Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-02-16
'IllE VlRGiNIAN.
lFrem lhe ri hnoal VIII
R,c,lnosp, Feb. 9th, 1859.

10 say no more in this controversy, and
will beg leave 10 follow your example,
Indeed. ! though, that. if you really felt
satisfied that you had proven the formda-
bile array Of positions claimed in your pre-
vious letter and the accompanying one
from Mr.. Shaw, you conld not possibly
find occasion to say anything more; but il
ssecms that you found il necessary, a sec
ond time, TO remind the Public that you
had proven all yonr positions Now, it
seems to me that one who considers it ne
cessary so frequently to declare to the Pub
lie that The positively has the best of an
argument" must feel some little doubt on
the subject himself II looks very much
like whistling to keep ones courage up.
Now, | will once more ask the indul-
gence Of the Public, and make few brief
remarks on your les,ey Of the 18th inst; and
then, profiting by your example, sum up
the evidence in my case. tits right to be
taught by our opponents. and your exam
pie has suggested to me the importance Of
telling the public what have proven. As
to your argument. founded on the express
sions ofopinion by the Governor the Board
of Public Works and the Committees Of
the House, while they are entitled to our
respectful consideration, they certainly
should not be urged against the introduce
lion of new evidence. Two of these opin-
ions were published before the results Of
the survey made down New River were
communicated TO the Board. Not until my
letter Of January goth, was anything de-
hnitely known about the character Of the
hne between Covington and Staunton.-
There had been the singular phenomenon
Of company asking the Legislature to
make theirs the great channel Of trade be-
tween East and West, and to pay out mil
lions of dollars for its extension and com
pletion, without presenting the facts on
which the feasibility of the scheme de-
pended. Whether it was by accident Or
design, ! will not undertake To saw; but
from no Official document of recent date,
could anything be known of the grades
Ton which mainly depends The practical u
tility Of road,) between Covington and
Charlottesville, a distance of los miles -
Not until called your attention to these
f,cts, obtained. in part, from a public docu-
mcnt Of 1910. which very few men would
ever have looked into. and part from pri-
vatc letter. which unfortunately found its
way into the Stanton paper; not until ]
brought out these facts. one by one, did
you. in any manner, notice their existence.
- Now. ] say the opinions to which YOU
nllule. have been formed wiihouta knowl-
edge Of all the facts in the case. Indeed
il has only been within the last year that
much was known by any one ofthe merits
of this case. and do not think we now
possess oil the data which are desirable in
the formation Of correct opinion
Your argument. that, because Richmond
has now 10 90 to Baltimore to buy bacon.
Irrd and butter il must necessarily follow
that Richmond will here after be the best
place To export these things from, is simply
a MN seqajtar.
II bappcns that Boston is the chiefowner
Of the Boston aud Albany road. and that
Baltimore is the chiefowncr of the Bali
more and OHIO road and those cities will,
IN some cases, make the railroads carry
freight under cost to benefit their city and
their business. II seems that You think it
will be necessary for the Central railroad
To make similar sacrifices for the benefit
OF Virginia cities. do not know how
your country stockholders and the tax pay
ers of the State will relish this doctrine.
Now, whether the canal takes away your
freight Mt Covington or you bring it over
your 70 I'd at rate below cost, | see not
much comfort for your stockholders in the
result
1t IL bu to small extent, and under
pee ~ lar circumstances, that a railroad ever
CARRIES tonnage under cost, and unless
railroad can be made capable of carrying
tonnage from the Ohio river to Richmond
st remunerating rates, it would be folly 10
mtenp' It, Hence the absolute necessity
That Virginia should construct the very
best work that can be made.
The competition Of Baltimore, through
the Baltimore and Ohio Road of Pennsyl
vania. through the Central R,ilroad Of
Pennsylvania. and of New York, through
TIE Erie Canal. Lake Erie and the Ohio
Canal, are 10 be me, on the Ohio river.
There is another consideration which
would in this connection. The more
trade road has, within its capacity, the
cheaper 1t can transport tonnage. The
line. as proposed by me. joins another
grand trunk more than 200 miles West of
Richmond. fhe large and valuable trade
Of that trunk will warrant the lowest rates
81 freight ever charged on Railroads.
The single item Of gypsum for the Ka-
nawha and Ohio country wilfurnish this
road with an amount of freight which
would have the most powerful influence
on the economy of It's operations.
1 will now very briefly recapituatc the
question We have been arguing and the
points which have been established.
The People Of Virginia, not this sec.
iion of the State nor that section, but the
whole people. for the common welfare
wish 10 construct a Railroad, connecting
the waters of the Ohio river with the Chcs
apcakc bay. From the Ohio river TO tn.
mouth Of Greenbrier there is no differcnc,
of opinion as to the route. From the
mouth Of Grcenbrer to Richmond two
routes are proposed. This road, as it.
friends believe, is to have trade which
will intuse life and yigor into every pur-
suit, develop the mighty resources of the
State and render our Eastern cities the
markets ofan Empire. The object is one
which should deeply interest every citizen
~ the Commonwealth. There should be
bus one desire in reference to the location
OF such road. II should be the best pos
sible road that could be made, and the one
best calculated to secure to Virginia the
great ends Of such an Improvement
These considerations must have the
more weight, as there axe many danger
@'s rivals striving for the same goal. No
thing within the range ofpossibilty should
be left undone in our efforts to furnish
safer. cheaper and more expeditions mode