Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-12-31
fBy REoUEsT
From the Winchester VIrginan.l
GOVERNOR FLOYD AND INTERNAL IMPROVE

GOVERNOR FLOYD AND INTERNAL IMPROVE.
MENT.
The outside of this weeks paper contains the message oil
the Governor of Virginia. document rather beyond the Gus
tomary length Among the subjects embraced the Governor
very properly first and most length that OF Internal
Improvement He takes the same ground all his
together with all the udcous and attentive friends OF the
policy have within few years past doptedthe necessity
of uniting upon bold yet simple SYSTEM which will de-
vote the whole efforts of the Commonwealth 10 the compile
ton of one or great works. and the entire abandonment
private means for the present at least oil all local I'M
proyements
He very properly attributes mainly 10 what Virginia has
accomplished imperfect though il be- within twelve years
past in the way of improved means OF transport the i'm
mense enhancement which has accrued within that period
in the value uf real That increase has been from
sell SOB in 1885, S4 ESQ., 226 in $780, twenty mine
and half per cent During the preceding nineteen years
whole advance but two and hall per cent though
the Governor oms remark that in lSl9 the year oil the
assessment great initiation Of the currency by the opera
tons of the u s. Bank an immense fictitious value to
land. Still, after making full allowance Tor ms the ac OF
greatly increased Of appreciation in the second period
Is established.
The Governor refers TO the james River and Kanawba
the Lynchburg and Tennessee and the Virginia Central as
the three great lines OF improvement going TO connect the
seaports Of this State and the West He urges we thnK
udciously the completion Of the hst-named work by a
water line lie displays al great expenditure OF
Statistics the yas trade TO be poured upon IL well the
railroad from the vaes of the Ohio and the kanawha All
this is yery true would be difficult to overesmae the
business of either ne The State ought TO select OF
them and complete Immediately at her own sole cost Her
outlay would thus be far less too In inc END han WI" oe II
she continue dole alternately TO EACH But
what we been struck with in the Governors system IS
that he totally ignores the claims and the very existence OF
the Northern part OF the State including the Northwest
which far The gifted by nature and has been the most
neglected by art of any other section In the whole four
columns expended upon the general subject that great re-
gon is not alluded Twohirds OF The Ohio coast Of
the State with the transAleghany region suotendny
IT, and the Northern part of the Valley are quietly suIen-
dered TO the mercy OF Baltimore or Of fate The dea OF It's
being reclaimed the State 10 whose domain and
jurisdiction it belongs does not h,, 70, oil h a' arsp, ap,
fund of wealth and trade the Tennessee Ran ROAD
will command from Mississippi ehnanepsc California
and other anpodean places dwet on with Stress no re-
cognition s made of the that in Ohio Indiana and the
Lake country there is sngulay enteprlsng and rapidly
multiplying population of directly at our door, and
:hat little State East is now pushing most ex-
pensyc work for more than two hundred miles through Inc
heart of ou territory the profits OF trade with nat
population we'll with large number OF our own ricn-
est counties Gov F. is Southwestern man, and IL ma
tural that the claims of his own section should De moro
strongly his than those OF one he has never
seen His predecessor had clearer view OF the Importance
of including the Northern half of her territory In virginia
SYSTEM and recommended The construction oi railway
from Haisonburg in the direction OF Parkersbug and
Wheeling. He had lived in the Northern part Oh the oate
and was stranger 10 that fear OF Baltimore which
udicousy TO possess our Southern ienus as 70
bend all the works they undertake unanimously sonnwaro
like grove of the eeward side OF MIL lis iee-
ing just shown itself in the action OF the OF
Richmond declining subscribe TO the Central Railroad be-
1t passes through Staunton and would hee oe within
reach of Baltimore. 80
We cannot for moment yield 10 the humiliating convc
ton that this proud old State those who have al present
the control of her councils or are prepared 10 transfer u
another State the commercial CONTROL through all timc o
one third of her people, and o send beyond her oodes an
annual tribute which will soon be more hdn equal 10 Mc
ohO Of present public rerenn nave Q!
10 tho North her for such things US medical educatlon
European imports and Yankee manufactures Yet would
not be difficult prove that all OF these together DO moi
drain her of sum equivalent the profit the Baltimore und
Ohio railroad will derive from the transportation oi her pro-
Ducts without estimating the gains o Baltimore merchants
nI. tn har nlIl
revenue of that work within three years alter reaching the
Ohio is moderately estimated al 81 OOOo0 The ratio oil ex
penses receipts this 46 per cent Assuming hat
proportion the nett will be- within traction,
81 800 OOO As near threeourhs OF the Whole lne, say
27O OF 800 miles, viii lie within Virginia. II IS lar 10 pre-
that like proportion OF me earnings WIN DC iusiu
that such will be least the proportion Tor Two reasons
among obers--hat the Western terminus will lie within
this State and that main article of rac furnished by
Maryland will consist as il does now of coal commodity
which the company forced by the competition OF tie canal
to carry al the lowest possible rate of toll compromising IT,
self by higher charges the more valuable articles y
clear annual tribute then will bo paid by Virginia 10 this
Maryland corporation Of nine hundred and ssren thou
sanddolars
along the line will derive from the railway in the enhanced
value of all its property the erection of new towns ana ne"
enterprises &c. will be far than anything TO be repre-
sented by This sum- That is point totally foreign 10 the
question: and only have force when snail DC proved
that Virginia might just well have built the road ana
brought it of her ports as Maryland IL Is wen
known that no material notwithstanding but her own
supneness has stood in the way of her doing and that
the Northwest is no more natural iei Oh haryuha 'a
Michigan is of New York :,
)n the contrary 80 great are advantages presented BY
route entirely through Virginia over the present one nal
she could have heretofore shown SUBSTITUTE LOT tne
Eastern section of the line leading direct 10 Alexandria
and the Federal city, preferable in point OF Level ana cuVa
ture and gaining some thirty miles in that comparatively
short distance And this rone oo would nave So ,args s
with the rival line in spite OF all the obstacles Inc
OF the latter might prompt II TO throw IN us way anu
should Virginia easily might compel the Abandonment
of those Obstacles place the two lines on perfectly
eoun terms debouches of the main WORK. Ae4ahoria
could even divert large share of the trade from us pre-
sent mart despite the better prices and large assomenls
that far weaher city offers IL cannot De opJecteu
that would be unfair TO the Baltimore company 10 taRe
from il the fruits Of its enterprise Whout renarKhg
s IL clearly true that foreign corporation in asking ad
mission and privileges upon the soil OF State subjects u
self to ell the rights and exgences OF mat sate IN ohe
words, cannot set up rival sovereignty @hin nea n; i
would be sufficient say that the present company wli
under apy circumstances clear the interest on It's
and that the Western part of its line must participate Par
passu in all the facilities afforded oy the new eo"
nectun. ,;dia
Can our legislature any taking an unpeJudicea
ysw of these facts and others bearing on the same supec
10 which we ave previously called attention. hnd any Hea
sure yet proposed likely do more al less cost a ha we
urge2 Nothing more is needed to draw all northwestern
Virginia within reach of Virginia port than the consuc
lion of railroad of l20 miles from Alexandra 10 me NOUN
of the Little Capon Over scarcely dozen miles OF the
whole distance does the smallest doubt OF paccaoy IeS
and that only because IL has not been examined Pacca
hity indeed is hardly word be used al hls Gay i con
nacon with railway construction Is mere question OF
cost and difficulties greater than any likely to be found at
The two unexamined points the line proposed nave oeen
overcome on the Baltimore and Ohio road ITSELF Say that Two
short tunnels would be necessary On that work there arc no
less than trere tunnels Of them of the lengths
of 400 and 24OO ei Next great central line which, we
cheerfy admit and maintain should have the rst place IN
the favor of the State and granting that the other large
works now under way should be assisted to ION y
the aid heretofore guaranteed them we claim er his ne ar
terfere with the trade of no Virginia port and no Virginia
line II offers the direct and simple means OF compile
ding the unity of the State and sustaining now sna ioey
e,nc forests and n,achess Of the upper Po
iomac. and the Monongahea Cheat and Tngatrs valley
river may all be made wholly her own and Wn mem ,h he
o,vn them She can throw forward breastwork abung
on the Ohio and the Potomac with the Acghsnies or cen
,rs bason which will protect her and hers pe'eI m
oet Lei The Board Of Public Works be authorized TO have
a survey made Of the route.