The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1850-05-13
conMu,N1cATED.
The Railroad.

To tho people Of Scioto County:
The route to be finally adopted for the
Scioto and Hooking Valley Railroad, is be-
coming matter Of considerable interest.
1t is saidby persons protesting to know the
sentiments OF the people east of the Scioto
valley, that unless il is decided before the
| election, that the road shall not be located
up the valley, that the vote "for subscrip-
ton" will certainly be defeated. Many of
the farmers also, of the valley, have express
sed decided hostility to the valley road on
account of injury to their farms, but say,
that they would cheerfully vote "for sub
scription if they knelp that the Jackson
route would be adopted. The argument is
almost universal throughout the county,
"That the Scioto valley already monopo-
Lies all the public Improvements that it
has the canal on one side, and the turnpike
OIL the other; and that any business done by
the railroad between Portsmouth and Chilli
cothe, would only abstract SO much from the
other public Improvements; while on the
other hand road in the other direction,
opens an entire new district, one almost des-
titute of facilities; section of country
which even now. almost without roads, fur
nishes Portsmouth with much the largest
proportion of its wheat, oats, vegetables,
poultry, butter, &C., &C.; section of coun-
try, also, abouniing in inexhaustible sup
plies of coal, iron ore, &c., all which, should
the road be made in that direction, would
create business, immense in amount, and
would not have to rely upon business ab-
Stracted from other public works"
Such are some of the reasons, in favor Of
the Jackson road; and the undersigned take
this occasion to say, that those reasons have
always been conclusive with them in favor
of that route, pr0vided. it be found feasible
and practicable. They have also the salts
faction of being able TO state, that the same
feelings prevail with all the Directors north
of us. Mr.. Ollie, President o. the Mans
field and Sandusky railroad, with which we
expect 10 connect, in letter received from
him last week, says, 81 hope feasible and
cheap route may be found through Jackson
county," The question, therefore, in great
measure resolves itself into one of dollars
and cents. Can the road be taken by the
Jackson route Can the means be raised to
do it? Certainly not, if Scioto withholds
her subscription. But most assuredly it can,
If she gives her voice in its favor. In fact,
the whole road from Portsmouth to Newark,
can shortly be in progress if the "people"
are only awake 10 their true interest. A let
ter was received last week from reliable
source which SAYS:
Z" If you will get the counties of Scioto,
Pike, Jackson, Ross, Pickaway and Fairfield
to subscribe the amount they are authorized
to do, will find man who will build your
road, and give you no further trouble, and
take the balance in bonds and stock"
The undersigned have thus. in compliance
with whatappears to be the public expecta-
tion, expressed their individual feelings,
with regard to the road. They have also
stated what are believed to be the feelings
Of all the Directors north of us. This, it
will be perceived, is all that they have the
poaoer to do. They have employed an Engi-
neer agreeable 10 an order of their Board, of
December last, to survey the Jackson route,
which survey will commence about the 18th
inst And the final decision as to the
route, will be made after ascertaining It's
practicability and cost, and will Of course
depend much upon the vote of Scioto, as to
subscription.
The undersigned, in conclusion, beg leave
20 say, to the good people OF Scioto county,
that in their opinion we are all, the county
as well as the town, vastly more interested
in railroad on any route, terminating in
Portsmouth, than most Of us appear to think.
The fact is unquestionable, that every man
who has, or expects to have anything to sell;
every man who is able or willing to work;
every man, woman, or child, who is inter
ested in real estate, would certainly reap an
hundred fold, on what i. may cost them in
the shape Of taxes, by the construction of
railroad, from the interior OF the State ter
minating in Portsmouth, on either of the
contemplated routes. And they are justif-
ed in this opinion, by the universal expert
ence Of all other places having such facili-
ties. Very respectfully,
J. V. ROBINSON,
c. A. M. DAMARIN.
ID II rnNVMkU