Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-03-04
INTERNAL INIPRovEMENT.-N0.a =.
.Seuh toesiern Rail Roc

In connection with this subject, it may not be ALTO.
gether improper to advert to grea, scheme of i'm
pfosement, which the best interests of this Com
tnonweaith demand, shall be speedily undertaken and
energeucaly prosecuted. railroad communica.
ton from James river 10 the Tennessee line is not
novel suggestion. The scheme has been for msnx
years before The people Of Virginia; its prac,ica
bhy has been satisfactorily ascerained, aud its ex
pedieney thoroughly discussed, and its advantage.
seem to be generally and justly appreciated A.
early as the year 1881, company was incor pot,,ed
by the legislature Of Virginia, for the purpose of
constructing that portion OF the road between Lynch.
burg and New rve,, with the design of ultimately
extending it 10 the Tennessee line. The stock wa,
subscribed chiefly by the citizens OF Richmond and
Gynchburg the company organized; and
preparations were in active progress 10 commence
the work, when, for reasons deemed satisfactory
but certainly from any disrust of The utili,y q,
advantages OF the enterprise, the charter was sur
rendered by majority Of the stockholders, agaiD.,
The wishes oi strong minority and portion of tn.
large sum OF money subscribed was inyested in apo,b
ef lIne oil Improvement which is now in progress
and the early completion of which was deemed 10 I'd
more important than that thus prematurey poll,
poned. In tue same year, a convention of dele
gates from several counties OF Virginia and Ea,t
Tennessee assembled at Abingdon, fer tie purpose
OF promoting the ess Of this work ; and even n,
that time, when 1t was proposed thai Knoxville
should be its western point Of telnnaiiop-when j,
was not contemplated to connect ii with the nums
roads, OF similar Character, Whit The exc,
ed neiprse of fellow citizens, in various ser
tons of the south AID vest has since protected and
commenced,- stated as the result of careful
aud digent " enquiry into the amount Of lonnape
and nenchandze imported into. and OF the tonnage
of exl from the eight southwestern COUNTS Of
Virg mia and twenty Que counties OF East Tennrs-
see, that DUNG the FIRST year after tie eenstruc-
ton of the railroad, the tonnage of imports would
amount 10 1897, and of exports to 60352 making
aggregate of G7,G4o." After making deduction
of more than third, however, from this estimate
that intelli cent convention ofpractlcai business men
all OF whom were well acquainted with tie resources
and capacities Of that portion of the states which
they represented, estimated the ntt revenue ola
road between Knoxville and Lyme lburc at near S74
pen cent. upor the cost Of construction and fiom
this estimate they excluded Tie imports and exports
of the extensive region between Lynchburs and New
river which, they had " no hesitation in say ing
would increase the amount to produce a, least
III per cent. Ia the SlCtkl Outrs. rom ms eSti.
mate also excluded :" the profit TO be derived
from the conveyance of passengers ard the Transport
tation Of the mail, under the opinion hat these
latter sources Of revenue would d,fay the expenses
of providing tie necessary engines, and kee ping up
the repair of the road" This caoulation however
was by ia, too LIBERAL. The principal engineer Of
the commonwealth, estimating the number of itnyel-
lers upon ,s road at 100, Geo re ainum, which, all
who with the route, will concur with
him in saving, is " absurdly moderate" shows, thar,
at cents per mile, the common charge Tor rail-
road travelling, it would yield forty ler cent upon
the cost ol construction, leaving tonnage entirely out
oil view. That this estimate of the number Of travel
lers is not TOO large, is oonclusyey shewn by the
fact, derived lIomthe register bept lHges ferry,
on New river. that, in the year 1856, with existing
facilities and inducements, $1,000 travellers crossed
at that single point! Even should increased tac,h-
ties lead to augmentation ofthe number of
ellers-an absurd supposition--and only So Geo per-
sons should pass upon his road year, then
would yield Scrcnteea per cent. upon its cost
Since the year 1881, however, ,y hts have occur-
red, winch mparl additional interest to tins highly
important and too long deferred enterprise. and give
additional CLAIMS to the confidence and support of
sagacioas people, and parental government. Rail
roads lave been prof ectcd. aud mos OF Them are
IN progress, all Of them c0nrereing al Knorrle and
extending in various directions, aud connecting
proposed line with Nashville, Cincinnati. Charleston
Augusta, Savannah, Columbus. Mobile New Or
ledus, and indeed all the great commercial cities Of
the sonth and west. Tennessee is only awaiting the
action OF Virginia, to commence her portion Of the
grand line which is destined To council Boston and
New Orleans, by continuous rail road commu MICA
ton. The Charleston and Cincinnati rail road has
been commenced under suspicious crcditable to the
wisdom and foresight Of the which fist gave
impulse 10, and has since borne the chef buuhen Of
the magnificent enterprise enterprise which n-
dIcaes the avail ening OF a new and better spirit in
the south, which, il ii do not flag and fallei under
the accidental and Unforeseen difficulties and reyer-
ses that must ever attend the progress of works on
such extended scale will re. nyigorae the droo--
ping energies Of the southern states, aud restore
them 10 that elevated rank III The conicdeiacy, from
which, by lie indulgence of pala wing sloh, while
all around the the busy hum of industry was heard!
they have been gradually but rapidly precpi,ated.
Sixty miles of this road are already completed and
considerable portion of the line is now or will soon.
be, under contract and as it strikes the souhwes-
tern valley OF Virginia. about 65 miles from the state
'ine' and passes near the same region of country
which we propose TO penetrate, it is apparent, that.