Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-12-30
Far he Enquirer:
A NEW GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY

Grand Junction.!
Messrs. Editors: Give leave TO an humble
Soulh-Sider 10 call the attention of your readers
10 a NEW ROUTE for RAILROAD connecting
EASTERN and WESTERN Virginia.
The route respectfully suggested is this: Com
mencpg at Richmond, thence 10 the Clover Hill
Pits in Chesterfield, thence TO The Appomattox
Valley, by Farmvie, thence 10 the Slaunton Val
lev, by Charlotte Courthouse, up the Staunlon
Valley TO the Blue Ridge, through the Roanoke
Gap (very low 10 The New river down New RI
yer TO the Kanawha.
This route presents some considerations wor-
thy OF attention.
Isl. From Richmond 10 Farmville and Coles
Ferry, (Staunton River there has already been
survey, (exceptins small section OF The Ap.
pomatlux Yaey,) and found 10 be very good
country for Railway.
3D. The route is through very low gaps in the
mountains, and is about as nea the same distance
from East 10 West as any route yet proposed
and il is believed that survey would show that
il can be constructed for as little cost as any other
proposed route.
81. Ii makes the connection with the South
west of Virginia and The Western part of North
! Carolina more practicable.
4tb. Ii will benefit region of Virginia which
!
Did any BODY ever hear of any Legislation 10 be-
neGt the Appomaltox and Stanton tobacco re-
ajons. excepting the so-called improvement O. oi
| The A npomatiox rivera II will run through The
heart OF fine tobacco and wheat regions. II will
offer inducements to Western Carolina and East
| ern Tennessee 10 Join us by connecting improve
ments. II will aid millions TO The value OF The
| Inner Roanoke and the New River ValIcys-in
| the last Of which onlu Rail-Road improvement
can be practicable. From Gauey Bridge 10 the
sources OF New River, no boat ever will or can
come.
reneat ever done to enable the whole OF Virginia
living West Of The Petersburg Rail Road and
| South of James River, 10 get 10 marketl small
expenditure on parts OF Roanoke aud Arpomat-
lcx. and here and there turnpike road is all
| Garry The James River improvement 10 Coving-
Ton. extend the Louisa Railroad 10 the Tenth Re-
giun, las an orator called it) lei Baltimore g" uT
the Valley as lar as she pleases and with The i'm
proyement fmade or not by The aid of the Lesis-
iatnre, as may be besi] nearly every region O
Virginia will be penetrated.
Sirs. gel the legislators and your enterprisina
people OF Richmond TO take few days and sc
10 siudyine geography, and III bel bowl Of oys
lers they find that The Commonwealth OF Vnsi
mia embraces more land than the James river
valley. and if they send out some one TO spy on
The land, they'll find out that the terra incosnit0
of Halifax, Charlotte, Pittsyvana, Henry, Pat
rick. Roanoke, Montgomery, Giles, Mercer, Mon
roe, Faye,,e, Wythe &c, &C., contain some peo
pie who, if they could be got al, would prorePro
| s,obir acouaintances. UTH-SlDE.
P. Stake down your map and you will BIZ
asonshed (if yon have never observed I'D tha
The head waters oil Roanoke, and The head waters
of New River are very near each other and il
hc eouniv Of Montgomery, believe. The rail-
way will have no thousand feet Of Hawks Mes
Cliffs 10 Jump over. nor Big Sewells. And q
railroad for folks who musi go 10 The Springs, car
he made up The Greenbrier valley. Now, Messrs
Editors. these are thoughts OF plain counryman
handed out 70 YOU in no attractive style. But i
You'll lusl get Mr.. Mcfarland, or Mr.. EdmundS
or Mr.. Peyton, or some OF the writing and speak
ing gentlemen to turn their thoughts 10 this road
they conld point out many advantages presenle,
b. his way, which canno express in readabl,
shape. And ask the Sou,hweslerners to look a
il. And Old Rip would get wide-awake;-iI
Ten years, YOU would see railway going init
the heart Of her Western mountains, and another
would 90 far down into Tennessee.
REPoRr or THs COMMISSIONER OF THE LAM
OrrcE.-FIom this document We learn, that On
ring 1874 the sales of the public lands amounted
10 l,7i5 763 acres and the receipts into The lanc
offices were s2,207,67s; and during The first, Sc