Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1838-04-18

the waters Of Tho Monougahela ma,
be crossed, or to what extent tfnversed
yet tho iact that they must neccssaril,
be intersccted, demonstrates that nd
vaniages cannot fail 10 enure to the
country situated upon those waters.
In the second place, the advantages
will be highly important 10 that portion
OF Virginia east Of the Allegheny
Mountains, watered by the Potomac
and its tributaries, embracing amongst
others, the counties OF Jefferson, Berke.
ley, Morgan and Hampshire the ex.
iensive and rich salIies of Which, west
of Haner's Ferry, may either BIO
traversed or interseeied by the rail
road.
Besides tho immediate valley Of the
Potomac itself, there are tho extensive
vallies of the Shenandoah, the two
Cacapans, tho South Branch, patter.
sons Creek, and of the North Branch !;
all of which will be directly accammo.
dated by al entire rail way connection
with the cities OF Baltimore and phila.
delphia by means OF which, u con.
stunt and rapid communication will be-
secured and sustained with these ex.
tensive markets throughou, the whole
OF the year, IN winter as well as in
summer.
1t will readily be acknowledged that
Il line of inteicommunicatlon OF such
properties, open all the year, aud pass.
able with facility and rapidly even
whilst the nuyigable channels of trade
and travel are closed by the severity
Of winter, will be Of iucalculable bene-
lit TO the agricultural, mercantile, mi.
ming and manufacturing interests of the
country already mentioned. No ex.
tended argument would seem necessary
to enforce these truths 70 state them
will be sufficient to command assent.
The company are about to re. con-
slrdct their rail way with the heavy
edge rail OF 80 lbs. per yard, and 10
avoid tho inclined planes at PARIS
Ridge, forty miles west OF Baltimore,
(where il WAS al first contemplated
to employ stationary ongines,) by a
change 10 tho line Of tho road, 80 us to
adapt il To the use OF locomotive en-.
gines. And they propose 10 conissuct
the entire line 10 " heeIng and to
piilsbarg with the heavy iron edge
,sa;ash SSss.o4G meailangd, nnd with grades
every where within the range OF loco.
motive engine power, and SO that pas
sengefs aud the mails viii be conveyed
the entire distance from Baltimore TO
the Ohio in about twenty. -four hours.
With such road, and upon which
Baltimore viii be at least sixty miles
nearer to ptlsburg, and twice that
distance nearer 10 Wheeling than Phil.
adclphia will be, either by the present
or any future works in Ponnsy wanna,
II cannot be doubted that Baltimore
will always share very largely 10 the
travel and trade between the Atlantic
and western states.
No doubt is entertained but that
this work, when completed and in fail
operation, will be a profitable stock
Any subscription to the capital stock,
therefore, so far from being donation,
viii be an investment. that, whilst in
creasing the wealth Of the citizen and
Of the state by no enhancement in the
value Of the soil and its mineral lrea.
sures, will ultimately, and AZ no disiant
period, produce handsome revenue
to the commonwealth in the form OF
dividends.
Il is unqucstionablc, that the sup.
plies Of goods destined 10 the immense
regions west Of the Allleghancs, must
be carried mainly upon rail.ways.--
The canals will not be navlgable IN
the winter, Gor soon enough In tue
spring season 10 allow transit 10
goods intended for the supplies oil tho
spring and summer; nor can such
goods be ventured upon tho canals al.
Ter the LIST Of November, without risk
of detention from ice. The navigation
OF the Ohio River opens always by the
LIST of March, and generally by the
middle Of February. All the merchan-
die for the summer supplies should,
therefore, be upon its banks before the
Ist of April, in order to be waited in
due season 10 the various points OF
sale and consumption. But It is obyi-
Gus that such result can only be
effected upon railways, and not upon
canals. Hence VIC see the very great
importance that must attach TO rail-
ways connecting The east with tho
west. Upon them must be conveyed
the greater part Of the goods for the
supply Of the western states; and, IN
the return cars, the agricultural, min
eral and manufacturing products OF
that region, will be conveyed to the
markets of the east.
For the conveyance Of persons,
however, the railway is inlmitable.--
Nothing can compete with this mode
&c nopveyoura in the transit of paSSe n