Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-02-09
IN,1YD. Va, TUESDAY. FEB. ., 1871
THE LAST LINK.

SSi,,sSs sSssaeaa5o sssssas
pnuMOND, Va, TUESDAY. FEB. ., ls4l.
THE LAST LINK.
~. throw ourselves once more upon the generous
federation of the Legislature. We have not a
.Sn,s concern in any Railroad in the Union but We
~ 10, deep and abiding interest in the improvement
.nd the glory of the Old Dominion. The more we
sok Of H. the satisfied that the last Inns
= ne connection ought 10 be made, and that 1t ran oe
mad, with the assistance of the State. Docs any man
anbt the value OF the improvement in every point oil
.w To show what the enlightened citizens oil other
Safes think of il, even as a source OF prcft, we suom
tbe following Extracts from the New YORK REVIEW OF
a,,ll,s, and from Tanner "Descripon OF the Canals
~ Railroads in the u. States" The immediate effect
- ,ddnr on this link is add to the value OF every
other lnk-every other railroad in the great line OF com
run;caton We had hoped, that some arrangement
,,bt have been made between the Legislature and tne
Com,any for securing the immediate guarantee OF the
St. 10 The contemplated loan of about S2oO00O That
Nh however was rejected Friday; and, on SATURDAY,
we took the liberty Of suggesting reconsucranon oi
the question. If il could not be carried IN thal iof'n'
we recommended the State TO DO It upon us own a..
count and seek its compensation IN toll OF NIFTY cents
ho,d upon every traveller who passes on his way;
The fredericksburg and Richmond Company, to bear
MI the expenses Of repairs, agency &c and 10 see
&c n,y,len. IN moderate tolls of lis upon travel
er. transportation and mail, (bnding the Company,
throughout whole route TO submit any dispute abou;
The TRANSPORTATION Of The mail 10 tribunal OF Impartial
commissioners. This should be on Indispensable Tea
1ure IN every Railroad Charter)
fu will the toll of fifty cents reimburse the State toi
ia loan Of $3.50 eco. Who doubt the of the
road he will turn 10 Mr. Crozets Report to the Boars
of Public WORKS. The travellers apcn the present rail
road during the las, year. both ways up and down, may
be estimated at least 5O,0OO.-Half dollar these
would be $50 000-and scarcely any reasonable man car
doubt that the moment this last link completed,
would add ~ per cent to the Travel These ele
mcnts Of calculation can scarcely deceive US. Here
then We nave income of $4,000 at once, accruns
10 the State-which gives per cent upon the sum o
S250000 FOR which the road, bridge &C. may certainly
be completed. But every day will add to the numbe
passengers the value of the road TO the dividends
and should be surprised, if in 10 or 10 year:
il should produce $4,000, being 20 per cent. on the
advance Of the State. In fact the scheme is not only
safe for the State but it will become handsome source
OF revenue.
At all events what we ask it, that the whole snbjeci
should be reconsdered and something done. We con-
fss that in these times know of other Railroad
in which we would desire the State TO embark its
dt-But this is so vastly important safe and pro
fahle not only in itself, but giving additional value
TO The interest af the Commonwealth the whole stem
from fredericksburg 10 the Southern end, that o,
one paper willing to undertake it. Not the
explosion IN thr banking SYSTEM since last, ha,
shaken confidence IN the work impaired zeal
unexpectedly beg, therefore, the Legislature of Nir
gina 10 reconsider this important subject They have
scarcely done any thing yet, during the present win
ter winch is entitled to CONNIE ndation. The general
cry is what abortive session. how much talk, how
little act,on.We ask them to redeem themselves from
such clanor-and 10 do great act which will dis
,in.uish Inc session of lS40-4i.
(Erop .See York Rerelr ef -7pri)
There is no such uncertainty as to the third line Of
communication mentioned by Mr.. Chevalier, that be-
tween New York aud New Orleans. Connecting as
THIS does, the Metropolis of the Union With the great
Atlantic cities Of the Northern and the capitals of the
Southern States this line Of communication has at the
same time the advantage of forming the most direct line
between the Eastern and Southern States, and Of ira
versng belt of country which presents for the
line OF Railroads, peculiar facilities The pub
lie evinced perception of the advantages Of hi
great line Of the ,horoughtare, by the large amount
which has been contributed within the last eight
wears almost entirely from individual resources
execution. The separate links which have been far
made, bid far should It not be extended beyond It's pre-
terminus the South, to be extremely profitable
but there scarcely doubt that within six eight
years more, the whp,c cham Of communication will be
completed to New Orleans, and that there will then be
travel end trade every portion OF IT, beyond any
pr, sent conception Of its extent.
Al The time a: the publication Of The sketch Of MIR
Cheyaler, detached links only in this chain of conmu
ncat'on, had been made far the Roanoke North
Carolina. Within the two years which have since
elapsed, the Philadelphia and Baltimore, the Richmond
and fredericksburg, and Richmond and Petersburg rail
roads have been put in operations and South Of the
Roanoke, lines of railroads have been completed Ia
wilmington, TN Nortn SaroilEa) al the NOUN OF the
cape Fear, and to Raleigh the capital of the State
the more direct route To Columbia and Augusta. Be-
tween ounha and Branchville the line of railroad
winch connects Charleston and Augusta, railroad is
now IN progress OF construction which, it understood
VIII be completed the of the present, eurl
the ensuing year, leaving only the distance between
Raleigh and Columbia, (about two hundred miles, but
winch - SAID 10 be OF extremely easy executon) to be
constructed TO finish q complete railroad communities
ton between New York and Charleston and Augusta.
between Augusta and Montgomery, the Alabama
river, thence New Orleans there is for about two.
'hrds "f the year, excellent steamboat comuunicu-
uon; railroads now IN progress of execution, will pro-
badly he finished b. the time the line North Of Augusta
10 III readiness.
"GTeat profits may undoubtedly be anticipated in
eee'y portion Of great chain Of communication, aohen
e1eeued is toleratic judgment and under tacorabic
charters In another point of view, however, it is
much more interesting to US. No line of improvement
WhicN has been projected in America, and perhaps
none which can ever be made, important in po-
,'ncai as well as commercial aspect, the we
nave been contemplating In time of war; the Co.
vernment will be enabled by H. with moderate STAND.
ing army to provide for the defence of IFS whole Allan
iic coast object not 20 be attained effecluay with
cut 1t by the whole force of the country II will fur
nish, IN such a contingency, the means not only of
transporting men and munitions Of war; but in the event
oil blockade Of the coast, of exchanging notwith.
standing the s;aples of the South the manufacture,
OF the North and East In the estimation OF the pa.
aeF"ed ABOVE all things, TO the preservation Of the
lnion, this connection, between what Mr. Cheyalier
terms IT'S two poles, has yet higher value "When.
he remarks, "Nsw York shall be only six or eight DAYS
journey from New Orleans not only for rich class
travelling IN privileged manner, bu, for every shop.
Keeper and every workman, separation will be no
longer possible Great distance will have disappear
and thus Colossus, ten times yaster than France, will
MAINTAIN it's ;uni,y without effort
1T rs among the many fortunate circumstances OF
our country that its most essential line of improve.
.sn offers such strong inducements to its speedy
cu,'on both in the prospects of profit presented by it
an investment and its other advantages In other
countries, the works essential TO their defence and pro-
lection have been executed usually al great cost and
"h heavy burhens on the subject. With US, the one
winch IS 10 make impregnable in war, and to unite
lndssolnby in and peace, is at the same time, 10
aad largely to the wealth of the nation, and of the
shareholders of the companies cooperating in its
t daae Canals and Rroaads in the United statcs-lslOl
ar, VIRGINIA RAILROADS