Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-02-02
Richmond aud the Central Railroad.

OIL. tlc alley OF FSUti 1"u w 'ii0 OAio IlINtI.
at their own oNpense-paying, moreover, fifty
cents into the treasury OF Virginia every through
passengcr-tor the simple rigLtcj eray through tie
State. The proposition was rejected BY the Vir
ginia Legislature, under the Influence of Rich !
moud City. on the specious argument that. not
it would develope the resources OF
the greater portion of the Commonwealth, yet 1t
would thus contribute to build up in another State
Z commercial rival Of Richmond CITY. The afgn-
lnont was we'll cked out by appeals to ''Pa'f'oIc
pride" and indignant inyectiyes against ''toreign
coyporaticns'' at the same Time It was promised
these conplaisaut "patriots, III lieu OF The price
less boon thus wheedled from them, that great
Central Virginia improvement should be forthwith
constructed from Richmond to the Ohio Rlver-
Oysters and champagne-eT eent Legislative gas
tries-plcntifully applied, finished the business,
and this lnuuifcent offer vas rejectedior all time!
From that day to this, thc corporation OF Rich
mOnd seem to have p.rned the coldshoudor to the
scheme Of the Central Raircad.
Within the past month proposition has been
before the Legs lature fora naked charterand right
of way fox Railroad from the mouth Of Big San
dy to Clarksburg. connecting there with the Bal
Gmoro and Ohio Railroad. Thereupon, we OBJ
serve. Richnond City become vastly indignant,
rcpeating--it may DO with more reason-the same
arguments and promises, and possibly the same
appliances so successful twenty years ago IN de-
teating similar measure similar In principle
only-but certainly differing in tho circumstances
undor which it appears, as also in the partial and
fur less general benefit to the State, offered in the
recent proposition. BSt it is not pertinent to oas
purpose now to discuss this proposition VIC oniy
wish to tell Richmond that she is doubtless most
responsible f0ri!. Her course hitherto in pertna-
ciously refusing aid to the Central Railroad line
embracing large portion OF this country-has a
lienated these people and driven them in despair
aud in selfdefence to look to Baltimore as the place
whepce their help must come. Richmond, as
corporatiea has contributed, in effect, nothing for
the North west-She has indeed thrown her thou
sands into that slough ofdespond-thc James Riv-
err Canal-but that is mockery; And on the
other hand she has given, repeatedly, subscrlp-
tons to the Danvlle Railroad and literally to the
Petersburg and Fredericksburg Railroads, and
has voted corporate subscription to the Virginia
and Tennessee Railroad at tie very time that she
refused it to the Central Road.
And what is the reason given fog thus putting
her ban, upon the Central Railroad? None other
than the pretended fear that the travel aRd tom
naGe of this roal will not come on to Richmond,
but will leave this line at Stanton for Baltimore.
Strange that no fear is felt lest the tonnage OF the
Danville Road should seen ti1e-water at Peters
burg or Nortolk-and that the Virginia and len
nessee Road should give Richmond the go-by al
together, in sending its tonnage to Norfolk and It's
travel to Alexandra while the Contra, alo2e
has no approach to Underwater with tonnage, and
no profit from travel but in continuing both on the
road until deposited in the heart of Richmond,
1t is demonstrable that there is nothing in this
pretended ''ixason." 1t is but the phantom Of
morbid jealousy aud unworthy timidity IN Rich
mond toward Baltimore. In the first place, there
is no Railroad communication 10 carry qJthe COM
,asrce al Sta,a,ton to Baltimore, aud no certainty
that there ever will be. Thebird cSenot fly away
without rings
But suppose, for The sake of argument, that
Railroad connection was in fact completed from
Stanton to Baltimorc-still the difference in dis
lance to Baltimore over Richmond being more than
third greater, the cost Of transporting tonnage
10 Baltimore would erceed that 10 Richmond IN The
same proportion then to this increased cost Of
transportation to Baltimore must be aided the costs
Of at least three accessory transhipmcntS on the
route to at least three distinct compaRes-add TO
this again the Toss Of time (and ''timo is money!
In these transhipments and this transport over
greater distance, involving also loss in wear and
tear, not to mention failures of connecting trains
and other arrangements; thus it will appear that
these conclusive advantages must continue the ton
naoe upon the Central Railroad Then, again,
Richmond claims to be A BETTER MARKET than
Baltimore, for the farmer to sell his produce aud to
buy his groceries, and the comparative quotations
of tho market prices sustain this claim for Rtch-
aond, then, to say that the tonnage will leave the
Central Railroid at Stanton and pay double costs
of transportation. and lose at least double the time
to reach en- iqferior market, is utter sbsurdity
1t is high time for Richmond to change her pol
icy toward this road, and, indeed, her general pol
icy, and stand no longer inactive, trcmblingi her
shoes from this silly fear Of Baltimore which is all
the time with the wisdom Of the spider quietly
spreading her webs farther and wider. oyentu-
ally perhaps, to entangle Richmond herself
Not SO did Boston act, when at one time in
situation relative to New York, as Richmond
is to Baltimore The only difference in the anal
ogy is vastly in favor Of Richmond Boston, far
removed from the producing regions, with her ice
bound harbor, and bleak and sterile coast con-
trasted with the greater advantages of New York
in all these respects-might well have refused to
open her purse to make Railroads towards the
West. for fear that New York would secure the
commerce. But she heartily gave millions to the
work-aud graphing with the giant New York on
hor own plains, carried off great shares of the rich
s>qis. reimbursed her expenditures, and quadru-
lied her wealth, and The population of the City
and is suburbs. Thus illustrating foran exam
Mo - Ricamopd- lesson of Holy writ-''there
that scataeth, and yet increaseth, there is that
witbbodsth more than is meet, butlttsndeth to
poverty"
Richmond will som have an opportunity OF vo-
ting on proposition to subscribe in her cor
po,ate capacity 5000, 00O-to complete inc zen en-
trail Railroad to Covington This yT's Will
1c La =. cond