Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1853-11-24
LYNCHBURG IIRGlNlAN
The Orange and Alexandria Extension"
JAMES MCDONALD. EDITOR.

absence of great many property holders n'r-
chants and CAPITALISTS, who should have been pre-
seni-was we'll attended and manifested consid-
cradle interest in the subject. We are satisfied
that. when our citizens come to regard THIS mat
ter in all its bearings upon the future prosperity
of I.ynchburg, and of Eastern Virginia, they viii
not hesitate To adopt such measures ~ an enlight
ened and commendable spirit of self-nterest and
a due regard for the welfare Of the State may
prompt.
In the very nature aud necessity of things, "A
connection of the Virginia and Tennessee rail-
road. with some line tending most directly to-
wards the great commercial cities Of the North,
and living in the course of the immense inter-sec-
tional travel is unavoidable. No one who has
understood the true interests and the vast capa-
bilities of the Virginia and Tennessee road has
ever supposed that il should, would, be limited
Ia the transportation only of such Tonnage and
travol ns might seek Lynchburg or some point
east of il a. their destination. Running almost up
ON an airline drawn from Memphis 10 Washing
ton il Is only necessary to know TINT the con-
struetion of some ffty-odd miles Of road, from
Lynchhurg to Charlottesville, will bring the cas-
tern terminus of the Virginia and Tennessee road
sc miles nearer TO the Federal Metropolis, aud
the cities living north of it, than it would bo, If
that interval were left unflled-to demonstrate
the over-ruling propriety of that connection
From New Orleans 10 New York, the states
and cities of the Atlantic eonst engaged in
earnest and giant rivalry for the trade OF the Mis-
sissipp valley, and the transportation of that
world of travel which is ever moving from one of
the great sections of our country 10 the other.
Millions upon millions of dollars have been, and
are being, expended by other states than Virgin
ia, in opening up highways removing impede
menis and shortening distances, 10 secure these
results BY the legislation OF Virginia and the
enterprise of her citizens, way Is being opened,
through the very heart of the state from The Ten
nessee line on the South West, 10 Alexandria on
the Nortl East, which will pezseas advantage
and inducements superior to any that has hcen
or can he, projected, in any other state-oud SUI
perior to any other that can he made within the
state, between the points named. Less than six
ty miles of that line, from Lynehburg to Char
lottesville. remain to be provided for. To fill in
that space viii shorten the entire line, through
the state, 50 miles, compared with the route
by Richmond-and give to Virginia decisive
and neontestahle advantage over the states, now
competing with her, for the Rreat prize. l. there
man, who has the capacity TO appreciate the
value and benefits of such advantage, and heart
large enough to love any portion of the state ca
oept the spot whore his own person and personal
interests are located, who will not say that the
gap should be filled-thot the wanting link should
be supplied
Can Richmond, or Petersburg or Norfolk, OF
inc nnes Of improvement nth which Tho, ore
connected object Why should they Upper
and western Virginia the sources from which
they draw their breath 4 blood. mpoycrish and
depopulate those sootions,and you cut the very
roots that give them life But add Ia the pop
ulation and wealth of these regions-augiGcn
their products and develope their resources, and,
by SO much, do you increase the means upon
which they rely and from which, only can they
draw the essence and nutriments of life. For
Richmond, Petersburg and Norfolk, aud the Rail
road Companies whose lines run from upper Vir-
ginia TO those cities not 10 confess this is to
make the acknowledgment that their prosperity
does not depend upon the great principles of COM
mercal philosophy and political economy that
there is mistake in their location the laws OF
nature q the incIinations oftrndc must be warped
Win they make such confessions rs these ! II
they will and if the fact be So we apprchcnd that
il will be easier for them to change, than for the
immntable laws and purposes of commerce TO be
thwarted Alahomct can come To the mountain.
If the mountain cannot 20 Ia Mahomet. But the
cities and lines Of improvement Of lower Virginia
viii not. and need ot,make acknowledgements SO
disagreeable and humiliuting. They will come To
look upon the State at large with more apprc-
eiatiye AMI catholic spirit, than they have, at all
times heretofore, cvinccd; and upon themselves.
as having a common and dependent interest with
and upon upper Virginia, in all that relates to its
physical and political welfare.
So much for the general considerations in
which the scheme of this connection had its ori-
gin aud by which il is commended to the public at
tention.as one of the most important Railroad i'm
provements projected in the State, or country
The reasons which should influence the citizens
of Lynchburg to take lively interest in it, sue
cess are two-fold-cmbraeing the positive bene-
efts which the town will derive from it, if con-
structed, and the serious injuries which will re
suit to it, if not constructed. We have argued
that the necessity for filling the space between
the Virginia and Tennessee and the Orange and
Alexandria road, and, thereby, uniting the great
Railroad systems of the North and South was
self-apparent. The extension from Charlottes.
vile to Lynchburg is not the only practicable,
nor the only proposed method Tor supplying that
connection. On the contrarya movement is on
foot, combining in its supporters a large share of
intelligence, wealth, energy and Legislative cum
ning-stimulatcd not ONLY by self-uterest but