The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-10-24

because, instead of touching at one or two
points to receive freight or passengers, the
through line will he fed with continuous way
fare and freights from New Orleans to New
York. We propose, therefore, to consider the
Tehuantepec route in connexion with great
Southwestern National railroad, which is al
ready under charter, and which will be com
pleted as soon as the railroad across the lsthmus
can be finished. For the purpose of showing
the condition OF the Southwestern National
route, we will go somewhat into detail in regard
to the several sections which compose it, and
their stages of progress; it may serve TO prove
that the proposition 10 connect the city of New
York with the coast OF the Pacific, by great
line of intercommunicaton passing in part
through the Middle and Southwestern States,
is not mere theory, but is founded upon legiti
mate anticipation Of results from lines of i'm
provement III operation or under construction.
We propose to take the lines of improvement
from New York to New Orleans.
From New York to Richmond, IN Virginia,
the lines of travel are complete. From
Richmond, the Sc Richmond and Danville rail-
ROAD is uuucI cOHlldCt lol ninety llllto,
requiring short branch to connect it with the
''Virgina and Tennessee railroad" at Lynch
| burg. There are two propositions 10 make
| this branch; It's construction may be confidently
| relied on. The next section of the Southwest
| ern National railroad is ''the Virginia and Ten
nessee railroad" it commences at Lynchburg
| and terminates at the Tennessee line. 1t will
| be two hundred and ten miles in length. This
| company has been organized with an individual
| subscription of $4,000, State subscription
| of $500, 900, and an engagement on the part of
the State for a pari-pas subscription to the
| full amount of the capital stock OF this road
about sixty miles will be in use within the next
year; eighty miles more will be let in Novem-
Der; and its friends are confident that they can
command the amount necessary for its completion.
The next section is the East Tennessee and
Virginia railroad" extending from the Virginia
| line to Knoxville, a distance Of one hundred
and twenty miles. This company is organized
| with a subscription of about 500, 900; the sur
veys Of location have been made, and part of
| the work will be, we understand, under con-
| tract within short time. The next sec
| ton, from Knoxville to Chattanooga, in
| Tennessee, about one hundred and twenty
miles in length, will be in operation within a
few months. From this point there will be
two modes of conneXion with New Orleans
the one by the ''Memphs and Charleston rail-
| road, - which will be about three hundred and
| twenty miles from Chattanooga to Memphis,
and thence by the Mississippi to New Orleans.
| This railroad is organized with subscription
| Of S. 800, 900. The surveys of location are
| going on, the importance Of the work and the
enthusiasm of its friends will ensure its compile
| ton From Chattanooga there will be another
connexion with New Orleans via the railroad
| to Selma, on the Alabama river. and thence to
Mobile. Such is the description of the several
sections composing this important line of rail
road. There are other lines of improvement
| which will also compete for the transportation
between the great commercial cities of New
York and New Orleans. The route which we
| have described will be, no doubt, shortened
greatly at particular points, for it is the ten
| dency of travel and transportation TO adopt the
| shortest lines which present themselves. Our
purpose is to prove that there will be at least
one through line which will be shorter, safer,
and cheaper than the coast route.
The whole of the Southwestern National
railroad lies through prosperous, productive,
and populous region. 1t traverses a wheat, to-
bacco, corn, cotton, and grazing country. 1t
opens mines of iron, salt, coal, gypsum; it at-
fJrds water power for the manufacturer, fertile
and cheap land for the farmer, access to the end
less variety of medicinal and thermal springs Of
Virginia and Tennessee. 1t will connect the
ports of Richmond Norfolk, Alexandria and
Baltimore with the rich and productive interior;
il will transport the merchandise of New York,
Philadelphia and Boston to the heart Of the
valley OF the Mississippi in from three to five
days, against the present expensive, tedious
and dangerous shipment coastwise; it will
pass through Washington city, and afford to
| the Federal Government the safest and shortest
means Of transmitting OF receiving money,
mails, men or munitions of war; it will tend
to throw the immigration Of the North into the
mountains and plains Of the southwest, and
will, in every particular, promote the interest
and prolong the existence Of the Union. The
Southwestern National railroad crosses the ALE
ghany and Blue Ridge at grades Of sixty feet
against the trade, and we have the assurances
Of engineers familiar with the whole route,
that there Is no tunnel necessary from the Ches-
apeake TO the Gulf Of .NerieO We have been
| thus particular to show the probabilities that
| these several sections will be made They
have been undertaken separately without CON
cert, and solely upon the local necessities Of
the sections Of country interested, and not with
any calculations upon the national OF interna-
tional results to which we have adverted
Assuming, then, that this Southwestern Ma
| tonal railroad will be completed as soon as the
railroad across the Isthmus Of Tehuantepec. let
us compare the time and distances from New
York to San Francisco by this route with that
| by way Of the Isthmus of Panama
Miles. Days
| From New York TO San Francisco,
via Panama. ................. 5000 IS
H