Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-12-14

time slnce-aTe IN successful operation !;
and Che tracks of such as were not oriei-
naliy laid with heavy u or Z iron. have
since beeD relaid. in whole or in part, with
that Improved rail.
The Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad
company has been organized and prelimi-
nary steps taken towards the construc-
ton OF the work, which promise to be sue
cessful.
regret to say that but little has been
done towards the construction of the
Richmond and York river RAILROAD, un-
der the provisions of the act of last ses-
sion of the Legislature. When we con-
slider the vast Importance of this road in
itself, and its connection with many of the
other works of improvement in the State.
it is not surprising that so little concern
should be manifested by those who are
directly interested in It's completion p
Surely, as the various lines of improve
ment which converge to Richmond, and
which will pour into her lap their mex
haustible stores, are being completed,
those upon tie line and the termini of
this road, cannot fail to see the adyanta-
ges to be derived from It's construction,
and at once begin the work. For the
same reasons, it is eninently entitled to
the favor and patronage of the State.
| But little as yet has been done towards
the construction of the Fredericksburg
and Orange railroad. 1t is to be hoped,
however, that the energies of the high
minded and patriotic people of Frede-
ricksburg. and those upon the line of the
proposed road, will soon be aroused to
the Importance of securing the improve
meut, and that this, together with the
Rappahannock canal. and her natural ad-
vantages of water power, may yet resu-
ciate and build up the town to that grade
of commercial importance which her citi
zens SO richly deserve.
The Orange and Alexandria road is
nearly completed to Gordonsville, and
will soon be open for trade and travel to
that point. This connection with the
! Central road is an important one, as 1t Sc
cures continuous road between Rich
mond and Alexandra, whenever the Po
tomac river shall be closed with ice. But
when this road shall have been carried
from GordonsvjIIe TO Lynchburg, (for
which the preliminary surveys have been
made under the act of the last session, }
| il will complete tina. line ofrairoads above
referred to. which must accommodate
/ the travel between the southern and nor
thern States, and secure to Alexandria
all the advantages % he derived by an
intermediate point from such travel, and
bring to her mart the trade and treasures
of highly cultivated portion of the
commonwealth. In Importance, there
fore, this road is scarcely inferior to any
in the State.
I /, &
gap road, which, by rapid strides, is
! stretching itself into one OF the most fer
| tile and productive sections of the COM
monwealth-oue that is rich in almost
everything that could contribute either to
I the comfort or wealth Of It's enterprizing
citizens 1t IS very desirable that this
work should be completed at the earliest
practicable day.
Something has naen done towards the
location, lCc, OF the Alexandria. Lou
doun and Hampshire railroad, but what
and how much, am not authenticity in
/ formed. This road is designed 10 connect
/ Alexandria with the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad, by tapping the last named road
at or near Paddytowu in Hampshire coun-
/ ty, and in the midst OF that coal region.
| The counties through which it will pass
are among the most fertile, populous and
wealthy in the State, and rs deserving of
accommodations Of this kind as any other
Aside from these considerations the con-
! struction Of this road at an early day is
urged bv the strongest Considerations
The distance from Paddytown to Alexan-
dria, rs ascertained by actual survey and
careful estimates, will be about 1865 miles,
over fine grade Of less than fifty-thtee
feet to the mile at the heaviest points,
whist the distance from the same place
| to Baltimore, by way of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad, is 90 miles, upon
which grade of ei9hty-one feet to the
mile has to be overcom4. This will give
Alexandria an advantage over Baltimore
for the trade of the northwest of thirty
six miles in distance, and the difference
between 4 grade OF less than fifty-three
and eighty one feet. These are no small
advantages. and especially in competi-
tlon for the heavy coal trade of the noun
tains. 1t will shorten the route of travel
, from the northwest to the capital of the
State some So miles, and secure to Alex
audria the benefits that Cumberland and
Baltimore have been enjoying from that
travel. Indeed, it will be a shorter route
for all who may be coming from the west
to Washington city. or going from the fe-
deral capital to the great west, to take
this road, than by way of the Baltimore
and Ohio road by the way of Baltimore
or the Relay by 81 miles. These
are advantages that Alexandria cannot
fail to improve. if they are properly appre-
ciated The Chesapeake and Ohio canal
is pouring in its exhaustless supply of
coal, whilst two of the railroads above
mentioned are already flooding her mar
ket with corn, wheat -four, &c-causinr
her to exhibit an Improvement in all the