Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1852-09-09
The Northern against the Southern
Route.


We met in this city, few days since, an in
telligent planter and tobacco manufacturer
from Hopkinsville, in the western portion of
Kentucky, who had brought on with him an
invoice of $50 hogsheads of tobacco, for the
purpose of making an experiment of the north
ern route and the New York market, in
stead of the old route via New Orleans
The tobacco was carted from his plantation to
Clarksyile, on the Cumberland river, in Ten
nessee From thence it was forwarded by
steamboat TO Cincinnati; thence by railroad to
Cleaveand thence by lake craft to Buffalo;
and thence by the Erie canal to New York.
the entire transportation from Clarksville to
New York, was contracted for at SIG per ton.
The total distance ofthis route cannot fall much
short of 500 miles, which is about one cent
per ton per mile"
The result in the above case was entirely
satisfactory. The prices obtained were fully
two cents per pound greater than could be
had at New Orleans, and the net proceeds of
sale at least one and half cent per pound
greater.
This fact exhibits others of considerable i'm
portance: 1st that the produce of the great
valley of the Ohio, would be transported on
lines of improvement, in preference to the
route via New Orleans and the Gulf stream,
could it be effected without encountering too
much expense.
I'd. That not only that lot of tobacco, but
all grownin Kentucky would have been sent
to Richmond, if our Railroad had been com
pleted, and connected with Railroads through
Kentucky, for Richmond is known TO be the
best tobacco market in the u. S. Except for
manufacturing qualities, and | suppose, any
city will yield to Lynchburg for that class of
tobacco,) and it must be impossible, TO trans.
port tobacco or any other produce, through
Ohio to the lake, reshipped on the lake to Buf-
falo. and thence to New York, as cheap as 1t
could be done on our route to Richmond. |
am well aware that New York is straining
every nerve to command the entire trade Of
the West--that the tolls on her canals are al
most nothing-bui, If no tolls on her canals were
charged, the boatmen have to be paid. The
lake navigation is expensive-Ohio not hav-
ing the same interest will charge fair tolls
and the numerous transhipments must cost
money To meet this competition. the tolls on
our road must be reduced 10 mills, perhaps
less, and our Railroad must transport as cheap
y as possible TO realize fair profits; and it this
be done, as | have before demonstrated, there
is no route from the Ohio TO the waters Of the
Atlantic, which can compete with ours
1t NAV, however, be said that Railroads can
not transport freights at less than cents, per
ton, per mile, and that this Road cannot com.
pete with the New York route.
To the first statement, answer that, the
average charge for freights on the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Eastwardly, both winter
and summer. the past year, was only 1876
cents per ton per mile; and surely our Road
with easier grades,and milder climate, mot re-
quiring winter rates.) and completed, can
transport more chcaply than the Baltimore
Road in its present unfinished condition-and
to the last statement, that this Road cannot
compete with the New York route, | answer,
that think have already demonstrated, that
our Road from its superior advantages, can.
not only successfully contend with the N. Y.
route, but command the entire tonnage from
Kentucky and as much from Ohio as it may