Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-01-13


at 600, Thus, from Parkersburg 10 Baltimore. bv
railroad, we haze distance OF 40i miles, while from
I.onp creek shoals the Central route shall have
5o3 miles to Washington thence to Baltimore 40
making 4O5 by this route-a difference oil two miles
taekeFsbnrg and Loup creek shoals being each about
81 miles from the mouth OF The great kanawha the
taroaas terminating at those points will enjoy equal
advantages N the water communication. But il the
traveller on the Baltimore roufe wishes 10 visit Wash
ton, the distance from Parkersburg by The Relay
VIII be As miles, being % miles more than by the
central Virginia route from Loupe creek shoals. Sc,
LIKEWISE, from Guyandotte to Washington, the distance
on the Central route will be less than by Parkers5urg
ana Relay 6y about los miles, and less to Baltimore
by aoovt As. A fair competition will therefore, exist
upon these lines for the Northern travel TO and from
al places below the mouth OF the great Kanawha.
IL Virginia will enter upon the execution of the i'm
provements Just mentioned with proper energy, Ken
lucky will doubtless meet them by a continuation OF
me railroad from louisville by Frankfort to the state
iIue. Louisville is about I39 miles below Cincinnati
ana YET Is believed that raj road from thence Guy
andette would hardly exceed $50 miles, making the
whole distance to the city ct Washington about 70O
miles, and tcrnng a line not much inferior to that
projected from Baltimore, by Parkershurg and Gin
ennat' TO ST. Ions. The importance othis road can.
not be overlooked by Kentucky; and passing near
Portsmouth the terminus OF the Ohio State caual from
lake Erie "a miles below Guyandotts, a connection
with that well rs other important points will be
made In truth this will form base line for an enio
system oraroads and other Improvements ia Keutuc.
KY The rich products OF that state, as well as tho
VAST trade tributary to the navigation OF the Upper
Mis'sslppI and ONO seeking an eastern market will
mad an entire water line with the exception Of $50
miles IN The mou nalnsl 10 the Chesapeake bay IN ad.
dnon 10 succession OF railroads from the Great Falls
oil the Oho. Ihere will be opened to the millions of
enterprising and intelligent beings spread over the
great valley oil the West double line of ccmmupica.
ton 10 the Chesapeake, suited both light and heavy
transportation and in climate entirely apreabla To The
great mass OF travellers If therefore, immediate sue
cess shall not follow the comp elton OF those works
viii be lor want OF sufficient capital or enterprise in
our cities TO command the business; and should such
causes exist, the works here elsewhere will soon
remedy it,
Upon the subject OF remunerating revenue from the
improvements proposed 10 be constructed as above
recommended, and the capacity OF the railroad across
the mountains Tor performing the services necessary to
command the heavy transportation, we may with
great confidence refer to the results Of the operation
upon the Baltimore and Ohio railroad during the last
fiscal year. These results have been reduced TO the
following simple terms, 10 wit:
The whole number Of miles 80. i 2s5, OS3
Inc whole amount revenue received was 81 1922 10
The whole expenses repairs, &c. were... Cos 9l9 %
-, Leaving for net profit. ........ 1858 303 S.
me cost on each mile run WAS, therefore, 81 Is
cents The tonnage carried was equal to "A SOC, 800
tons moved one mile The revenue received for this
service S9l2, 427 being equal TO charge of two
cents per ion per mile. The passeugers carried wer,
equal to 10 $40, 59S persons transported one NILS The
sum received tor the service was 1855 56I a. being
about three and one-third cents each per mile -
The compensation for maj servce about s. ,235
The company divided pr cent. on a capitaI of
81 53l 209, which being applied TO the of tho
work. was payable in certificates of stock With
results like these upon main fig mn ca ending
in the gorges of the ghany and few trihu,ayies
below The mountnins, what may expect from
the ample improvements proposed? Ii we regard the
fact that this enterprislng company has recently re-
duced he,ereight on coal TO So fer ton from Inc
mountains to tidewater, distance of near 900 u,iles
and the general results 0! their operations afI1tdinq
data upon which We safely Iely ia making csi.
mates fer our own improvements, We may feel satisfied
that railroad from Clifton Forge to the OHIO river
will answer the purpose tor which it is assoned ard
that by completing the connections proposed most
ample revenue may be derived 10 the state de-
tailed taement from the volnnino reports upon tbo
railroads and canals OF New York, Pennsy lvsnia and
Ohio would but confirm in substance what has been
already presented.
The Virginia and Tennessee railroad IL a work
deem OF the first importance both az local improve
menl and in It's rational bearing; and earneay re-
commend that means be provided for lis completion in
the shortest time compat Bile with The public interest
The Importance OF reaching the Tennessee line at ap
early day cannot he too highly estimated. The deter
miuaon oil Improvements 10 the Sou tern states TO this
line may depend upon thu prompnes and energy
with which we shall exssae cur portion If We
trace the line npna which this great work has been
projected to Knoxville and theme. to Chatts noopa wa
sfall find improvements con.ereing it iron, the
East, and West and the South, contributing to fhe
value of the common stem. Several millions Of neona
have turned their minds with Anxiety towards Virginia
her hospitabe towns and ample harbors for dispo-
slton OF their products and supply OF merchandise
fbevi
will abandon aud turn the streams of their rch
commence into other channels. Situated IA that country
IT, with shallow and snuous rivers flowing into the Mis-
ssppl, the gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic ocean
wide range OF selection tor artificial lines of trans
poriaon is offered TO the inhabitants nor have tney
misund erstood or neglected their true intereats Al
ready lines of railroad from Charleston and Savannah
have penetrated the Valley OF the Tennessee 10 Chat
tanoosa, while others from Memphis and Mobile ara
in progress Of construction to the region Of coun-
try. Little doubt is no" entertained That whsn Vir-
gina executes her part complete system OF ra iroad
connections will be effected between the Chesspoae
towns Of this state and the Mississippi the gulf of
Mexico and the Atlantic ocean, at the points men
toned.f THE value OF the main stem in Virgnis as n
medium OF travel, transportation oil The mails live
stock merchandise, and heavy produce, hardly be
overrated by our people, nor should spare any |
proper means 10 avail Ourselves OF the incalcuabIe
benefits and the ample resources which may be dei-
we'd from this great work. The James riy + and |
Kanawha company, with 1i6 miles Of canal from |
Lynchburg to Richmond, and the Souhsde and tho
Richmond and Daville railroad companies, will de-
rive incaculahle benefits from it. The distance bo tn |
from Richmond and Petersburg to l4ynchburg by rail
road, will be about Is miles and from thence TO the
Tennessee line 204, making continuous line from
tidewaer OF 3l9 mites in state.
The Richmond aud Danville railroad is a work
which it seems me, should be paced, in regard 10
the means OF completion in the first class. Ii passes
about $50 miles through one OF the most productive
portions of our state, and penetra,es North Caro-
lima at point from which large trade will be atrac
ted 10 commercial towns. 1t cannot fail to COM
tween he western portions Of North and South Car
roina and the site of the federal government and other
cities OF the North With these advantages we n,ay
well anticipate aremuneratng after it shall have
been completed.
The Southside reilraad should likewise be completed
with as little delay as practicsoe. 1t forms the most
important link in connecting the main stem of the
Virginia and Tennessee road with the tidewaer coun-
try and without which the travel and transportation
Of the mail to and from the southwestern stales tho
main line will be seriously interrupted
After the Richmond and D4nvlle and the South
side railroads shall have been completed it is not i'm
probable that the public interests require road
rom Richmond to some point on York river the
Day and one from Petersburg to connect with Ports
mouth and Norfolk. But do not feel justified in re-
commencing the immediate construction of these I'M
,rovements, while much remains undone upon the
ines penetrating the mountains 10 unlock those rich
reasures so much more needed TO inygorate the
nercial enterprise o! the towns mentioned
The Northwestern railroad from Parkersbdrg to tho
rye arts valley river CORNING indeed section OF he
main stem OF the Baltimore and Ohio rallroad) Il
ocal Improvement, is not less important to Norhwes