Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-02-14

ket. Excepting the coaf basin IN Whicl
Pittsburgh lies, including region far L
the north.wes: and north east, I know o
no bituminous coal in great quantities shor
OF western Indiana TO supply fhe demand
arising and TO arise upon The lakes ant
within the lake regions. For this supply
Yellow Creek may be but one Of many
localities; yet so great will the demand be-
come that one thousand tons day, OF
just the amount, speaking in round mum
bers, that now comes down the Mononga
hela, can hardly do your part of the sup
plysi3 question. This itself would consii
stule fisa sfeeighs tfaizs "a Inael
more than the entire burden Of severn
among the best paying freight roads Of the
east. and would give an income Of at leas
half million Of dollars.
1t remains to speak of your important
work, as an essential link k-and in its ex.
tension to Pittsburgh. the only essential
link remaining. when taken in union with
the great central line of Pennsylvania
to complete one grand communication be-
tween the extrelnitles of this Union; be.
tween the east and upper lakes, together
with the northwestern States. To every
rejecting mind the truth will be most ap-
parent that the same circumstances of po-
stion which make this link essential 10 the
community ensure to it an immense mass
OF through travel.
may here state respecting the contin-
ualion of your work 10 Pittsburgh. dis
tance Of forty-seven miles, that it is shown
for the first eight miles, or to the State
line, by your Engineers survey, and it
was also evident by my own inspection
of the ground, that cheap route exists.
Asto the parts above, along the west bank
OF the Ohio. the fac1s developed BY the to-
biographical survey by the government,
executed somo two years and more back,
and made known 10 me through COM
munication from one of the United States
engine rs-strengIhened also, by the opin-
ions Of your Engineer Col. Eicbbaum who.
not mony.weeks ago passed over and OBJ
served the route-evince that no consider
able expense is to be incurred excepting
at the Narrows and the crossing Of Big
Beaver at its mouth, and that the average
cost of the lines including these localities.
cannot be more than moderate.
Respecting the four distinct sources sof
income which you enjoy. as referred TO
above; namely, your local business; the
transit between Lake Erie and the Ohio
river, joined 70 The mineral deposits OF
your route; the transactions Of Pittsburgh
with your interior, with the Lakes and
with the northwest. and the through arax-
ef of ALI the northwest on IFS way TO and
from the East; it may be reasonably laid
down that either OF them, ultimately, and
a part Of them Immediately, will make
yours paying road. How liberal then
must the income be from all the four uni
ted.
The importance to Pittsburgh of the
Lake business is probably more immedi-
ate and more immense than any of her Cit
izens, except the most far-seeing. have
hitherto recognized. The like importance
to Cleveland of the Pittsburgh connection
and of the interior conjoined with the great
channels leading eastward is believed TO be
already appreciated by many in that city.
Both ideas will progressively and speedily
develope themselves. Neither should
omit, wholly, to refer to the accession
which your western prospects and resour-
ces will receive when a railroad from
Cleveland to Sandasky shall commence
the way, in that direction, towards dislan-
ces and territories whiiher it fatIgues the
conceptions TO follow.
General results, derived from well un-
derstood experience. are our safest guide.
The full statistics of this subject would con-
s'itute a pamphlet. Few, comparatively
would trace it through; and yet it would
be valuable. But the facts and consider
ations herein adducec have been purposely
made brief and simple, that they may lie
within The power of any we'll informed man
to test and estimate. If, among oil the
not yet executed any man can
point out one mere certain to reward It's
he will do what, in my pres
ent opinion, is impossible. And among
all railroads which have been executed
and are in operation. what one can be
pointed out, comparing with yours in me-
chanical facilities, in ease of construction,
in advantage Of position, and in sources
of revenue that does not, under pruden,
management, yield most ample dividends.
am, gentlemen, respectfully
your obedient serv't,
ALEX. C. TWlNING.
Honcu7i;n1 E,c;reer