Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-01-31

"a mon The various railroads running westward
from, il at right angles, are received and borne to the
most eligible commercial point along their routes
The country through which this line Of road passes il
not now in al Hs extent one Of greet fertility. IS
capable Of being rendered in the highest degree, by
the application OF suano AMI mari. which they render
bic it, aud which masieally eda9ted 10
the speedy aud complete restoration of its soil,
Upon this base line OF railway will rest Tour OF the
most important public works projected upon The con-
;nent
|. First an seutherumost amoug them is the Dan-
willie Railroad. ltuaserses the great southern region
OF the STATE crossing the fertile valleys OF the Apo
mstiox the Staunon, the Bsniser and the Dan riyers
which constitute probably the finest tobacco region in
the world, aud penetrating to that most productive
portion of North Carolina which lies along the East
base OF the Blue Ridge mountalns Ii will uitl-
inatey form connection with the Georgia and South
Caroliua network OF railways, and bring TO Stale
an immense Southern as we'll as local commerce.
2 The second great rafosd that leaves the base
line in question, is that of the Virginia and Tennes
see company, in connection with the Souihsde read
from LynchhuTg 10 Petersburg. and its projected ex-
tension to Norfolk. Threading the most productive
portions OF the James river valley; thence penetrating
the whole extent of thst prolific bed Of mineral and
agricultural wealth which hes between the Alechs-
mics and Blue Ridge south OF the James river; thence
connecting in Tennessee, by works already in pro-
sress with the Georgia and South Carolina railway
systems, with the Mobile and Ohio road, and wita
the Mississippi river at Memphis where it will par
ueipate IN all The advantages that TO result from
the projected railway connections of that city with n.
Orleans, with the western Missss Fpi country and ul
iimaely with the Pacific ocean-il is impossible TO
appreciate adequately the Importance OF this work 10
the State er-esImae the stupendous results Of
It's future operations IL will tap the Mississippi river
al PORT below The mouths OF its largest tributaries
where the whole trade OF that river and thoss tribu-
isries can be reached. Ii will pierce the valleys Of
the Tennessee and Cumberland river, and be seces
sable 10 the trade OF the whee State of Tennessee.
BY Interseenng the Mobile and Ohio road, il will be
in rallw sy connections directly or indirectly with the
entire Eastern half of The valley OF The Mississippi
Such the promises oil the main STEM OF this road
to the commerce and wealth OF The CommonT eath
Besides This main stem. routes ere feasible tor
branch road. oiverglng from i; at the Horse shoe
bend Of the New rlveI and extending it to the Ohio
Tlvsr either al Louisville or at of the
raj eligible poinis the option of the State, higher
up that stream, which promises the same results in
regard 10 Kentucky and to the Ohio valley pro-
missed by the main stem in regard to the Tennessee
and Mississippi valley.
3. The third great railway drerens from the base
line Of this system, is the Virginia Central Road. II
raverses section OF the State entirely distinct and
separate from that which is tributary to the Virginia
and Tennessee Road. 1t is necessary outlet TO the
trade OF the Counties along its completed and projected
the trade of large, populous and ierule region OF
country tributary TO it, it is second importance TO No
other work OF the kind in progress. Iii destined
secure to the cities of Virginia large and immensely
valuable trade that would otherwise inevitably GO oil
to cities OF Other States 1t would land i'm
R,ense eastern and western travel. and would bring
our mountain watering places, from all parts of the
Uoon during the summer seaeon, countless numbers
OF visitors. Both accommodating the trade OF nu-
merous counties OF the State that would have other
easy access to market, and securing to Virginia
| q large portion OF wealth which would flow beyond
her borders nio other Statea ,his work is eli the frs!
Importance But its local character ia not its most in
etesting enc It will be- chiefly Important, when com
| peted to the Ohio a. Q continental highway Taking
Its departure from Richmond upon the head OF tide
wafer, at point upon the James river whence that
stream j. diverted by high bluffs from the direct course
II seemed pursuing, to the point upon salt water,
Cat Ethan. near the mouth of York river, this road
constructed and projected panetrates through the
tire OF the State the Ohio river the mouth Of
the Guyando;te 1t will afford transportation for all
| the rich and varied products OF that portion Of
| our State lying between its termni, embracing mi
| morals the most valuable and abundant, including
coal. iron and salt. Il will strike The State OF
Ohio at its extreme souhernmost point, where,
| sequeny, access TO lis terminus by water will
be less ohsucted by ice, and not far from Portsmouth,
on Inc Ohio river. from whence continuous line Of
| canal communication extends through the centre of
| that s ate from Lake Erie. Egress from this lake 10
! New York can only hs had a, point four degrees
northward OF Guyandoite, where conse quenty, the
waters would be closed by ice sixty days sooner
| The canals OF Ohio, running from north to SOUTH
would therefore be feeders OF this road for several
months in the year withou! rival not only during the
months OF actual ice in the northsfn lakes and canals
but during all that portion OF the tall while ice is ap.
| pretended.
| In addition to the advantages held cut by these
water cemmun tons serving as feeders 10 this road
including the Ohio river itself, it bs remembered
that Cincinnati with her energy, public spirit and cap
itd is saining every nerve to form rail road
TAe immense trade of that city will be ours, if
bet furnish for it the strongest attractions. The mag.
nitude OF tho capital and the importance and val
Ne of tho commerce which are concentrating at tina.
city with astonishing rapidly and in almost be-
You'd belief Will be best undereood by considering me
extent and character OF country contributing 10 its
wealth That city has so thrown out her lines Of i'm
provemen and is SO advantageously located, that che
has become the centre TO which not only all the com.
OF Ohio tends but also great part that of In.
diana Illinois and Michigan. Extensive and fertile re.
UO Ot ihnfa thavt al
SO 10 swell the wealth OF this emporium Pes
sessing these great means OF wealth and power Cncn-
matt has long understood the importance to herself Of
openog the shortest, cheapest and direct line of
communication with The Atlantic ports. The lines
transportation she has projected have been CHI ey dr.
rected towards New York and other northern cities
because her efforts aud lsbors accomplish her great
objects were responded 10 there in best
calculated to ensure the accomplishment of her
aims, and not at all because those commercial
localities were the most preferable to her The
Virginia Central Railroad points from the nearest
| Atlantic Seaport directly to this enterprsng and
wealthy city, which seems to concentrate the cap
ital and commerce of the Ohio alley 1t offers The
shortest transit from the wharfs thes sea board. Il
presents for her trade far grades than any rival
road north OF IT, Its construction will less than any
road that has been carried over nous re-
gion of country Mountain Barriers, elsewhere so
so difficult to overcome, in Virginia scarcely OBJ
stacles at all. A water communication is perfectly
practicable over this route. rail road 10 compare
lively OF easy accomplishment
Much OF what has been SAID concerning the Central
Rail Road ls equally applicable branch of the Vr.
gna and Tennessee Road, which might be extended
from New river at the Horseshoe bend. though Lex,
ingon, KY 10 the Ohio ct Louisville, connecting with
rail road already constructed, seventyfve miles in
length, between Lexington and Louisville.
a. The fourth line of railway resting upon the base
Ike of our great Virginia network, and which the
board feels especially constrained press earnestly
upon the attention of the Legislature extension
of the Manassas Gap Rail Road, from lis present
western terminus at Strasburg to a point upon the
Baltimore and OHIO Rail Road. eqni-dstant between
Baltimore and Parkersburg, and abou, seventy
five miles west OF Srasburg. This road would
place Alexandra in direct communication with the
Ohio river at Parkersburg aad thence with Cincin-
mali and the whole Ohio system Of railways. In con-
nection with this work road twenty-five miles III
length, from Fredericksburg TO the nearest point Of
the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, would make a |
continuous line between Parkersburg and Petersburg,
State EXCEPT Norfolk, and capable Of being continued
Jointly with the Southsde Road that city from Pc.
tershurg route which has recently been found