Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-05-03
NO. ILL.
GILES.

10 the Editors Of the LynehJury Virginian.
In my last number, reference made system Of
railways In course OF construction whose Atlantic focus
would be Norfolk. These roads building and unless
Virginia, by unwise and suicidal policy DELAYS too
long the construction of the Ohio baseine, Norfolk will
soon acquire commercial supremacy over any other
Southern city.
Every virgnian should desire this and no merely local
jealouses should prevent it. Upon this policy depends
not only the relative importance of Virginia among the
other states in commercial view but also the supreme
cy OF the chief seapos and the rapid growth Of the other
cities of the State.
Taking this Norfolk and Ohio lines as the proper base
Of this system Of roads, other lines aud branches will con-
meet with il, follows.
!. The Richmond and Petersburg road 90 ms.
From Richmond to Acqua Creek IS miles.
Only about rs miles wanting to the Fred
ericksburg road with the Baltimore and Ohio at
Paddytown, west Of Cumberland, aud thus ompletc
northwestern arm to Wheeling and Cleveland.
Whole DISTANCE from Norfolk to Cleveland 6S4 ms.
q Another important branch Of this line will be the
Central Railroad extending from Richmond through tn,
interior of the state the north side Of James River
through Charlottesville and Stanton, to Covington and
thence to the mouth Of Greenbrier.
Whole distance from Norfolk to the mouth Of Green-
brier S76 miles
At this last point the lines the north and south sides
of the James River and of will go theme,
over common line to the Ohio at the Kentucky line
Whole distance from Norfolk to the Ohio river at the
mouth OF Sandy $50 mile
s. From the mouth Of Sandy the line will be extended
down the Ohio valley to Cincinnati LA miles
From Cincinnati to ST. Louis the liue Is in OF
Whole distance from Norfolk to Cincinnati by the wa,
of Lynchbnrg, 66i miles
Whole distance to st. Louis eos miles
t. From the mouth of Big Sandy road Is 10
construction, through the rich mineral district OF Ken
lucky to Lexington and thence Louisville distance
oO7 miles
Whole distance Norfolk to Louisville 727 mile.
Open to Norfolk these great thoroughares the
anu south west aud you at once pau nercia MAJ
net at the mouth Of the Chesapeake, which will make
Norfolk of the important cities OF the Union
and the Atlantic focus of the largest system Of railways
in the world
c. From Richmond, the Richmond and Dinvle road
the Central trunklinc % miles east of Farmvle
and extends southwest into the rich valley OF
at Danvile.
Z. ANOTHER Important branch is the line from Norfolk
over the Seaboird railroad Weldon and thence on to
Wilmington.
Whole distance from Norfolk to Wilmington 2ie miles
s. Another important connexion will be soon opened
between the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad aud Lex
inson and Knoxville railroad by OF the Cumber.
land Gap road. This braLch will no doubt greatly in
the business of the Virginia and Tennessee road
and thus swell the volume OF trade which will be turned
upon Norfolk by the confluence Of the great Ohio and
Southwestern roads Christiansburg So that whatever
view We take OF the great railways in of
ton in Virginia the great central trunk line from Norfolk
TO the Ohio - have paramount importance in
concentrating the whole within the state.
The great trunk lines Of this Virginia system OF RAILWAYS
are, as already minated follows: