Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-06-18
VIRGINIA RAILROADS.
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VIRGINIA RAILROADS
We find in the Lynchburg Virginian very com
prehensve and able Report from Mr.. CHARLES T.
GARRETT, chief engineer, to the President and Di-
rectors of the "Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
Company" on the nature and merits of the various
existing and proposed railroad lines in Virginia and
the contiguous Western States. AS the subject is
interesting to readers in those States, we give
below the most material portions of the Report:
LYNonBuRG, MAY &c. 1858.
To the President and Directors Of the Virginia anu Tennessee
Railroad Company:
GENTLEMEN In compliance with the wishes of the
Board, left Abingdon the 10Th Of April last to ex-
pore the country with view ascertain the practical
bty of route for railroad between that point aud
Cumberland Gap In rapid reconnaissance of this sort
not expected that any particular line could be de-
fined the best route. All that considered neces-
sary for the advancement Of the beet in was to as
certain the practicaby Of railroad any line between
the points above mentioned and to collect such norma
ton may lead decision on the policy of
carrying out the scheme
The route examined would leave the Virginia and Ten
nessee Railroad at Abingdon at some point between
there and the Tennessee line and passing Walkers noun
tain by of several gaps reach the valley Of the
North Fork Of Holson possible thence pass
ing down this valley parallel valley called the Poor
Valley, until Big Moccasn creek is reached This Poor
Valley is very remarkable valley, which is sometimes
blended with the valley Of the Hoston and is sometimes
separated from by low range of mountains frequent
ly ntersected by streams. This valley from the
creek just mentioned up at least far the Salt Works
in Smythe county, distance of about fftythree miles,
and passes within eight miles Of Abingdon Our line viii
pass through Cnch mountain Big Moccasin Gap with
out difficulty ascending first that and then Little
Moccasin and going through Eselyle the county seat
of Scott The head of Little Moccasin nterlocks with the
head of Troublesome Run, down which the line would
pass to Cnch river by this the line passes through
Copper Ridge it win then the Clinch running up
its bank for short distance The line would then pass
mp Stock creek and through natural tunnel five hun
dred feet long, which will require very little work to fit it
for the passage of railroad This natural tunnel which
varies but little from straight ne is formed by the pas
Of & ov vide r brv
high and the lower approach having perpendicular face
of some 400 feet above the top Of the cavity presents
grand and imposing appearance This great natural GU
rosity has already attracted much attention and
Their with cave Of great size and beauty it, will
doubtedy be much visited by travellers search OF health
or pleasure If railroad be made The line then passes
subordinate ranges of mountain through Buckeye Hollow
Flat Lick and up the North Fork of Cnch until it
through Powels mountain by the Wildcat valley. 1t
passes around the head of Wadens ridge and reaches
Powel's valley at the three forks of Powell's river
From this point Powelrs Valley extends sixty miles
Cumberland Cap and considerable choice of route is Of
fered. The road may go by Jonesve, the county seat
of Lee or il may be continued down the bank of Powes
river or the Poor Valley formation similar to the
described the Holson At Cumberland Gap tunnel,
/ probably Of half mile, will be required.
The described may be considered highly fa
| vorabe route for railroad. =
At Eselville the road will pass and through an
extensive bed Of marble of much beauty, and at different
points il runs near coal and iron.
1 The line thus traced will be hundred and thirty
miles in length and it is believed that line diverging
from this at Stock Creek, and passing distance in
Tennessee could be found which would be shorter This
line could not be made without charter from Tennessee
and an amended charter from Virginia and then
there would be this strong argument against it, that il
so near the East Tennessee railroad that the local sup
port of the lines would be very much the same The
line through Tennessee would barely the lower end
Of Powes Valley the products of which would contri
butte largely to the support of the road 1t has been
admitted q settled fact in Ohio that you cannot make
railroad through rich land which will yield six per
cent As confederation of this principle, all the
merous lines under construction through the rich
plains Ohio Indiana and Illinois held in the highest
possible estimation in the money markets of the North
and their bonds sell readily There is land in Ohio
richer than much Of the land in Lee county, and this line
will have less competition than many Of those in Ohio
must have
But we are not left to rely solely on the resources Of
the contiguous country for the support Of this road For
mery there driven annually through Cumberland
Cap for the Atlantic slope, hundred thousand hogs
hiryfvc thousand CATTLE and large number Of horses
and mules Within few years the numerous turnpkes
and railroad lines connecting the Atlantic with the Mis-
sppi valley have diverted much Of that trade but the
number Of hogs will probably reach forty thousand
and the number cattle WILDE and fifteen
thousand.
This has been for the last fifty years favorite route
for emigration and when railroad is made 1t must again
become highway for emigrants.
The feasibility of this scheme cannot be considered
settled until Kentucky agrees 10 extend the road to
Louisville As this is done, have the shortest
line from Louisville to any Atlantic port, practically
speaking although Baltimore will be few miles nearer
in distance when the Parkersburg route is completed
After careful calculation making every proper allow
ance the distance from Louisville to Norfolk may be sta
ted at 9 miles For the information Of the friends of the
scheme in Kentucky, description will be given Of the
lines in Virginia which il is proposed to connect with the
Kentucky road at Cumberland Gap.
The Legislature has chartered road, and subscribed
three hs Of the stock unite Norfolk with Petersburg
This company is organized, its officers appointed and OPP
erations commenced The road will be 78 miles long,
with light grades and gentle The South Side
road from Petersburg to Lynchburg 122 miles long, is in
rapid progress, and win undoubtedly be in operation in
years This road has but grade, opposed to the
heavy trade exceeding 10 feet per mile and the curves
quite moderate. The Richmond and Danville road
the South Side road at point which is 81 miles
from Petersburg and 81 miles from Richmond, giving to
Lynchburg connexion by railroad with both Richmond
and Petersburg There is canal of large capacity and
only 5la feet Of lockage extending from Lynchburg to