The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-03-13
RICHMOND, VA,
Saturday Morning, March 13, 1852.
The Buffalo 7'racks-7'he DasriHe Road.

SnShrus:! morning. Warch Id, 1919.
The Buffalo Traeks-7he DasriRe Road.
Our friend, Mr.. WIZ. NJ. BURwELL, is very
fond of coneeit Of his, that the great railroad
route from Lynchburg through Tennessee TO
Memphis, is the route that was. in aboriginal
days, taken By the Indian and the Buffalo, and
therefore, that II is the route of easiest grades
and best adaptation to railroad. We do not
presume TO question the great advantages oil
the route; but the conceit is little too fanct-
ful and poetical for the age. The Buffalo went
after grass, the Indian Gfter Buffalo. The peo-
pile OF this day are going after very different
objects. The track of the Buffalo indicate the
easiest route to valley or prairie we'll sup
piled with grassland from that point the Buff
falo took the next best route to another place
wherein he might roll in grass. His course
was often zig gag ore, aud the Indian follow
ing him, acquiesced in the angles he had made.
We do, however, know being of the pre-
sent day whose trail is worth more, as an indi-
cation OF the true line of travel and commerce,
than all the Buffalo aud Indian trails that ever
were made. That being is the YANKEE. The
Yankee neither goes to eat grass nor to shoot
Buffalo! He goes TO trade-and we guess he'll
be pretty sure to 60 to the best place, by the
best route. Now, it happens that the great
Yankee trail from the North to the South was
by different route from that pointed out by
the Buffalo tracks, which have thrown so
many charms along the route to Memphis
The great YANKEE TRAIL from New England
to Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louis
lana, struck Immediately through the town of
DanvilIe! When Mississippi and Alabama
were it, the earlier stages of settlement and
Georgia was yet part OF it uninhabted, there
was great field opened in those States for
the operations of Yankee pedlars, and thither
they went, as they always do, where there is
chance for profitable trading, in large num-
bers. They sent their goods by sea to Charles
ton Savannah, Mobile or New Orleans, while
with their wagons and horses they travelled
over land to their places of destination. They
drove fine horses, and their wagons were hand
some and well made-they carried with them
cooking implements, and camping out, avoided
all tavern bills. Thus equipped, they made
the journey in very good time, and at small ex-
pense. Danyille was, as we said, point 10
their route. We have seen u hundred and fifty
Of their wagons pass through that town in one
train! They always made it a rule to ford the
riyer-they paid toll no where-true to the in
stinci Of their race, they always found out how
to avoid expense, and they knew the best and
shortest route Their trail is much safer
aud surer one for commerce than that of the
Buffalo.
Following, then, the trail of our unerring
pioneer, we pronounce the route by Danville
the very best and shortest for the purposes Of
commerce and travel tween the Northern
Atlantic States and those of the South and
Southwest. Whatever may be the advantages
Of the line of communication via Memphis
with the West-and they are the very best 10
that direction-yet, when we come to consider
the best route to the South and the great
Southwestern Emporum-New Orleans-that
through Danville is the route, Buffalo tracks,
TO the contrary, notwithstanding.