Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1853-03-25
RICHMOND AND DANyILLE RAIL ROAD.
Letter from Governor Floyd.
RIcMMONp, Feb. %, les

md ana ne Atlantic seapUS from Boston IN
nah on Other he will discover clearly that thoroughly
organized stem OF public works is almost completed
by which The Of The whole West and Southwest
In he mprupoizcd by Northern cities through the
of rail roads which leave the svehoing States whrneye.
wherever practicable and take their through the
Northern and Northwestern States TO their respective points
nl destination great many thousands OF miles Of rail
reads constructed and many thousands more are in
grcss OF construction for the purpose OF taxing the products
Of Kentucky Tennessee, Missouri Alabama and Mssissp
h across the Ohio and Mississippi rivers free territory,
10 tn great cities Of Boston, New York Philadelphia AMI
Baltimore; and large portion OF bath Eastern and Western
Virginia is this moment rs thoroughly ldcntied with
Baltimore IN commercial interests the county Of Anne
Auntc in Mary land itself. Virginia has rs yet done little
nothing 10 arrest this sappns and mining process; and
unless she al once adopt wise enlarged and liberal policy
and vigorously prosecute 10 consummaIlon her
must be ovcrown and sacrificed and her citizens lind
themselves tributaries Of those whom they every
advantage other than energy and enterprise.
Tie geographical position and phcal features Of
State afford advantages superior those enjoyed by any
other Atlantic SAFE for Western connections Her seaport
is tic the great grain producing Llvl
basins of the country than those OF any other Stale
superior advantages in respect 10 health depth
Gf water ana proximity The The great Appcllc
ian chain presenting 50 orinidabea barrier between tide
and the Ohio everywhere else presents really
serious difficulty 10 the construction OF railroads and canals
upon Tie routes her territory. Moreover, the eli
gD!e points al which 10 reach the staple producing
auns OF TN: accessible By The easiest trades
ant The most practicable Railroads from any
her SCabOar practicable parlcrsburg Point Pleas.
AMI, the mouth OF the Gnyundolc Cumberland Gap,
Knoxville; and Kentucky win oil her fertility and ytalth
easily commanded Nv alifOau communication
Though Southwest Virginia ~ Cumberland Cap 10 Leyng
tonand LpusrIc nan ~ any proposed practicable rome
tfo en!pping point IN any other Atlantic State We
have within reach tho magnificent lY Vi
Tennessee river and may 10 ourselves
gh"ut is whole length from the village of Bionnlsvia
on The ely OF Memphis the hunks o the Mis-
sisSppI these connections made they would
I" country larger in extent and richer in product a
the entire riparian region surrounding the northern Lakes
and tributary 20 New York ard the northern Giles. Ih,
facts d,morstatc the Importance 10 Virgins .! oECe, md
ny bold stroke OF policy securing the prompt completion
| III her works
En il Of III. first importance Iha, The lines OF inarcnn,.
munca;gn sh'H he pnt upon the hest locations All n,he:
Ihn.s being equal shoness in The distance of the first
moment 10 rIlrc a connection with Louisville and Mem
piss om Norfolk, c,,rsbrrg Richmond, the
propose Is he shoaat ard certain is prelera bic
any other derives additional importance from the
favorable action Of oar Legislature upon The Cumberland
Gap Rail Road which viii leave the Virginia and Tennes
Raj! Road (1 which il is pTorngaon Abingdon
In Washington county, but twenty miles beyond
the Seven allie Ford IN Snyn county, and out fifty
miles hayond Wythcvi!c one he Of which latter
points your proposed road would Join tn Virginia and Ten
Raj! Road wuuli form straight line road with
this Cumberland Gnp Rail Road AMI would with it, eastern
connections traverse the whole tier o. Virginia counties
contiguous 70 te North Carolina and Tennessee lines aoj
drl the most fertile and productive poron of North Caro-
equa! extent In Tie State. From Norfolk TO Cumberland
G'ps four hundred and ninety five miles or ny way OF
Petersburg and Dan'il'e five hundred aud fifteen miles,
from thence 10 Louisville IL abou, hundred seventy
mira, making distance from Norfolk Louisville Of about
six hundred and s7enty miles which could be ivrrscd In
G W ~ hours The grades this line would
y light from west 10 favor nf The heavy tonnage
Thus plain other lire POSSESSES such avan,ancs
rs yours, ana thai IL woul command all the tonnage be-
Jsc paints winch ,rouli railway ranspprrn
lion The same observations Of The ton by
road arJ he Virginia and TcuHesscc railroad, from
Norfc X 10 Memphis
Tnse general founded upon rh relations which
your road ~"ut hold with eastern and connections
n1ac sufficient 70 induce country along it, proposed
route 10 and literally aid its construction But there
o;cbe mind In vor Of The en-
teprise thai must lake The 70 glance at few Of
them
Tie Valley the Roanoke lie ono Of The iaos fertile
an extensive the whole Atlantic slope is by
odds the bes tobacco in the United States It's
trhuions OF iint staple give character for the
the Rrhmoni inspections, This staple and thu, 81 cotton
make The lucrative articles OF rail road freight being
Susceptible" OF -nnrtaon longer distances 81 higher
than any other agricultural production pr"hahiy Of the
Sprd. |! This fact IN regard 10 cotton "hch has main
the iaanccs al Georgia s roads in nsionishin.
Ii IL this act which viii produce the result
all Virginia rail roads which shall obtain The transporln
;lon Tobacco fully r. valuable article Of
rail road freight cotton and experience will shove ha
Railroads penetrating great producing region OF that sta
pie, vii hnSe financial history as iaerlng as those Of
For the wan, If sufficient facilities of transportation
your fine ltuunoke valley has never produced cnrh
quantity ot tobacco which might produce. IN" Danve
road destined BE- Of The prosperous aud useful In
State VIII d. much stimulate his production bur
proposed its line the mouniins and beyond
will snut the cultivation OF the plant to The fullest or
tent % basis of the mountains The advantages
This result The State obvons Tie trade % The
Roanoke valley alone properly Developed would maintain
civ large nil the cities OF Virginia combined Tie
to,accu trade, from now AT work. VII! continue 10
augment extent aud value. The use ana consumption o!
the plant daily becoming general over the earth
and the demand exceed the supply Free
trade and e1 ended commercial intercourse with all nations
yil! promote It's consumption, and bring into equisi'ion
every of your great valley capable OF l!s production
There could be great of revenue peculiar TO
The % opused road need mention lis effect upon the
business and ,inances Of the Danrie Rail Road IL II
snou not prove profitable itself! its immense contributions
If raLc that Road would make HE whole Investment one
Of the the State. speak however o! other sources
Of revenue the WORK itself The live stock OF Kentucky
intended for the Southern markets would pass over hs line
from Cumberland Gap I" DanSlic there IL be distributed 10
its various points destination The soil OF your country
yrcuty adapted the growth of tobacco and the cereals
have herrtoo, lacked the ingredients favorable grass
rh ircdirnt supplied il from the ncxhaustb!e
pyp.I beds Of Washington and Smyth countless over thu
proposed rad price scarcely one-hhI us present cost
in Richmond: and OF quality superior to that OF the bert
Nova Scotia plaster Your road would also he OF immense
scrvir. to Sam Western Virginia in opening immense
market 10 plaster, salt lead and ron in aiioding our
farmers benefit Of two lines ." railway transit, To
and in prr.cniing the monopoly which, TOO often arises
where one corporation haa the exclusive regulation Of ;r
business nj n country. "
II j. nbvipus from hastily expressed views, that all
rh. ,ca and agricultural interests I" the great country
from Cumberland Gap 10 Norfolk would b. rapid
~ nyrIpped and powerfully stimulated by line Of road
an equally clear ly its effect would be 10 force into
yis,crr, ely of large commercial Importance Norfolk
and Portsmouth,
To en-. orr Common wealth. however from her present
commercial subsection The North s also essential Ia
establish Grcr trade and communication win the ports o!
Luru,r TIE advantage. resulting would be incairulab!e.
The PRODUCTS country would bring Ia ms increa
sei cqu, 10 The commission and freight which
No,,hern factors and carriers now make In transactrg
hr.,,.- with foreign. The wealth which Virginia
commerce naw cnnicrs upon Northern cities woud be
Inrd 10 mont capital and popuiu"n Increase
nr !, nayinp property, diversity the occupations OF
r.nnr and 10 add the wealth. refinement and political
strength Of wealth. The time i pioptious for
emtarging in this vital Undertaking. money Is more abun
an iIan il hel"r known 10 h" Our State cred
II has raised exalted cmncnce AMI is plinrei upon
firm basis Her facilities for borrowing moaey upon easy
terms are greater than ~ any previous period OF cur history
bold wisc md liberal policy adopted by tn l"2s.
,rr, ouIi enhance the value OF property ~ u"
>t,r. IN rro far beyond amy ppst,he increase
:, -. milo al taxation that could be induced ny
he mos. lavish appropriation The wise economy
of large expenditures upon important WORKS Is
.-..n difficult he learned by those entrusted with the
4 .n,cs az Tie Commonweallh Our rulers would NJ bold
r and rr,ir rlle Tar efficient assert II
he wgn! remember that popular condemnation IL :" much
occurrence lnn popular contempt, and that neither
visited npnu those whose action has been mihly ana
hs; Ingh experience prove II 10 have been m.tak
be. gentleman, very respectlully Ynn.