond is cvinccd from the fact
that no stock has been will be taken at this
place, where one, two or three hundred thousand
dollars worth would have been taken, had an in
dependent company been chartered to construct
the Rail Road from Richmond to the Tennessee
line"
1t is true that the failure of the people of Abing-
don TO cooperate with us in securing the charter
OF the Lyn 'hburg and Tennessee Rail Road Com
pany is irreragable evidence of the " little inter
est they feel in the subject. But the reason as
signed for this Indifference is certainly the stranc-
est that ever mislcd an intelligent community, de-
srons of an outlet to market. That reason is the
discretionary power witt, which the James River
Company is invested by the charter, to defer the
completion of the link between Lynchbnrg Il Rich
mond to period OF j. years. We have hereto
fore said, and repeat, that the interest of the
James River Company alone, apart from every
other consideration, would compel them to abridee
tins period, if the progress of the Road wcs,wardlv
should be rapid as to Justify spcedicr exccu-
ion of the work. But, why need the Abingdon
bc licit ia
the construction OF Rail Road from Lynchburg
to the Tennessee line would not attract hitler can
ital enough to buy every thing that they can send
us, do they not know that the Canal from this
place to Richmond will be completed in time to
carry their products onward, with the delay of on
~ a few hours, and to a choice of markets! If
indeed, there were to be other facilities OF com
municaon edstwar,iIy than those which we now
possess we should be the first 10 repudatc the idea
of commencing the Rail Road at this point, and
should advocate the Richmond scheme with as
much warmth as any of its favorers But
this is not the case, Notwithstanding this crro-
neous assumption seems to be the bugbcar
which hannts the minds of the Abingdon people
They seem to think, that if the Rail Road were
now constructed, they would be blockedup when
they reach Lynchburg. But they are mistaken.
Construct the Rail Road between Abingdon and
Lynchburg, and we have an outlet to I he ocean.
cheaper than R,l Road, Il nearly as expeditions.
Can they find bettcr9 1t will puzzle them to do
so.
And yet, strange as it may seem, the very pco-
pie who are SO Indifferent to their own interests as
10 withhold their aid from scheme, which, so far
as they concerned, is, to all intents and pur-
poses, good that which, they propose as a
substitute for 1t, the acceptance of Which substitute
is nevertheless proclaimed TO be the sina qua non
of their corporation with us,-thcse very people
are complaining of their exclusion from market
and threatening, if we be too tardy in making a
road for them, that they will turn their attention
TO Baltimore on the ono hand, to DanviIle on
the other OF this we have right, of course to
complain. The people of Abingdon, like every
other community have the indub,ablc right to Sc
lcct their own market, and they will always avail
themselves, as they ought, of the advantages which
rival routes may present to their acceptance. II
Danvillc can, or if Baltimore wW make them a
road, without asking their aid, it would be folly in
them not to accept of the boon. But if they cx-
poet to contribute, themselves to1hc contamination
OF any scheme, which will furnish them an outlet
TO market, we do not see why they may not with
the wsest regard TO their own interests, unite with
us in carrying on IA work which, promises them all
that they can ask or desire, and more than they
could obtain from any other quarter. As for the
link between this place and Richmond, it is a mat.
ter, we repeat, in which they are not at all inter.
ested so far, we mean as il is necessary to So.
cure them an outlet to market With RAID Roa,
from the Tennessee line to Lynchbure, and Ca
nal from Lynclburg to Richmond, they will lMv,
an outlet, safe, rapid and cheap What more ca,
they obtain by any other connec,ion-or bv am,
other scheme ! And let them be assured that
they ever have any outlet at all, in any quarter
they must expect top pay something towards it, Her