Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-10-06
BY request of Mr.. A. D. Banks, editor of the South
Sido Democrat, we give insertion to the following
FToNl tHr o"HI'' '7'"'. = wv Ut ''"''''"
FACTS AND FIGURES.

od,,re.. themselves to an enlightened mind Us arsu
mcnts far more potent aud conclusive.
Nor do we mean 10 be understood as dsparaging
the claims Of the branch road from tho New Rivor to
the mouth Of tho Greenhrer on tho contrary, we are
in favor of that ruad but not ut the sacrifice OF the
Covnston and Guyandotte line, and not as the most
eligible mode of connecting tde-water with tho ONO
river The Stale has subscribed three.tltths 10 the
Nrw Riyer rond and we have no doubt that the
city Of Ivnchburg and the Virginia and tennessee
rail road, together with the country through which
the line passes, will hmd Il 10 their interests to appro-
nriae rho other twu-lths, and construct tho Work..
The rond in s,li is scheme winch comments ltsrii
,uos, darsiv "a our appreciation. Our cc', then,
in taking tho ground do Is rathrr TO urce upon the
cities Of Petersburg and Norfolk and Their improve
meut companies the Importance ol SAVING Their cner-
gle, and hnardn. thor resources Tor tho construction
nr connection with inc Ono, which Will result III i'll
6nelv more advantage ~ their individual and collec-
I've interests ,han tho one by way OF New River
this much bv way OF promse.
There nre three routes proposed for connecting r-
pinia ;idc.warr with the Ohio. Euch has Its pccu-
lar friends and advocates and the only way to deter
mirc tho most proper and feasible connect!oh s ny
careful and dspassonate examination and statement
,f t, comparavc distances grades, costs and advau-
.aprs of the various conflicting lines This sc pro-
pos To do and shall tinc them NJ separately, first
=, 70 distance Second, grades, thirdly, II COSTS,
aud iuur;h!y, rs 10 rdvanin2cs.
lI.TAxcE or sovriERS LINZ 70 NORFOLK.
va ,ak. Inc G.;ances which have been assumed
for ibis linc by oc o IL distinguished a4rocates'
,rh, ha. been urging it for public favor recently
through The press IL series of able articles, over
the sirun,ur. of 'Eu-ern Virgininn." OF course nc
would hardly uu.erfute his distances.
Norfolk and Petersburg rail road, ~ miles,
Petersburg 10 LyucIburg, ~
Lvnchburg 10 Chrisliansburg, New Riv-
Cbriss;ian.burg to mouth of Greenbrier, Y
Mouth of Grccubrer TO Big Sandy, lCO
Total. SD
The distances below, VIC take IRON n series OF edi-
toral arcles which have latey appeared IN the Rich.
mond Praay Post inrcply to Eastern Pirg,n'Gn,' and
which have been complied in pamphlet form and IN
lustrously crcuIucd Il will be- observed that he as
suines q short track from Richmond To Charloitcs-
vlile which IS 10 lessen the distance - miles. 80"
this will hardly ever be done, II all events 1t will be
many vea:s Vet; before il is accpmpsh"i. A%nin |
the Eastcrn terminus OF tho York River Road has !
been located West Point inc! easing tho estimates
some ten or more miles.
These remarks upon the euojoineu taola "o lus' |
will be kept III view:
cHsTRAL LINE by RAILROAD TO RIcHAoSD.
br,er, l6y miles.
From the mouth OF the Cireenbricr 10 Cow
inCton, Oi
S,aunton to Charlottesville. ~
Charlottesville TO Richmond, ~, by Cor
donsvlic, Ties, IS by short rGck.l -
Total inI
Richmond TO Ethan, j
Toni, 49,
Southern or New River Limo to Norfolk
longer than 10 Richmond hv railroad IL"
New River Line lonCc. than - E':la"i
t7upposing that to be the shipping portion
large vessels trading 10 Rchnonl,l 81
THRouoH LISE FROM THE OHIO To NORFOLK OR CITY
PoIST.
From Big Sandy tGuyandottel to the mouth
oi the Grncnhrcr, l1o
From the mouth Of ureenbrier to CovnS-
ton, OF
Covington to Lynchburs. 65
IyucLburg 10 City Point, l3o
T,,oI 40
Petersburg 10 Norfolk ~
To,o,, 49s
New River Line 20 Norfolk longer than
the Through R"ut" by raIlroad,
Th" Through R"u;, to Prtcrsburt ,for'cr
H. rnroad than Central line I" Rich
mond. 10; including shortened track, 70 -
The Through Route TO City Point, (ship-
p;Ey port OF Pctcrsburg.J shorter than
Central Line 20 West Point, (shipplTs
port Of R!chmond,) %
Tie Through Route To Norfolk longer than
Central Line 10 West Point, "a
The aJove is a. accurate statement of distances
~ we could well compile, drawing our estimates from
the discussions which have grown out OF conflicting
routes Tomorrow we shall take up the subject ot
their relative grades. .
We showed ycs,crlnv from accurately compiled |
data icuntnncS the Dcmncrat,l thnt the Through |
route from the Ohio to City Point, (shppin- port ot
Peters burg) ria Cuvingt"u a?d l.vnrhnurE measured
dist nncc of II9 m.is being fh'Hy-'r0 mh"S smarter.
;hnu ,h, prnpns, connection with the ONO by The |
way Of New River, aud rFS NILES SHORTER than the |
connection VIA the Contra! Road to Richmond and
ffty-hvc miles shorter than the same Inc; thkimS
West Poin, t,hc Shipping port Of Riclmond,l as i,s
Eastern terminus. Then on the head OF DISTANCE,
there can be 10 question that the proposed Through
route vim Lyuchburg and Covington is fnr the most
eligible Virginia connection between her Eastern Hnd
Western waters that Inns yet been suggested.
But few miles distance, though ID itself lmpor-
tau sinks into comparative insgnichnce IN the scale
of rail road capacity and competition when II comes
to be considered in connection WIN tne matter OF
GRADES an examination Of which will bring us I" the
second proposition which we have aid down. VIZ
that the grades on the proposed through route VIA
Lynchhurr ani CnvinEtum, are greatly superior 10
these Oh any other Iiiic' . .,. :,
however il would Dc we'll ~ enquire something about
tn" shj"c: ni grade and ' iniuenc" on the tonnage
capacity rui consequent freight rn'c' OF railroads.
To adnp, the language OF Il recent writer Inc
,I.r-ur,. in favor u transportation over rOai with
izh, grades and with heavy grades, requires no sci-
cncc 10 commencement the steep grade stops the pro-
grcss and reduces the power o the locomotive pre-
cscly as the steep hill stops the horse aud reduces hs
bower ON the common road. Il will also b. readily
Understood tha, the expense of transportation, on
rnd where the high grades diminish the power OF c
cpciue one.ha must be greater nearly III proportion;
"Scicnre and practice combined have ascertaIneH
the comparative power Of the locomotive, on r"a'is
with different -radrs with uIerabr accuracy ns also
the exrrse OF wors!n, Glcrrnt grades.
In his report Of 1851, Cc. Gafnrit says:
ro give clear idea ol the rapid decrease "t The ci-
f,tjve n,wrr of locomotive - tEo grade lncreasct,
;he foInw;nr table siv.G, showing ta pett weigh;
I'm tons Of 2DDl lbs Which cha bu drawn by iwcn-
iv(rIr Tor engine with eight drawing wcr., Oh Gii-
ieren. grades from level 10 one hundred Gnd twenty
feet per mile