Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-05-18
The central Ra.lroad.--Good News.

After the article which appeared in. yesterday 3
paper on the subject of the Central Railroad had
been prepared, we had the pleasure of an inter
view with Mr.. Richard Apperson, President OF
the Lexington ky: }sand Big Sandy Railroad
Mr.. A. is a Virginian, native OF the good OLD
county of New Kent, and like all true Virginlans,
is full of soicitude and affection for his native
State. He tells us that the road Of which ne is
President is now being surveyed, and the route is
highly favorable for the work-that it will be COM
pleted very promptly-and he hopes that the Gov
ington and Ohio Railroad, if it should not be al
the Big Sandy to meet the Kentucky improve
ment as soon as it is completed, that 1t viii al
least be not far off, and that Kentucky and heI
mother, Virginia, will be at an early day united
by bands of iron. The terminus of the Coyington
and Ohio Railroad is at the mouth of the Big San
DIV river, and there will the two important lines
of Virginia and Kentucky meet 1t is proposed
on behalf of.the Kentucky improvement, to join
the Virginia road in constructing bridge across
the Big Sandy, and to have the depos of the great
lines adjoining each othor. Here, then, we have
the entent cordiale from corporation headed by
an intelligent Virginian. whose improvement ira
verses the very garden spot of Kentucky-whose
fertility has grown into proverb-an improve.
ment which will place us, By railroad communica-
ton, in connection with all the great systems OF
Western railroads.
If the reader will take the map of the United
States and trace line from the mouth of the Big
Sandy to Lexington, Kentucky, giving it slight
southern curve, he will find that it will traverse
some of the richest counties in that State. Seven
of these counties (and they are smalD have taxa
bic property exceeding twenty millions of dollars
surprising the wealth of the nineteen counties
referred to by COL Garhett in our own State, on
the Virginia and Tennessee Road. Nineteen OF
the Kentucky counties, traversed by the .Kentuc-
ky Improvement, boast taxable property of more
than ll7,000,000. Much tobacco is grown in
that country, and the number of hogs raised there
is astonshingly large. A great portion of those
slaughtered in Cincinnati annually and for which
Ohio is credited, are supplied from this very Ken
lucky region. Construct this railroad-put Rich
mond in connection with that fertile land-and
where will the tobacco it produces and the hogs
it raises 90 to- 1t is easy to see, if there be E.
nough of commercial enterprise in this and other
Virginia cities to entite them to any consideration
in the grand commercial struggle of the day.
Look again at Lexington. From that point
there is already constructed railroad by Frank
fort to Louisville. On the opposite side Of the
and some miles of it constructed the ultimate des-
tination of which is to Michigan City or to Chi
cago, on Lake Michigan. This road crosses at
Indianapolis the Cincinnati and St. Louis Rail
road, which is to be ultiSS1ly continued to the
Pacific. So that we slfan be placed in direct
railroad communication with the chief cities of
Kentucky and Indiana, with the Lakes, and with
ST. Louis and the great Pacific Road that takesits
Joo III
are certainly grand points in the prospects of Rich
mond. But this is notall: A railroad now I'M
der survey, is to be built from Memphis, Termes-
see to Lexington, Kentucky. So that we will
have railroad connection, through Kentucky
with Memphis, while we shall have another via
Lynchburg, Knoxville and Nashville! From
Memphis road is to be made to Little Rock,
Arkansas, which is to be continued west of that
town, land becomes ultimately branch Of the great
Pacific Road.
The line through Kentucky, connecting with
our State Road at Big Sandy, will sweep four
fths of that State and ntersect all of its richest
portions. From Memphis to Big Sandy via the
Mississippi and Ohio rivers, the distance is about
$50 miles, while by the railroad line via Licking
ton, it is only 500. The journey by the former
route would occupy four days, by the atter,a day
and half.
The connection promises rich harvest for the
Covington and Ohio and the Central Railroads,
both in freights and travel; and it will throw an
immense freight upon the James River Canal
The heavy produce of tobacco, &c., will take the
Canal at Coviugton; for Independent of the cheap
uess of water communication, the railroad will be
glad to avoid the wear and tear Of heavy freights
upon its mountain grades and curves. The trav-
ell will be enormous, and the freight on lighter de-
scriptions Of Particles will be great source of rail
road profts.-Rich. Dispatch.