Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-02-08
Hempfeld and Marietta Railways---Phiia-
adelphia. KantuHlry and tl,s I<,,-tl

-
IN the railway communications leading from this
greatcommercial city, to ths wide fertile and pro-
ductise fields of the West and Southwest is an in
contestible evidence Of its practical ability and
comprehensive states mahship, and Justly en-
tiles 1t to that high consideration and potent nu-
J ence which have so long been accorded to it by
| discriminating public.
Among the railway enterprises which have en-
Joyed the powerful advocacy Of your Journal what
ever may have been the case hitherto, when more
immediate connections were more Immediately ne
cessary, certainly none can no,o be. more impor-.
tant to Philadelphia than that which leads by the
most eligible route, to the northeastern border of
! Kentucky and thence through the rich interior of
that Eden-like garden of earth, to Tennessee and
me southwestern regions beyond. You have
peatedly, and always forcibly. commended such a
railway line to the consideration of Philadelphia;
but your references to the subject have generally
been incidental rather than direct. This, it must
be granted in the position aud relations of Phila-
aelphia' has been both natural and proper your
part; but the time is come now, when, more i'm
mediate facilities beng secured, distant ones
must be opened to render the former more efficient;
and perceving in the spirit of your general course
a friendly disposition towards railway communi-
cations with Kentucky,II make bold to address
your readers directly in regard TO them.
Let no one be deferred from reading further un-
der an apprehension that1 am here add another
and more distant enterprise TO the list of those
seeking aid in this city. Such is not my mission
am here to ask nothing, in the sense of supp-
cant, for the railroad | represent l desire moth.
ing but what may be willingly granted, without
other invocation than such enlightened sense
ofinteresl and duty, on the part of those deeply
concerned, may address to their consideration,
and inspire them voluntarily to tender-nothing
| That Will not more enrich the granter than the
| grantee. What pray for is, that pathway may
be opened, while it may, to Kentucky. The most
direct and eligible railway route hence TO Kentuc-
ky, in view of all the great interests of Philade-
phia, is that which leads through the HEMrFIEr.p
| and MARIETTA lines. Through these lines, rail-
way facilities between Philadelphia and Kentuc-
| ky will be direct. m otta
economically constructed, and, therefore, more
efficiently operated, for all time to come and, with
al, drain more fertile and productive regions, than
| by any other that can be projected
| A small outlay now in aid of these two enter
prises, will secure great thoroughfare to the
Southwest which Philadelphia could not other
wise secure Tor five times the sum which may now
| be reasonably, and efficiently, and proftaby in
vested in them. 1t will be line from Philadel-
phia, certainly TO Lexington, the heart of Ken
lucky, and most probably TO Nashville, TenneS.
see, OF one continuous guage all the way. The
roads in operation in Kentucky have adopted the
| Pennsylvania guage OF feet 81 inches; and the
Sciota and Hooking Valley load, running from
Portsmouth, on the Ohiorver, to n favorable point
| of intersection with the Marietta road (though its
Lake track is five feet four inches) has soemnly
covenanted, in recorded writing, that as soon as
the Maysville and Marietta roads from their juno
lions, 10 lay another track of the Pennsylvania
| and Kentucky guage.
The vast advantages 10 Philadelphia of this con.
tinuous guage, over such long tributary lines
could hardly be overStated, and need not be dwet
upon TO commercial men. No other railway lines
on this continent, of equal length. can be named
which are not impaired in value, speed, efficacy
economy and safety, by clearinghouse at sundrv
intervals, thus Subjectiug passengers and freight
10 unnecessary and veXatiouS detention, expense:
| and injury in their transit. The longest through
lines, OF unhroken guage will inlaliibly command
the most lucrative passenger aud freight business.
These considerations have additional force in
regard TO the Interests of this city, in view of the
TACT that Philadelphia, as have known for thirty
years, and will be atteSted by all Market street
has been, even longer than the reach of my imag-
nation, the tavorlte market, the Atlantic sea-
board, of not only the Kentucky, but also of large
portion oil the Tennessee merchants But 20 now
into Market street and learn that, owing TO the in
tiuence of other facilities of communication, the
merchants OF those States necessarily drift into
either Baltimore or New Yort ere they can reach
Philadelphia; il, indeed, their progress hiher is
not altogether Intercepted by the alurements held
out TO them in those cities. Go into Market street
and learn, also, that many of the best customers of
The wholesale merchants have thus been lost 10
Philadelphia. Go, there, and learn, Furthermore,
as can truly corroborate, that if the conmunica-
ton with Philadelphia were relatively favorable
the kentucky and Tennessee merchants would re-
turn TO their 'frst love-" The.people of Kentucky
while they are not ignorant of the economies of
commerce, are people of strong sympaihies and
strong attachments, aud the people of PHILADELPHIA
should not deem it slight matter to lose, or even
to have leSsened, their commercial intercourse with
| people like those of Kentucky, rich and numer-
GUS, who have proved their attachment to this CT
ty by forty or more years OF dealing equally agreea
BILE and prof able on both sides.
All the other connections which PHILADELPHIA
is deeply interested 10 secure, are as lnnlerstand
already virtually secured, but those which lead 10
the southwes A great highway to Kentucky will
open mighty thoroughfare, which, with its
branches, will ramify nearly the entire southwest
10 commercial people. it need hardly he salt!
that the channels Of conveyance which inter-
changes the productions of different classes, are
those which most efhcacouSly minister TO a pros-
porous commerce. This is maxim of commerce,
because founded on the laws of nature, and is too
well understood 10 require exposition. y
But the general merits of the proposition to ex-
tend aids to the Hempield and Marietta lines lave
Ieen SO strongly enforced III the recent report OF
Mt. Edward Miller Chief Engineer of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Company made TO the President
after exploring the line from Wheeling, via Mari
eta, to Cincinnati, and i'll his letter 10 Mr.. Farnum
published i'll your paper of this morning, that .ear
| am almost guilty of all impairment intrusion in
seeming TO corroborate his views. He is unduubt
edly dSIntereSted adviser or, il other wise, one
actuated by an intelli lent sense of interest for
Philadelphia and the Penn'a Railroad Company
Having said thus much, will only add a brief
explanation as 10 the improvements in PROGRESS in
Kentucky by which Philadelphia, If the Hemp
field and Marietta lines be opened, will reach not
only Kentucky, hut Tennessee and the regions be-
yond, on the most favorable ternsof competition
with the rival seaportS OH the Atlantic, which can
possibly he enjoyed.
| l. The Marietta and Cincinnati road will inter
Sc, INC o.loIi anu rocking roau At point nine
miles north east OF Jackson or say fifty three miles
northeast of Portsmouth on the Ohio river.
p. The Sciota and Hooking road is partly OPEN
ell and is rapidly laying down its last rails between
Portsmouth and Jackson, A miles, nd 1t is under
contract, to be completed in two years, to ewark
| 10 miles north of Jackson. .e. % p. ''
| B. The Maysvle and Big Sandy road is now
being located and will be put under contract in
AIrll Qhe lettings being already advertiSed) from
| Maysville to Springve. Opposite Portsmouth) 81
miles, aud can be and will be completed in less than
two years if the prospects of Eastern connections
Justify it. The elements of this line are remarka-
ply favorable, the maximum grades being only Is
feet 10 the mile, the minimum radius of curytute