Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-11-19
RICHMOND DAILY WAC.
To Jsmss Lysas. Bsg.

R1ssosO, Nov. 10Th. ls%s.
To Jsmss Lysas. Bsg. @
DEAR SW; Conserving your enquiries on he subject Of
connecting Richmond with the Ohio river ut Paksr.bure
aud other masrs relative the insnsl Of
S"k'ns allow TO premise remarks In regard TO
the extension Of tho Baltimore railroad which, think
have an Immediate bearing tho question and please
place the map before you aud follow ground
am about to describe. and with which am intimately
sequsnird having uavsrssd and measured IN every di
rec,ion.
Whatever may DO selected by the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company. IL must proceed up the North
branch Of the Po,omse mud pas. the hosdwse Of the
fohogsny probably by considerable tunnel through
Allegheny Mountain. here called the Backbone: seyei.
minor branches Of the Poiomsc and Yohogany seem to or
Ter facilities for the scheme.
Thence ssvsrsl routes may be pursued,
The FIST and easiest Of all follow the Yohoe.nv dow,
10 P''sbore; But the opposition Of Penn.ylvan forbds
the ides and possibly also tho Company may consider Pitts
burg too high point the Ohio.
The next route Is carried to Wheeling over very difficult
ground having descend from the high level of tho
Of the Yohogany, about 1900 feet very .hor, distance.
10 the Monongshels and thence overcome the ridge. in
tervenng between il and the oho on this route .so tho
'iRht Of way is denied by Pennsylvania.
1t tho opinion OF OF the Engineers. who hive be.,
In the service Of the Company that this difficulty, NAV be
oe'aed by turning the Southwestern corner Of the State
oil Pennsyvsns; while the plan rejected by smother En-
Rneer; III certainly less feasbe than tue Sd route which
reaches the Ohio rver by the valley Of Fishing Creek
The difficulties Of tho by Fishing Creek mn. N. fail
Low" IN the hrst place. descent Of nearly 1900 feet must
be ELECTED from the high level of the Glsde- along the
the mountain down Cheat river; this de
scent presented able obstacles i'm The c nj
the North western Turnpike would re auite the railroad
TO wind among the spurs OF the mountain for from IL q,
miles Immediately along the bank Of Cheat
Tver rises the Laurel mountain equally preciptu. ,n
mo ess high than the Cheat mountain IL NAV p.Ib,os m
passed through by unneli OF some length between the
sNss o. uouAry Of Cheat river. on SIDE aud OF
corresponding one u the Monongshels the other Fol
lowing them this river to the mouth Of Buoo Crock the
roue may IT, and considerable ridge 10 Fish
ing Creek. and thence tho Ohio, nil along
from the Backbone steep and slopes enormous c
aad, what worse. hills liable immense slps Tbos.
acquainted only with Eastern Virginia, have no con-
cepton Of tho formidable obstacles in the wav of anv Lind
o Improvement in the formation west, rn hills and wi,
leys.
The fourth terminus i. PskcnLurg, which i, proposed
TO DC approached IN tso different tie first by de-
scendng a. on the other routes, from Cheat 10
mo r'er oil The same name. overcoming South
err point the ridge between and Tygars valley river
thence passing over 10 the West Fork among the
NILS OF Harrson County and taking CarksburR in the
way and hnally reaching the Ohio by a connection with
someoi the tributaries oi the little kanawha
In all this region, have encounter ground of the
character above described deep and toruous valleys
and numerous cliffs, and. above ALL precpitous hill side,
which, when broken into losing their support and
occasion those immense Slides already mentioned which
frequently, not only overwhelm the road but carry IL with
Them down to the very base Of the hill and when this hap
~
This difficulty, which have found urmda ble in The CON
suueuon oil common roads. will necessarily prove hun
ueu ou more so IN works the small graduation OF which
must Keep them suspended for miles along abrupt and
teacheous decliviies unequeny within the reach of
'ne UNDERMINING schon OF western streams, without the
POssomy OF summing bad places, as with common roads
10y Iesoring TO steep grades.
will now speak OF the last spproaeh to Parkcrsbure
have reserved 1t To close what relates Baltimore Rail
road because connects with the toward. Richmond
purpose analyzing.
On this route appeals be thought that the top of the
neshany should be attained somewhere tho Staunton
and fakerburg road the head one Of the branches
SCUM ofanch oil the Potomac; probably the Laurel
'oS OF 'he NORTH fork OF the South branch. Then it
the plan correctly, the line should be sustained
aons inc Top OF this range Of mountains, heading thereby
~ 'aious streams WIZ presently describe and thence
descending down TO, and along the e Kanawha To Par
Nesourg'
IL 'his plan Is feasible. connection with the James
nNer VIII doubtless be equally practicable but question
whe'her Will bear close examination the stubborn
'o' Instruments Tor. am not aware that yet any in
sumcnial experiment has been tried among this chaotic
cluster OF wild mountains, which tower above each other
~ pnost eapfcious confusion. practicable at ALL Rail
Road this way would prove Hcrcu,ean task far trans
cendng the resources Of the Company meas which
a &c Ieasohsoe 10 appropriate To the undertaking.
s description Of It's typographical features will soon
eon IN, tnls conclusion.
ihe negnt OF me range OF Allegheny ridges this
nahpe point which Is the head OF the main rivera Of Viz
49,. oeenoe'' Snea' hlna~ha. the Potomac, and
lanes hNes s' at me lowest depression. as computed
a anno ''soo teet above the level OF the
80 wv" 'o' 'o'" '"s'"s''"' aud s7nh shove Parkers
49,.
III Tue h's place, the rise from the Little IA
80 i, oe ' eons'ueiaple ana II Is obvious that an
81 1870 go nus soon 'es'e the margin VI the river,
Bill r. Jp,I aons 'ne race o. 'he ueacherous
, - ~ among Guns ana abrupt slopes Tor
go, I'D 80 =, I plooaoy % OF Ioty lhis long
rao,inu,om o% , we ne 70 'ne top OF Rich Mountain
obyi,,ed IN ,nv w.y g. !, noI eau ~ u'',cuV oe
o " any way Tor, You sack to pass 10 the South
h MI L 'e y, ,o'hS OF inc 'fea h'nawha, and to
e. Vs. " p inca, tNef'
from lhe top 81 Rich Mountain you below you the
Ill .".y VI iyss's Nahey hver' which ho~s North
"o oppo'''e 70 you direeuy scross your path, the
go i,s. i"a o Ines' mounain 10 head the Ty-
sSNaeV Wer would be the only alte: native for Cheat
1T I .o'o 'eel ABOVE IT, Admitting that line
Lei eu al 'ha high level and had reached the
~, '"u"'s,n on ''e opposite side, then 1t would
@ " menu, so' Chea' HVtr' whose valley splits, as II
rr, r a, ~, a. ~, an elevation OF ioOo eet above
tIs III - i "' "es' snu "Ieehohef on the East
1880; We M" oosccnu rom Tue eastern top Of the
=, 49, 80 80 I'ouo'e' n'ouh's,n iooo ieei down
,.;"n az snohg PeIPehucuh Guns aud the con-
in,o,c.n, an. ,np,a s,I "o oeeP Ia'Ines' whlch
intercept INC route Especially, when the tremendous