Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-11-22
"lNTERNAL IMPROVEMENT MET
ING

rNdidNn ia al the November Term, 1910, oil the
country court thereof, To take Into considera-
ton the interests OF Virginia, as connected
with the prosecution and completion OF the
Great central line OF improvement, which has
so long been in contemplation b. the State.
Philip X. Thompson w~asappointed President,
aud Andrew Parks Secretary of tue meeting.
Upon the motion oiGeo. w. Summers. after
explaining briefly the object of the mer,ing;
II was determined that u committee OF five lie
appointed To draft resolutions for the consid
erations OF the meeting. The President ap-
pointed the following gentlemen, 10 wit;
George w. Summers, Benjamin Ill. Smith,
John Lewis, James l.. Carr, and James e.. Nc
Farland. After u brief interval. the commit
tee by their chairman George w. Summers,
reported the following preamble and resolu-
lions:
WHEREAS a determination has been recent
ly manifested, and is believed now to be en-
tertained, by u portion of the citizens of East
em Virginia, and which has been the more
especially indicated by the efforts OF u portion
OF the public prcss at Richmond, and by GER
tim resolutions adopted at public meeting
held III that city ON the 22nd October. to di-
vert the people OF this commonwealth from
their long cherished and patriotic purpose of
connecting the Atlantic border of the State
with the great Western Valley by means of Il
line OF Improvement extending from Rich.
mond 10 the Ohio river, through the kannaw-
Ina Valley, and 10 direct the public mind TO
new schemes of Improvement which if prac-
ticable at all, in our deliberate Judgement
would be comparatively ~iruitless OF public
benefit, thus tending To confuse, disunitc and
weaken the efforts which should now be put
forth in combined vigor, 10 secure 10 Nirgin-
la the great advantages which belong 10 her
by nature, and which can only be lost TO her
by continued slothtul inaction, or by weak
and distracted councils-and whereas, we be
lieve IT I'D be the imperative duty ol the Leg
~islature which will assemble at Richmond
the first Monday in December next, TO put an
end to all doubt, or delay in this matter, and
TO provide at once for The completion of the
great central line, SO long projected, but SO
unwlsely aud SO ruminously postponed, and
that TO the discharge OF that high duty, the
Legislature should be invoked and stimulated
by the earnest entreaty OF the people of all parts
oil the State, by the expression OF their opinions
aud wishes i'll primary assembly. Therefore
in order that the views and sentiments of the
people OF kanawha. here assembled may be-
fully known TO their representatives and TO
their fellow citizens having common interests
with themselves, they RcSol,e-
|. That the State OF Virginia, by her form
er legisla!iu and repeated declarations, stands
pledged to the continuation of the line OF
Improvement, now terminating at Lynch
burg, TO the Ohio river, anl that this pledge
so solemn aud 50 often given, is irreyocable
except by breach OF public faith, and by con-
sequence, State dishonor.
2. That this route has been demonstrated
by competent Engineers. time after time, to
be perfectly susceptible OF improvement, Ell
Their by canal or railroad, and that a differ
ence OF opinion now, as TO the preference
which should be given 10 the one or the 9th
or oil these two modes OF improvement fur
nishes no ground for abandoning it.
3. That this line of improvement, would
connect Virginia, more advatageously, with
the products and travel of the Western and
Southern regions of the United States, than
any other which has been or can be projected
through her territory. Ii is the channel of
connection between the navigable waters OF
the Chesapeake and the Gulf OF Mexico,
marked out by nature, insisted upon in the in
fancy OF the State by her best and wisest
statesmen, uniformly admitted, sanctioned and
preferred from that time 10 the present, anda-
dopted and entered upon by the State, after
the maturest celebration as the true high
way TO the incxhaustiblc resources of the Mis-
sissipi Valley.
a.. That every years experience serves but
TO convince us the more, that a large and en-
riching portion of the western commerce
would be turned through Virginia by means
OF this line, il completed, while none can
doubt that the great body of the travel East
and West, would be thrown upon il.
.. That the opinion recently promulgated
of the profit amt advisability OF a rail road 10
Memphis in the State of Tennessee either in
substitution for the proposed line to the Ohio,
or It's connection with it, is in our own judg-
ment fanciiul and unfounded. The idea that
commerce and passengers would descend the
Ohio and other tributaries of the Mississippi,
to such d transit from Memphis, TO Richmond
and Norfolk, can only be entertained by those
accustomed to act upon theoretical SUPPOSE
tons, rather than upon known facts.
3. That we regard the proposition of con-
duc'ing a railroad from Lynchburg To- the
Horse shoe on New River, in the county OF
Montgomery, as common stem for the line
TO the Ohio, and the proposed line to Mem
phis as virtually a proposition TO abandon the
central route. If the improvement common
ced, Is ever TO be completed, it is only to be
done, 10y adhering steadily in one line as orig
lnally designed, pushing il on with united et-
Tort and means, and treating all Others as sub
ordinate, and TO be- entered upon when the
main design shall have been cousummated.
z. That the Canal now terminating at
Lynchburg should be extended TO Buchanan,
and that from that point 10 steam boat navi-
CATION OIL the Kanawha or Ohio, a continuous
Railroad should be constructed, unless ii be
found more advisable TO adopt the lock and
dam navigation for steamboats, upon New
River, as part of said line.
8. That we should regard the abandonment
oil the Central line, or any part of it, as gross
injustice to the Western Counties, interested
IN that route. The Baltimore and Ohio rail.
road Company would have gladly taken the
route proposed and constructed their improve
mcnt TO the Ohio River through the Kanawha
Valley, Nirgtnfu7u Stained II as her own. a
pearl too precious 20 be yielded to another.
and appealing TO oUr feelings of State pride
asked us TO accept her pledge that she would
do the work herself, we took that pledge anil
relied upon tive invested our money upon
the promise that the improvement should be-