Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-03-02
From the Richmond Rnquirer.l
THE OHIO CONNECTION WITH THE
VIRGINIA CENTRAL ROAD.

no ordinary Importance. By the termi
nus at Sandy, connection is secured
with Kentucky; and the question now
recurs, shall Virginia seek or solicit 8
connection with Southern and Central
Ohio and Indiana, and the Northwest
Nay, DU Virginia sver afford the means
of such coznectioas This can only be
done by extending the Covington and
Ohio road down the Kanawha to the
Ohio River, at Point Pleasant; this be.
ing decided, acompany is already or
ganized and prepared to make road
through Gallipolis, from the termination
of the Virginia road at Point Pleasant,
to Hsmden, in Vinton county, Ohio, to
connect there with the Marietta and Gin
cinnai Rail Road, passing from Cincin.
matt through Chillicothe, Athens and
Marietta, to Wheeling. The road from
GalIipolis will also cross the Hillsbor.
ough Rail Road at the Buckeye Furnace
this last road leads from Cincinnati
through Hillsborough, Piketon and
Jackson, to a junction with the Balti-
more road at Parkersburg. From Chill
licothe a road is being made, leading in
a northwest direction, through Wash
ington, Wilmington and Xenia, to Day
ton, at which point, several roads branch
off into Indiana, towards st. Louis and
Chicago. At Hamden, the Portsmouth
roads run north through Logan, Somer-
set, Newark and Mansfield, to Lake
Erie, at Sandusky. From Chillicothe,
a road is also being made tolead through
Circleville to Columbus. 1t will thus
be seen that the Point Pleasant exten-
sion will connect Virginia with the whole
network of rail roads in Ohio, and the
Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and
Missouri; and this can be obtained by
the construction of road of only for
ty miles in length, at a cost of some
500, 600 only.
And Ohio is anxious for such con-
nection. The letting of the Gallipolis
road is only waiting the action of this
Legislature on this subject. That road
will be put under contract just as soon
as Virginia decides she viii permit con-
nection with her Central road. The
Marietta and Chillicothe Railroad Com
pany, at its last annual meeting autho
rized its directors to aid the Gallipolis
company in the. construction of its road;
and this was done solely with view to
Virginia connection through the road
down the Kanawha. The people of
Chillicothe and Ross county are mostly
defendants of settlers from Virginnia.-
Indeed large proportion of the popu-
lation of Southern Ohio were original
ly from Virginia and North Carolina,
and are therefore anxious to secure
railroad connection with the land of
their fathers. '-.'
This connection secured, and Virgil
MIA will secure her share of the trade Of
the great West. She has the capital,
and can command such business rela-
tions as must bring western products to
Eastern Virginia. Why should East
ern Virginia depend on Baltimore for
Western products? Why should she
pay toll for the bacon she eats, to Bal
timore enterprise and Baltimore capi-
tai? Can there be doubt that Rich
moud and Norfolk are more natural
outlet fromxhe West to the ocean than
Baltimore? And if Virginia had made
her railroad to the Ohio, as Baltimore
has, can there be doubt that Rich
mond and Norfolk would now have
numbered their 10000 of population?
And will Virginia longer delay in put
ting in her claims to portion Of the
vast and rapidly growing trade Of the
West? The Eastern roads now made
cannot accommodate this trade. The
Baltimore road is over-burdened with
this freight; and why should not Virgil
mia have it, as well as to permit Balti-
more, and Philadelphia, and New York
to 60 on making double tracks in order
to keep it? 7i b r 'gfs'-o -a
Baltimore is alive to this matter
Her State has Just authorized S5,oo0,-
600 to be raised to lay second track on
the Baltimore road, and to extend its
connexions in Southern Ohio. She has
now a project in connexicn with the
Hillsborough road in Ohio of reaching
with that line within three miles of the
Ohio, and connecting with it at the
mouth of Leading creek just below
Pomeroy, and only fifteen miles above
the mouth of the great Kanawha; from
this point, it is proposed torun branch
down the Ohio through Gallipohs to q
point opposite the mouth of Big Sandy
there to connect with the Sandy and
Lexington road, and thus TO compete
with Virginia for the trade Of Ken
lucky.
South Eastern Ohio is seeking for an
eastern connexion; they prefer the one
through Virginia by the mouth of the
Kanawha; but, if Virginia neglects to
meet them in this wish, they viii be
compelled to unite with the Hillsbor-I
ough and Baltimore influence and carry
out her gigantic plans of self aggran-
dizement at the expense of Virginia;
and it remains for the statesmen of Vir-
ginia, for the merchants of Virginia,
for the present legislature Of Virginia
to say, whether Richmond and Norfolk,
or Baltimore, shall enjoy the priceless
4 profits incident to this vast trade and
travel, now but in its infancy. 's'
| Virginia has the advantage over Bal
i a.