Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-01-28
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fcnny OBJECTIONS 10 the loot gauge,
resolve tmseves into jealousy Of the South Side i'm
Poveyent IL is ian attempt to carry all the trade
the Side Of the river" The Virginia and Tenne..
s>roaj propose conneIion from Christiansburg to the
mouth Of New River-by which "thcy propose nothing
lcss than the ruin Of the Central Road Of the Canal and
by consequence Of Richmond" This is the bugbear-
Now II seems to that u Lynchburg, Petersburg, Nor
folk end other localities the South Side should consider
themselves entitled lair share Of the advantages of
EreStae Improvement constructed by the public
ury-they should not be deemed very unreasonable
They will be taxed for the building that road-hesviy
taxed land justice in not only excluding them
from any1dvanages from it-but constructing it
inhct great and positive injury upon them. 1t is bad
enough take their money build roads for other PEG
pie, without accompanying it with wanton aud
~ detrmen The Post falls into the mistake by looking
through Col. Fontaines goggles. Thi, Go~ngton and
Ohio improvement is road OF his He ami his Compa.
ny do contribute towards &c. 1t is State
roadbui by State fnds-and every portion OF the peo
pie have an equal interest in it,
Bat the Posts objections all fall to the ground-be.
cause the scaiioldng which they rest has been
moved. The conneIion with New River is OBJ
sol-te idea. The only connexon spoken Of
is from Clifton Forge Bonsacks-which is very differ
en matter. However fthis connexion should have tue
effect giving of the trade and travel Southern
detection will certainly inure to Yirginia towns-and
il Richmond compete with Lynchburg and Peters
burg, let it abandon the field. But have fears
that Guard against the approaches and encrOach
fBamore-cut orhose North Eastern taps the
month ofEk, at Staunon and at Gorionsvie by making
the Central and Covngon road Of different gauge, and
Richmond may safely defy all rivalry.
The Post in its srdent partzinshp of Col. Fontanes
schemes, has not at all appreciated views OF
the gauge question. We welded the five foot
gauge all engineers repudiae the four feet eight and
bali inch, suppose the wider gauge to be ntrIsi
Oally better'-aud the five feet would harmonic
with all the Southern roads, and break of bulk
against the Baltimore eeiers-wc think it would be poll
tic adopt that We consider the break of bulk against
Baltimore the important point. Il would eectually
prevent the Baltimore drains from sucking the great
trail line dry; and it would tend to throw off shoots from
the main in North. Western direction thereby en-
lagng the ares. which would have and
with Richmond. by the Baltimore running along
and the Covingon and Central the Kentucky
iineo Salem and to Lynchbrg-thc trade and travel
Kentucky and OF half of Virginia. would be surrendered
a northern atty. That is the result depreca,e and
are striving prevent The Legislature easil pre-
vent IT, by making this State Improvement of width
correspondent that Of the Northern roads Bus Bali
more, says the Post change its gauge. Certainly il
can; but there is probability OF its doing 1t is
very different thing change three four hundred miles
and fifteen twenty.
The wisdom of the policy which recommeni-that
Of having 4 gauge which will throw of no:tinrsStern
branches draw the trade of greater region
wards the centrcs very clearly demonstrated, il any
demonstration needed by the history Of the old Lou
lisa H. Railroad That road originally designed merely
roiihg enabled to peayine far Charlottesville
thence allured by the irresistible attractions Of Angus.
Ia to enable Saunton to the capitol without hay
ing to scale the Blue Ridge, and to give Col Crozet life.
job, il undertook perfoatc The mountain and discard
ing its old aud neghborhood character, assumed
the dignity OF the great Central Improvement. When
it reached Gordonsve, its winding way, the question
arose. whether its farther extension should have nor-
ires sowhIreh direction. Unfortunately, the latter
adopted. We suppose there is diversity of opin.
ion at this tne in this community, upon that point The
y. w. direction would have brought trade and travel
from region anxious to here, which goes
where-it would have identified the interests of large
section of the State with the cenreand rendered
eessar the Gordonsve and Alexandria and Manassas Gap
roads which empty the border of the State, and al.
most in sight OF Baltimore
The further extension Of this cutthroat system may
now be arrested b. the simple expedient Of requ ng the
Central Road in its and direct line Coyingon 10
adopt gauge which cannot be tapped by Baltimore and
which will throw oil ceSeTn branches at suitable
points.