The Ohio union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1849-1854, 1853-08-31

I"NN"''h 10 " sSHlNNly uoNtlUVCu.-
Every year brings an increase, and this
condition must long continue. The pro-
ducliveness of the west has scarcely be.
gun; and Ohio must NOT only provide the
means for her access TO market, but
furnish a transit for a heavy portion of the
region still farther west. She is fast be-
coming the Central State of the Union,
and while advancing in this direction, the
claims upon her means Of inlercommuni.
cation mus daily become greater and great
eT. h.,
The shrewd and well informed editor of
the Railroad Record. published at Gin.
%cinnati, lays down the position that a belt
of country such as tina, of Ohio, of three
miles in width, will become advanced in
value 10 a sufficient degree to defray the
cost of making a railroad through il; and
the further calculation that a belt of seven
miles will, by lis local trade. sustain a
railroad running through It's midst. If
these data may be relied on, and his sta
tistics show a careful examination, we
win perceive that this State, so far from
having exceeded her proper bounds in pro.
jected roads, is yet behind the require.
ments of her population, and we may
cease to wonder at The perunacitv and
zeal with which additional enterprises are
insisted upon.
One Of The most recent and impnrtant'of
these and received with high favor by the
population at large, and with the most pc.
ruliar zeal and patronage by the towns
aud counties on the line Of its route, is that
now familIi'rly known as the broad
Gauge" being an extension of that which
was chartered as the franklin and War.
rem Railroad some years since. There
are some advantages in lis act of iGcorpo.
ration which tenders the stock a %favorilc
one for permanent investment, and the
location of The line is one of The happies,
yet projected in the State. Taking this
city as a starting point, the road runs up
the Mad River Valley by an easy and.
nearly direct line to Urbana, the county
seat of Champaign, one of the richest in
the State, and fully as enterprising. AT.
Ter going through a slightly broken coun.
try for some twenty miles 10 the crossing
of Darby creek, it takes an air line. a PER-
feet unJrOken stretch Of SiGIy miles, 10
CresIIine which is itself the centre of a
number Of railroad routes. and already a
busy mart Of passengers and freight. At
this point it meets the Cleveland and Co.
lunbus road, The Ohio and Pennsylvania,
the Fort Wayne and others, rendering
now the scene one of the most spirit stir.
ring of even This active age. Leaving
Creslline the route tends northeast through
some Of the best agricultural, pastoral and
wool producing counties Of This Stale 10
the Pcnnsy lvania line, which it crosses
near the head waters of ,Shenango creek (;
thence STRETCHING away in the same d.
reclion through some of the most richly
timbered and fertile counties Of The Kew.
Stone State, crossing your Sunbury and
Erie road at Ridgway, and reaching the
New York aud Erie road at The head Of
Allegheny river.
A glance at the map will show you that
the route through Ohio into your Stte, is
a slightly curved line, from southwest 10
northeast, thus iulersecIiug a large portion
OF The roads now in progress, from north
10 south, aud from east 10 west. 1t is IN
necessary 10 enlarge on this feature; hat it
may be remarked in passing, that one OF
he conditions demanded in the theory oil
,he Record, already stated, is fully min
tanned here. There is no parallel road
running with il in the State, within double
the distance asked by that prinl, for com.
pIele support Of such an improvement -
But the prospects Of this route do not STOP
here. Dayton is the southwest terminus
proper of This road, it is lrue, bat slrenu-
Gus efforts are being made BY two different
companies, one Of which Nhe Cincinnati,
Hamilton and DAYTON is alleady in most
successful operation, 10 connect with il, on
a continuous gauge, 10 meet The Ohio and
Mississippi road To st. Louis. This road
is being pressed with great Gne,gv and
on the six feet gauge, an will pro-
be opened in the ensuing year.
From this point the MissOurians have al.
ready earnestly started towards Santa Fe,
aud these combined operations give to ibis
through Ohio a fair promise of be.
a portion Of the great central trunk
line, which is to connect the AlIaptic with
The Pacific. Even without this The route
must be one of immense travel and trans.
porlation.
This. road, it will be seen, aims a! your
eastern rival, New York, as its terminus,
and doubts have been expressed Of its evil
influence upon your city. These doubts
are groundless. Making Ridgway a point
in your State, when your Sudbury and
Erie connection is finished to this settle.
ment, Philadelphia has at least one hun
bred miles advantage Of The commercial
emporium by this route; aud it will de-
pend upon the earlier completion of this
a more southern direct communication,
10 which Philadelphia may give the pre-
ference. At all events, the country at
cannot but be greatly benefited by
The early completion Of the enterprise.
IRON TRACK.