The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1850-04-22
PLACES.

Columbus |" nearly
Circleyille more than 3
Chililcothe nearly 8
Avery considerable proportion Of the coal
sent to Cleveland, is consumed by steam
boats, and transported to supply numerous
places around the Lakes. Columbus and
Chillicothe are becoming manufacturing
towns, and their manufacturing industry will
be greatly lyincreased, ifcoal can be abundant
ly supplied, at less than its present rates,
which are TO 10 cents per bushel. sp
Y0f the coal consumed in Portsmouth, or
the increasing rate of consumption, have
no data that can be considered reliable; but
il is supposed the Rolling Mill may use
100000 bush's., and the town for manufac-
turing and domestic uses about 200, 900 bush.
more per annum.
1t has been stated, though cannot pro.
duce the authority, that Cincinnati con-
sumes, and sells 10 steamboats, and for inte-
rior consumption, 100000 of bushels Of
coal per annum, and that zoo, 900 are con-
sumed by the large iron manulactoringestab-
lishments. g.i -
If the jackson coal should be preferred
for the iron manufacturing operations, as it
is believed it would be, if made accessible,
about 2, 900, 900 bushels-Cincinnat l,700,-
600, Portsmouth 100000, Chllicothe lOO,-
600, Columbus 00,000-would now be re-
quired annually for that use, besides the de-
Inand for other uses, and when in use, IFS
consumption would increase. If 100000
went by Portsmouth and 100000 by Chilli
cothe, The average distance of 30 miles, at
IL cents per ton per mile, this alone would
give $1,000 freight.
Even if one Of the shorter routes by way
ofJackson should be adopted, three furnaces
would probably send their iron on this road
and this would make transportation of
10000 tons per annum averaging 30miles to
Portsmouth and Chillicothe, at cents per
ton permile would givea lreigtage OF $4,000
Admitting that the railroad route through
the Scioto valley would transport as many
tons of products Of the farm and the forest
as the. route through the mineral region,
(though this is doubted, because the land is
disrobed Of most Of its timber, and canal
through the same valley can transport pro-
duce more cheaply than railroad the coal
and iron transportation that may be relied
on within two years of the completion of
the road, would bring freight bill, over and
above all other resources of transportation,
more than enough to pay tke interest on the
probable cost OF the road from Portsmouth
via Jackson to Chillicothe.
In addition to the preceding, il may rees-
onably be supposed that Cincinnati will
draw a portion of her supply of coal from
the Jackson mines, when the navigation Of
the Ohio is obstructed by low water or ice,
and this coal world go over part of the
Scioto and Hooking railroad TO Richmond
or Chillicothe, where it would take the Bel
pre- and Cincinnati railroad TO Cincinnati; !;
and this also would probably be an item of
freight, of no inconsiderable amount.
II has been shown, lst That the routes of
the contemplated railroad from Portsmouth,
via Jackson and Chillicothe, are abundantly
supplied with coal and iron ore, in quanti-
ties practically inexhaustible, and of supe-
rior qualities. sltd. a.
Cd. That the Goals on those routes can
fairly compete with Pomeroy, Wheeling,
Pittsburgh and Nelsonville Goals in the mar
kets on the Ohio river and Ohio canal as far
as Columbus, at the lowest rates at which
those Goals can be afforded. gys;ilt
3D.. That the freight on the Scioto and
dOcHlnR IdilrOdu, IL iuuuo tnIou6u Me iniu-
eral region, would be much more than ifcon-
fined 10 the Scioto valley and in future
years, the coal and iron trade which appear
to justify the investment now, give promise
Of an almost unlimited extension.
IT seems to the writer that there is not
doubt of the propriety or expediency, of
the construction Of a railroad from Ports
mouth, via Jackson 10 Chillicothe; that the
business to be done on it will justify the ex-
pense Of its construction noiO and that il
viii greatly aid the incipient development
of the immense mineral resources that lie
dormant in our hills All that is necessary
TO render these resources available, is
cheap means Of transportation to the River
and canal markets. Portsmouth and Chilli
coihe are the outlets through which most OF
the business arising from the development
Of the resources Of the mineral district
ought to pass, and il rests with these places,
whether they will benefit themselves, by |
aiding In this development.
aloH h1aiHdo @ w. w. MATHER.
aThese numbers in bushels, counting |
coke also as coal, are taken from the reports
of the Board Of Public Works, and make
thas q vcee &c ~ raal received more than sent |