Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-02-09
K ICH MOND, VA,
Thursday Morning, February 5. 1919.

i
Thursday Morning, February <. is19.
THE SOUTHWESTERN RAILROAD.
| We have not as yet, at any length, pressed
upon the attention Of the public this great and
truly important scheme for the improvement of
the State of Virginia. This comparative ST.
lence has not arisen from any Indifference, on
our part, 10 the success Of The measure, or
from any want of zeal for the promotion of
such system of enlightened improvement as
would be calculated to deveope the resources
Of the Slate. We have always thought that a
scheme should be adopted, and a system pur
sued, which would, whilst !. lostered the true
interests Of the Commonwealth, put stop to
very large and almost totally useless annual
| expenditure Of the public money. There have
been means enough thrown away, upon mere
local and consequently unimpoTtant projects, TO
have discharged the interest upon a sum Of mo-
ney large enough 10 have constructed all the ma
! terial and beneficial works demanded by the in.
teress Of the State. Had this policy been
1
the Stale would have materially if not alto
geher removed the bur,hcn Of taxation from
! the people. We trust that more liberal feel
ing is arising in our councis-lhat more en-.
farged views are finding favor with our lcgis.
lators. II is in vain for gentlemen to think OF
arresting the progressive spirit of the age for
works of improvement. Opposition may cripple
and distort plant cannot stop the appro-
pria,ion Of money from the treasury 10 some
sort of Improvement. We think the truth Of
this observation is clear TO the minds OF all,
even of those who have heretofore been most
constant in their opposition 10 any scheme Tor
an appropriation OF money.
Without intending 10 express hostility to any
scheme nov before the Legislature, We cannot re.
train from adding our testimony in favor OF The
Southwestern railroad. II is indeed a measure
which, il carried out, must realize immense pro-
fs to the company, whilst il will certainly bring
to the Stale al large variety and extent OF bene-
| fits which are conferred by no work OF internal
| Improvement upon any community IN The U.
| States. II is known 10 most OF our readers that
this Southwestern Railroad is intended to run
from Lynchburg, upon the James river, to the
! Tennessee line, probably in the county OF Wash
nerop. Let the casual observer cast his eye
upon the map of Virginia, and he will see a gap
10 The Blue Ridge, exactly upon the line of This
| Improvement. Go On, trace il from its passage
through This gap into The Souhe. n portion Of The
| beautiful valley OF Virginia, and up This valley
10 The sources OF lis walers there you will see The
barrier OF The great Allegheny lei down, until
ready means of crossing il is fforded for either
canal or railroad. From his point Westward,
even 10 Knoxville, TIE 'nesses. there is conf
nued succession of valleys, lying in li1e With
each other, between which the dividing highlands
are 50 low, that they present scarcely any OBJ
s,ruclion % the building OF railroad This, As
we aid, is apparent IRON The slightest inspec ion
OF the map. But The ground has been repeated
| " surveyed and the engineer has proved beyond
doubt thai this road can be constructed al max
imum grade Of sky five ieet 10 the mile. We
see, then, a pass through all the mountain barfi-
ers which divide the tide waters OF the Atlantic
from the Valcy OF The Mississippi, offering faci-
| lilies LOT CUHSiIuCl VI d HU WHCit
else TO be met with in The United States. The
practicabiliy and cheapness OF The roue are de-
monslrated by surveys AMI figures: Let US ex-
anime the inducements which are held gu; Tor
the completion OF The work.
The States Of Georgia AMI South Carolina are
connected with the Tennessee valley and rivet
by means OF railroads from Savannah an1
Charleston 10 Chattanooga. There is also in a
| Stale OF forwarJness railroad through the State
OF Georgia 10 Montgomery: in Alabama. This
road will be completed: then, The States o.
Georgia, Souh Carolina and Alabama will al
be in com muncatiOn with the State OF Tennes
ee-aFording market, rich and extensive, To-
all the products OF that fertile valley From thi
i. point (Charanooga) there is now, in rapid pro
gress Of construction, railroad 10 Nashville, il
that State This road will open the first inerio
line of communication, South, between the Al
lan,c waters and The Valley of tn. Mississippi
Two years will bring about this result. Thu
benefits which have been produced uniformly a
the North, from tapping this grea, reservoir o
trade and commerce, must be expected to flow
likewise from this Southern enterprise Indeed
, we think We hazard nothing in saying that hi
, Valley OF The Tennessee, taken in its entir
length, is one of the very finest and most produc
tive Of all the tributaries OF The Mississippi-th
Ohio alone excepted A monopoly OF The Ten
nessee trade, and the lower Mississippi valley
will in two years be secured 10 South Carolin;
and Georgia. The same sort of MONOPOLY
| OF the trade, from the upper or Lake portion o
the same valley, has built up New York, Bos
ton, Philadelphia aud Baltimore. Ballimor
will shortly reach the Ohio river and valley low
er down than these other Cities and will of cours
reap rich harvest from her enterprise.
E Here, then, will stand Virginia-cut of b,
MARYLAND on the North, and Carolina AM
Georgia on the South! Can she fail to becom
a desolationi Even now the trade and produc'
Of the South western counties are taking
b Westward direction, and are finding marke
in Carolina and Georgia.
Can i, be possible that Virginians will no
! only ST, by quietly and witness this degrade
d ton of their State in the scale of commit
mites, but actually lend hand to effect il
!, But how, it may be asked, is this catastre
phe TO be avoided J We answer, by the ca
N siest means possible. Let this South wes