The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-03-23
The DAILY DISPATCH

:" cenesaay morninG, March -, 1883.
6 DANvILLE RAIRo7n
LETTER FROM GOVERNOR FLOYD.
RIcHHoND, Feb. %, 1853.
C.. 7. Thomas, Jas. Smith, II. C. Redd.
GENTLEMEN: Yotn' letter Of the 18th ins,ap,
reached me at this plaGe, on last evening; and
| hasten to answer ii.
The limits of letter are too confined for
free discussion of the subject 70 which you are
80 obligiBg as 70 invite my attention; but will
q tempt, nevertheless, to give you some of the
most prominent views that have influenced me,
for long time, in advocating the railroad you
propose.
If any one will take the trouble to consult
the map ofthe United States, in reference to the
proposed connections between the great valleys
of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers on one hand,
and the Atlantic seaports from Boston to Sav-
annah on the other, he will discover clearly
that a thoroughly organized system of public
works is now almost completed, by which the
commerce Of the whole West and Southwest
IS to be monopolizsd by Northern cities through
the means of railroads which leave the flave-
noidng States whenever and wherever prac.
tlcabie, and take their course through the
Northern and Northwestern States, to their re-
spectlve points Of dsstiaation. A great many
thousands more are in progress Of construc
tIon, ior the purpose OF taking the products Of
hentucky, tennessee, Missouri, Alabama, Mis-
sissippi, across the Ohio and Mississippi rivers,
over free territory, to the great cities of Bos.
ton, New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore;
and large portion of both eastern and western
Virginia is at this moment thoroughly identified
with Baltimore in commercial interests as the
county of Anne Arundel, in MARYLAND itself.
Vre inia has as YET done little or nothing to al.
rest this sapping and mining process and un.
less she at once adopt a wise, enlarged and lib
eral policy, and vigorously prosecute tito con-
summation, her best interests must be over.
thrown and sacrificed, and her citizens ind
themselves tributaries of those over whom they
possess every advantage other than energy and
enterprise.
The geographical position and Typographical
features of our State, afford advantages suPe.
rior to those enjoyed by any other Atlantic
State, for Western connections. Her seaport
is nearer to the centre of the great grain pro
ducing, alluvial basins of the western country
than those of any other State, and possesses
superior advantages in respect to health, dept
of water and proximity to the ocean. The
great Appalachian chain, presenting so formi
dable barrier between tide water and the Ohio
river everyw here else, presents really no seri
Gus difficulty to the construction Of railroads
and canals upon the routes over her territory
Moreover, the most eligible points at which to
reach the great staple producing regions Of the
west, are accessible to her, by the easiest
grades, and the most practicable routes. Rail
roads from any point on her seaboard are prac
ticable to Parkersburg, Point. Pleasant, the
mouth of the Guyandotte, Cumberland Gap,
fertility and wealth, is more easily commanded
by railroad communication through South.
west Virginia by Cumberland Gap, to Lexing.
ton, and Louisville, than by any proposed or
practicable route from any shipping point in
any other Atlantic State. We have also with
in our reach the magnificent valley Of the Ten.
nessee river, and may secure to ourselves its
commerce throughout its whole length, from
the village Of Blountsvile on the east to the
city of Memphis on The banks of the Mississip.
pi. If these connections were made they would
open to US country larger in extent, and richer
in product, than the entire riparian region sur
rounding the northern Lakes and tributary to
New York, and the northern cities. These
facts demonstrate the Importance 10 Virginia
of at once, and by bold stroke of policy, Sc
curing the prompt completion other works.
But il is of the frst importance that the lines
of fintercommunication should be put upon the
best locations. All ether things being equal,
shortness in distance is Of the FIRST moment.-
To effect connection with Louisville and
Memphis, from Norfolk, Petersburg or Rich.
mond, the route you propose is the shortest,
and, am certain, is preferable over any other.
II derives additional importance from the re.
cent favorable action of our Legislature upon
the Cumberland Gap Railroad, which will
leave the Va. and Tenn. Railroad (of which it
is proiongation) near Abingdon, in Washing.
ton ceunty, but some ten or twenty miles be-
E0rI .pS
and but some fifty miles beyond Wytheyille,
at one or the other of which latter points yosr
proposed road would join the Virginia and
Tennessee Railroad. 1t would form straight
line road with this Cumberland Gap Railroad,
and would with its eastern connections, ira
verse the whole tier of Virginia countie. con-
tiguous to the North Carolina and Tennessee
lines, and drain the most fertile and productive
portion of Nostb Carolina. and a portion of
Virginia superior to any other, of equal extent,
in the State. From Norfolk to Cumberland
Gap is four hundred and ninety.6ve miles or
by way Of Petersburg and Danville, FIVE hun.
dred and fifteen miles; from thence to Louis.
vile, is about one hundred and seventy miles,
making distance from Norfolk to Louisville
of about six hundred and seventy miles, which
could be traversed in 36 or 40 hours. The
grades upon this line ould be extremely light
from west TO east, or in favor OF the heavy ton
mage. Thus it is plain that no other line pos.
sesses such advantages as yours, and that it
would command all the tonnage between those
points which would bear railway transporta-
ton. The same observations are true of the
connection, by your road and the Virginia and
Tennessee Railroad, from Norfolk to Mem.
phis.
These general reasons founded upon the re.
latiOns which your road would hold with east.
ern and western connections, are alone suffi-
cient to induce the country along its pr opposed
route to urge and literally aid its construc
ton. Bat there are other reasons so forcible
TO my mind in favor OF the enterT rise, that
must take the space to glance at few Of them.
The Valley Of the Roanoke is one of the
most fertile and extensive upon the whole AT.
lantic slope. II is, BY great odds, the best to-
bacco region in the United States. Its contri-
buttons Of that staple give character for the
most par. to the Richmond inspections. This
staple. and that OF cotton, make the most lucra-
tive articles of railroad freighti being suscep.
tible of transp sportaton over longer distances at
higher rates than any other agricultural pro-
duction, probably Of the world. ltis this fact
in recsrd IN cotfon which has maintained the