The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-03-08
5vTNGTON AND OHIO RAILROAD.

CONVICTION AND OHIO RAILROAD
We have been hitherto prevented, from
obvious reasons. from giving as full an ex
preston of our views upon questions con
nected with various improvements before ths
Legislature, and especially the. Covingtor
road. a. we would have made under othel
circumstances. Having in view the interests
Of this city, as well as of the State, we need
scarcely say that we have not been indiffer
ent to the artful schemes which have beer
devised for the defeat Of the most important
railroad in which Richmond is interested
To say that the extension of railroad from
Richmond to the Ohio would be fraught with
the greatest commercial advantages to Rich
mond, is proposition so manifest to every
man with thimble full of brains, that it
were worse than waste of the readers time
and patience, to repeat the thousand argu-
ments which suggest themselves at the mere
words, -Richmond and Ohio Railroad. Ii
any friend of Richmond is so blind as not to
comprehend its advantages, they are plain
enough to its enemies, who have expended
all their craft, malice and energy, and with
too much success, to defeat the scheme.
The Central and Covington road from
Richmond to the Ohio, as our readers are
well aware, is che shortest of all the routes
from the heart of the Ohio valley to the sea-
Richmond has an advantage over Baltimore
In the distance from Big Sandy to the ocean
OF 1913 miles. She has an advantage over
baltimore in the distance of Staunton from
the ocean of lie miles. Can Richmond sit
sell, and, with folded arms, permit herself to
lose such advantages as these, by indiffer-
ence to the extension of this great improve
ment?
The idea of stopping the Central Road at
Marlborough, and giving up all expecta.
ton of railroad connection with the Ohio,
except by means Of the Tennessee road, is
one which no intelligent friend of the inter-
ests of Virginia or of this city can for a mo-
ment entertain. A road to Christians burg
from Greenbrier would give the whole trade
OF the west to the Southside railroad, and
leave Richmond no earthly chance of par
ticipation in it. We know of no more GER
tain mode to depopulate this city and blot it
out from the map of Virginia, than the sue
cess of that scheme, and the REIMBURSEMENT
OF the Covington and Ohio Railroad.
The supposition that the New River route
could command the travel, is still more I'M
founded. The distance from Covington to
the mouth of Greenbrier is twelve miles less
than from that place to Christiansburg. The
distance from Cincinnati to Washington by
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad is 600 miles.
The distance is about the same between the
two points by the Central and Alexandria
road. By the New River route and Lynch
burg, the distance to Washington is about &c
miles greater. Truly brilliant prospect for
securing by this new route the tide of travel
from the most crowded hive of life and in
dustry in the West to the Federal Metropolis!
Moreover, it is impracticable now to stop the
road at Marlborough. The contracts are
made to Haynes farm, twelve miles from
Covington. When those contracts as well
as the narrow rails are torn up, the New
River advocates can be accommodated
the trade be forced from this city, and her
interests be embarked on the broad gauge,
that leadeth to destruction.
When the advocates of this New River
route talk about trauel, does it ever enter
into their heads that the Covington and Ohio
Railroad has not only the advantage for
through travel which we have already men.
toned over the New River route, but that it
will secure an immense mass of travel which
that road can never command, to wit the
plcasure-seekers and invalids who will be
attracted by the Virginia Springs? The
great variety and wonderful medicinal quail
ties of those Springs, the ma gnificent noun.
tain scenery, the health inspiring breezes,
would every year draw multitudes to these
iife-giving waters, but for the want of rail.
road facilities. And this class of travellers
would be more profitable than any other, be.
cause, instead of passing through the State
they would stop for weeks or months Ac.
cording to most moderate estimate. a mil.
lion OF dollars would be expended by visitors
to the Virginia Springs within the first wear
after the completion of the Ceyington and
Ohio Railroad.
we trust that the citizens of Richmond
will hold meeting and let their views ho
understood upon the subject of this improve.
ment, before another meeting of the Lesis.
lature. Having subscribed $500, 900 to the
Central Railroad, they can scarcely be insen.
sible to the vital importance of road which
will extend that Improvement to the waters of
the Ohio. We have heard Richmond denounc.
ed as grasping, selfish, monopolizing city.
We wish they would show even an ordinary
degree OF vigilance and energy in the promo.
ton OF their own interests. There is not a CITY
inVirginia in which there is not more concert
ofaction. Weinvoke the people of Richmond
to bestir themselves, and to give the moral
weight OF their collective voice to measures
in which they are vitality interested. We
are environed on all sides by yigilant .nd
enterprising competitors, and, if we do not
awaken to our danger, and put forth our
whole strength, we shall lose our position
m the frat ne tho c;fsos <,f U:-,:.: