The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-12-19
THE DAILY DISPATCH.
,,oSn3y YoRNINa. DECEMBER 10. l8SS.
GAuGE OF THE CovINGroN AND
OHIO ROAD.

We wish we had room TO give enuFe '"o
views upon this subject, contained in the re-
mort of the President of the Central kailroau'
from the able pen of Mr.. Charles Eiie'' the
distinguished Engineer of that Company anu
undoubtedly one of the first men IN MS pro
fession in the United States. we present
.o,,a axtracts containing the substance OF
them, and will add that to our minus '"oJ "'S
irresistible and perfectly conclusive upon '"1
subject. Mr. Ellet remarks that the 0'a'e "a
Virginia and the State of kentucky nave
.aob :, the course Of events, but apparently
without forming any fixed or certain pan,
adoptedt two distinct guages, We a > lee' anu
"a feet 5 Il inches gauge.
.Nov 8" continues Mr. Ellet, at is some
what remarkable and q very important iact'
that all the roads of Virginia Designer 70
share the western trade, which lie on the
.ou;h of James river. have adopted the feet
gauge; and that all the roads of Virginia ~
inc north of James river, have adopted the
feet Sis inches gauge; while all the roads in
the southern part Of Kentucky and Tennes-
see have adopted the 5 feet gauge of the
southern Virginia roads, and those IN north
ern Kentucky have adopted the feet IL
inches gauge Of the northern Virginia ROADS.
at is difficult to conserve Of state OF facts
more fortunate fer Virginia than this; since,
by connecting her northern family OF 4 feet
sl-2 inches gauges with the northern cluster
of Kentucky roads, she secures to her own
ports and sea board an outlet for the trade
which will be collected by that extensive net
work of western lines, without break of bulk.
And, further, 10y connecting her southern
family of feet gauges with the southern
cluster of Kentucky and Tennessee lines,
having tracks Of the same width, she also Sc
cures the trade of that portion of the south
west which is traversad by lines of feet
track, to her own ports.
"Under such state of facts itwoUld be
strange infatuation indeed, that would propose
to insert link of narrow track on the line of
the southwestern road, and compel two tran
shipments of all the commerce of southern
Kentucky and Tennessee beforeit can get in
TO Virginia; or link of wide gauge on the
Central line to compel break Of bulk and
transhipment of all the travel, products and
supplies of northern Kentucky, before they
can enter this State.
tits not to be supposed, either, that they
who are Interested in the Central line will
ever be so ambitious of monopoly as TO wish
to interrupt the passage Of tho legitimate
trade of the roads south Of James river by
inserting a link Of narrow gauge on the
Lynchburg and Tennessee road, to divert its
business to the north or that the interests
south can have so much doubt of the sutli-
cheney of the trade of the fertile southwest,
which is to be brought forward by the Ten
nessee road, to sustain that liz, as Ia seek to
interpose impcdiments and compel needless
transhipments on the Central route.
my own confidence in the resources ofthe
southwestern road has never failed. ] have
never considered it necessary Tor that work
to encroach upon the ground OF its central
neighbor toinsure it the most liberal support.
"1ndeed, there is clearly trade enough be-
longing to each section ofthe State to sustain
the proper roads of the section; and do not
doubt that we shall all besuficiently employed
in extending our several lines and putting
them in proper condition to receive and pass
flows into our respective channels.
ut has, know, been suggested that wider
gauge than that which has become almost
universal in this country and in all Europe i;
intrinsically better than that which, is in gene
raj use. do not know that should deny The
fact if that were the question here
"But the problem is not now to ascertain
rrh at no ha host IL ]
but which is best for the Covington and Ohio
road, connecting as it does with system OF
roads OF narrow gauge at its western extremi
fy, and another system of the same gauge
spreading over all northern and central Vir,
Sinia, at its eastern end.
"lf the question were still new and omen
one, believe that should be inclined to re-
commend six feet gusge from Richmond to
CINCINNATI, there to connect with the six feet
gauge leading from Cincinnati to St. Louis,
ana from st. Louis westwardly, and thus OBJ
tain an advantage over all competitors north
or south But this question of intrinsic SIN
perionty has been foreclosed by thenet work
OF narrow gauges extending from the western
border of Virginia through northern Ken
~y "-Au poUIhCAu ONO 10 CINCINNATI and
over these our cars must pass
1t seems to US, as we have before observed
that these views are entirely conclusive upo,
the gauge question. 1t is matter Of nro
found regret that the progress of improve.
ments in Virginia. continually harassed and
embarrassed by rivalries and jeolousies, for
which there is no real foundation. The min.
cipal lines on both sides of the river and the
principal cities viii all have their hands fun
flour system ofpubhc works is carried outun.
on the plan on which it has been commenced
But if this war of section upon section and
city upon city is to continue, the consequence
will be the paralysis of the whole system o.
Virginia improvements, and they who are
grasping for all, will obtain nothing.
The PENNY PosT.-This new paper, max
ing the FOURTH daily penny paper in Rich
mond, made its appearance ON Saturday last
Mr. " r. SuFpUERD oripiuaJ portpor -,