Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-11-25
Mr.. Cro.ef's Letter 10 Mr.. Lyons.
APPEAL To ALL VIRGINIA.

attention to the portion Of il which compares the
route between Lynchburg or Buchanan, and the
Ohio, with the route by way ofStuunton, did not
advert particularly that part Of the letter which
considers the facilities Of q connection between
the Baltimore Il Ohio Railroad and Parkersburg.
Finding Il inferred from some passages in the let.
Ter Of Mr.. Crozet that the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad could not be extended to the latter place,
and that therefore the right Of way might safely
be given TO the latter Company, we have been
induced to ro- peruse MIR. Crozets letter with more
care. No such conclusion can, we think, be
drawn from it. Ii is true, that one or more ofth
routes proposed by the Baltimore & Ohio Rail.
road Company, among their ftccnfy or thirty, are
deemed by Mr.. Crozet impracticable, but some Of
the others IRE considered by him as only involving
serious difficulties and we know from what the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company has AREA
dy accomplished, that such difficulties cease 10 be
se,ioGs, when in the way Of powerful Company,
having adequate means ut their control, for the
attainment of objects, justifying large expendi.
a ture. Even, however, were Mr.. Crozet's opinion
on this point it has been represented to be, we
should still deem the hazard fearful one, of act.
ing on il, when the opinions of two engineers,
both eminently practical, and in HE employment Of
opposing fnterests (Mr. Knight, formerly the
chief engineer of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
Company and lately employed by the city of
7 Wheeling, and Mr.. Latrobe, the present chiefc en-.
gineer of the Railroad Company,) are exactly the
f. reverse of Mr.. Crozet's. Both these gentlemen,
the one arguing in favor of the Wheeling route,
and the other against it, agreed last winter, that
the routes proposed by the Baltimore Il Ohio Rail.
road Company, both to Fishing Creek and Par.
er expense per mile than The Baltimore e. Ohio
Railroad has far cost, and the advocates fthe
city Of Wheeling and Of the Baltimore & Ohio
Road Company, she wed by their earnestness, the
one party in advocating and the other in resist.
ing the proposed right Of way, that there was lit
tie doubt that if granted, it would be exercised,
and that their road would in this case terminate
at Petersburg.
= Believing as we do, that an extension of the
Baltimore and Ohio rail road to either Fishing
Greek or Parkersburg, would be most fatal to the
interests OF Virginia, that whilst il would destroy
Wheeling and deprive the Commonwealth of the
advantages TO result from a great interior line of
trade and travel terminating at its metropolis, il
would in return confer no benefits worthy of con-
sideration, the district of country through
which it would pass deprecate every thing
calculated to induce any supineness on the subject
We trust that the City Delegate to whom the let.
ter Of Mr.. Crczet was addressed will perceive
the deep stake that his constituents have in the
matter and that he will not be willing that a right
of Way shall be granted, the presumption that
it may not, cannot be used, which if il should be-
would be fatal to the future hopes of this City.
As to the claims of the North West, we should
b, satisfied to leave the question to the North
west itself TO decide, with proviso only that
the Baltimore and Ohio rail road company should
p be required to do, what every other company in
the Stats has been, before right of Way has
been granted TO 1t. viz: to define the line ii pur.
poses TO take by fixing points on its route. Let
this be done, and venture the assertion, not
only that the route to Wheeling (that already
granted,) will be found to be the strongest. but
that not one: fourth of the Delegates of the North.
West itself will be found to be in favor of any
other route.
in truth. no benefit can result to the country
through which the Baltimore and Ohio rail road
would pass, beyond the incidental advantage of
any immediate expenditure which may be made
for its execution, unless ii be taken 10 Wheeling.
IL it terminate there, it will add 10 the p:csDerity
OF one of the most important towns in the State
and the market which Wheeling would afford to
the country on the western portion of the road
might be Of some benefit 10 the latter. But every
one acquainted with the North. Western portion
OF the STATE knows that 1t is essentially grazing
country, to which the most valuable improvements
are graded turnpikes. which the State has liberal
iy distributed in this portion of its territory Ii is
Too much for the counties not on tho Wheeling
route TO ash in addition, that right of way should
be given to the Baltimore and Ohio rail road
which would build up no City at It's terminus on
the Ohio, but which would destroy dourishinq
one already existing there, and winch, whilst
would be a mere conduit pipe as regards the North.
West, would mar the prospects of Virginia for oh
tanning on her great Central thoroughfare, the al
ready vast and rapidly increasing trade and travel
Of the West.
To the Baltimore IL Ohio Railroad as far as il
has already progressed under great obi.
cations, for having shewn us the extent and value
Of the prize we have to contend for, and which il
requires only wisdom in counsel and energy Of
action, TO secure to this good old Commonwealth.
IL appears that the income Of that Company with
its present imperfect improycme mt completed only
60 Cumberland, was for the year ending the 3O,h
Of September last, the enormous one Of seren hun.
dDed aHd Iriy.Hino thousand and fire hundred
and eighteen doiiarg, sum equal after the pay.
neht Of all expenses, to dividend Of frs and a
hdf per cent on the present cost Of the work and
this was received on trade and travel principal.
ly from below Guyandote, and which has to as.
cend the Ohio two hundred miles farther, and
20 pass over one hundred and thirty miles of
turnpike 10 reach the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
add which would Of course be diverted through
Virginia were Railroad made from Lynchburg
or Buchanan 10 Guyandollc, or even to steamboat
navigation on the ksnawha. OF course the in
come from he same trade aud travel would be
greatly Increased, whilst both the trade and travel
might he expected to be doubled and trebled, on
Railroad extended to Guyandotie or the Ia.