Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1850-10-10

O and Fredericksburg railroad 2i mile
e north Of Richmond to GordensviII,
e from GordensviIle the road has bee
3 completed to Charlottesville, and lror
a Charlottesville is in process of construc
t ton west to Stannton, and will be CON
I Pleted to that point in a short time.
By an &C: of the Legislature OF Vii
ginia, passed on the ed of February
1850, the name of the Louisa railroa
, company was changed to the Virpini
Central Railroad Company. and III
bonds of said company,-tS III amour
not exceeding one hundred thousanI
dollars were guaranteed by the Stat
for the purpose oil completing the con
struction of their road from the junction
to Richmond.
By an act OF the same Legislature IN,
Louisa, now the Virginia Central rail
road company were authorized 10 in
crease their capital stock by the add.
tional sum of seven hundred thousand
dollars, for the purpose of extending
their road from Staunton TO Covington,
and of this amount the State is to sub
scribe three-ffths By a subsequent
act of the 9th of March, 1852, certain
counties mentioned in said act were an.
thorized 10 subscribe for stock in the
said Virginia Central Railroad; two of
those counties, Greenbrier and Monroe.
have subscribed each the sum of ffty
thousand dollars, which will insure the
subscription -oi one hundred and fiffv
thousand dollars bv the State, and, as il
is confidently believed the construction
of the road TO Covington. The liberal
subscription of one hundred thousand
dollars by the counties of Greenbrier
and Monroe, both lying west of Coying.
ton, and neither touched by an improve
ment terminating at that point. would
surely not have been made but for the
belief that the road would be continued
west through their territories TO the Ohio
river.
The road then being completed from
Richmond to Covington, more than half
the distance to the Ohio river-the Blue
ridge passed-the road icithin toenty.
fire miles of Greenbrier river, the prin
cipal tributary of New river. itself the
main stem Of the Great Kanawha--
within reach of the immense trade and
travel of the great West and Southwest
by the Ohio river and by railroad
through the centre of Ohio 20 Cincinna.
ii and the lakes-it is impossible that il
can there stop.
II cannot be that Virginia will'ih
abandon the long and ardenily cher
shed scheme Of connecting her East
ern and Western territory-that she
will then forego the only means Of
lrresting the sinking fortunes of the
State-of making her people East
ind West one in feeling, interest, and
lestiny.
Impressed with the belief that this
5reat central Improvement would be
TO the Ohio river, the Leg
stature Of Virginia at its last session !
authorised the Boad of Public Works
o employ a competent engineer 10
urvey and report 10 the Board, the
and best route for a railroad .
rom Covington TO The Ohio river.
In pursuance OF the authority so a
ested in them, the Board have en- I
loyed distinguished engineer,
iharles G. Shaw, who is making the {
lrvey of Greenbrier and New riv- {
rs. Diversity OF opinion exists as TO {
le best route from CovinSton to h
harleSton some con;ending for r
'cation down Elk river TO the Kama O
-ha, and thence down the Kanawha C
-others for a route down Guyan- C
bite river to the Ohio--but locking is
the map and the country through e
hich the road must pass, it is evil Il
snt that the natural, If not the only
route is down Greenbrier G,
yer to its junction with New river, "
,wn New river TO its junction with n
auley, and from thence down the r.
anawha TO the Ohio river at Point C
easant. v
Some difference OF opinion exists CT
so, as 10 the route the road should
ke from Charleston, or from the in
outh OF Coal river twelve miles be- lr
W, and it is contended that the re
ad should leave The Kanawha val Sc
? at one of those points, and go ra
ross the country to Guyandotte or H
2 mouth Of Big Sandy. Itis said
the friends of the Guyandot;e Ii
that it is nearer from ra
arleston to the Ohio river al Guy pc
dotte, than to the Ohio at Point an
road terminating a Z
would strike the Ohio rol
ty miles lower down and nearer to
lcinnatl-and that Guyandotte aW
: at the town Of Guandotte so OBJ Of
ucts the navigation Of the Ohio in cisi
' water, as to render it difficult the
! often impracticaole for boats to pan
over it when there is sufficient Oh
ter below 20 Cincinnati. thu
from Charleston to Point Pleas SaT
by the turnpike road, is fifty-three the
es, and from the same place TO gin