Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-03-11


of Wood. Lewis was four times greater and
Randolph was SIX times greater. MIR. :. did
not know how il was thai Mason and Dixon's
line turned uorlh-wardly before il reaching The
Ohio. He had that morning sought geu-
tlcnan VINO he supposed might be familiar
with the subject, but could nolhnd him. The
fac, was, howeyer, the iiue terminated e miles
from the Ohio. and thence the boundary d
Pennsylvania struck off northward.y 70 PMS
burg. How il came 10 be, he was never able
10 ascertain. Be it as il maya former dele
gate from Brooke gave that part Of Virginia
lying between this line, running north, and
the Ohio, the name Of "Pan Handle" The
handle consisted Of Brooke, Marshall and Ohio
counties, while those counties living further
forming The Pm Handle had superficial OK
tent OF about 600 square miles, while the 9th
ers, south OF Mason and Dixon to the base Of
the Aleghany mountains, contained 10000
square miles The one could sustain popu
lation, estimated according TO the ratio Of pop
uIation Of some Of the Northern States, OF ;
000, 900; the other. estimated according to the
same ratio. could sustain only $1,000. In es-
lIniating the benefits Of the line of improve
inent you must not only look to the present
benefits, but 10 the prospective advantages that
are 10 accrue Reasoning from analogy, we
find that the 10000 square miles would derive
an amount OF advantage from the railroad,
more than ten times as great as would be the
advantage from Ms terminus ia The eeDtre OF
the GOO square miles. There would in time
be more Than ten times the population 10 be
benefited. In a geological point Of view. the
arger section was capable OF as high, II not a
superior, degree OF improvement and produc-
ton 10 the lesser section. Then you are 10
e>anaate the prospective las well as present con-
diiion-you must not only calculate the pre-
seHl wealth, but you must look TO the future
effects and the probable future wealth. Look
again at the "Pan Handle" AT the widest
point it was about ten miles, and hardly that !;
from that point II grew narrower aud narrow
or, till il reaches Brooke county, where il is
not five miles wide. On the right lies Penn
sylyania. Suppose the great work be con-
structed, would It's advantages be confined to
the point Of terminaiion2 Certainly not. In
proportion as the prosperity Of thai point was
increased, would lis effects be extended into
the adjacent interior New York impaired
benefits 10 a much larger contiguous country
than Richmond did. A city with popula-
ton OF 100000 would give employment and u
market 10 much larger surrounding country
than one OF 5000. Then the effect OF the pros
perily which must ensue from the terminus at
Wheeling must be 10 improve an adjacent
State and confer blessings on the population
of that State. Instead Of benefittmg the clt-
zens OF Virginia, the effect would be TO throw
greater blessings on the population o. Penn
sylyana. Look to future results: II the road
be constructed to a terminus south of Mason
and Dixon, its benefits would be conferred on
a productive territory, extending l60 mdes 10
the base of the Allegheny mountainS-a terri
tory which n,ay be filled up with apopulation
of 100000. exceeding the present eatlre
white population Of Virginia. la proportion,
then. as the route came down to certain
point would be its increased benefits and the
increase ofpopulatioR. Compare the two sec
tons, and decide by reference 10 maps between
them.
Blu, il was said. contina Mr.. s., that
Wheeling ought to be the terminus, because
she pays a greater amount Of taxes than any
county ON the southern line. Suppose she
does, what would be the comparison, if the
section soulh OF Mason and Dixon were filled
up with a population of ,00O, 200, instead Of
60,0007 How would the comparison stand
then Instead OF falling behind, the right Of
way counties would greatly exceed her. Is it
not apparent that greater results would flow TO
Tirgtnia from the southern location than from
the terminus at Wheeling} Mr. 5. would not
elaborate the argument. but leave gentlemen TO
r, feet upon the hints merely which he had
given.
But, in rela,oo 70 revenue, he had to say
that the counties OF Brooke, Marsha, Ohio,
one half of Tyler, Weizel Preston, Mononga-
Ina, Marion, and half OF Taylor, did not pay
quite so much revenue as the counties South
of them and above the Little kanawha river.
lie had unfortunately left AT his room a table
making the exhibit; but he would state the
general result, and was sure he was not ID er-
ror. Then the counties named did not yield
quite as much revenue as the counties between
them aud the Great kanawha. In giving
these, he had made liberal allowance; for
Brooke county was nearly one-half in favor of
the right of way This fact was stated by the
former delegate from that county, and though
not authorized 10 say So he had understood the
present delegate was oil opinion that such was
the fact In reference TO Tyler, he knew that
county better than any man liying-he knew
almost every man in .i--knew his sentiments
and the political party to which he belonged
could, he believed. call each man BY name to
dav. should he meet them IN the streets Of
Richmond; and he would gladly do 50, and
shake the hand OF each, whether he wore
huniing shirt and moccasns or not for he
looked upon them as his brothers, and cher.
ished for them the most grateful recollection
and the sincercsi attachment. He believed
that three fourth OF Tyler county were in IA
yor Of the right of way. Netzel, he believed.
was in favor OF il; TO what extent he was not
positively certain, but he had assurances that
there was a large portion Of the county for it,
In re!erence TO Preston, he appealed 10 the del
egale from thai county TO know If he had not
received memorial or two, accompanied with
the proceedings OF large meeting, instructing
him TO vote for the Fright of Way" Tay-
lor county was more than one-half IN favor Of
the right OF way. No part of North Western
Virginia was. in his opinion, really interested
in forcing the road TO Wheeling but the "Pan-
handle" The remaining counties ofthatse
ton were greatly more interested in granting
the right Of way. because the ultimate benefits
TO them would be greater than they could pos
sibly be from the terminus at Wheeling.
The gentleman from Ohio will bring in as an
argument, the amour, Of tax paid by Wheel
ing, and in that amount will be included the
bonus and the dividends pad BY the Banks
there. in which the Commonwealth was large
ly interested. One Of lhese--the North Yves
tern Bank-in which the State held S4D0, 200
A