Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-07-17
Tide Water aud Ohio River Rairoad, by tho
Richmon mud NlrginIn springs.

Tide Water aud Ohio River Hairoad. by tho
Riehmond aud Virginia springs.
TO the Editors Of the Wig:
GksTLENES,-Having some weeks past read with con.
siderable attention. series OF articles the signature
Al Eastern Vrgnian repubished in your paper from
the Lynchburg Nirginian, have been somewhat SUR
prised, that one, familiar with the subject and
having access to the abundance OF material and data has
not replied to the same and suitably exposed the absurd
| ties OF that writer's conclusions.
Your columns having been literally rendered to any.
disposed to undertake the duty, furnishes gratifying evil
dencc that the impression that has obtained with
that tho influence of your feelings, judgment and paper
opposed the great Central line OF improvement OF
Virginia. Is untoundsd and that you tcag lar
truth and the Of the State largo may be
subservcd by fair and courteous Investigation, aud Illus
ation Of the essential merits and attributes Of the
lines of improvement, from Tide Water TO the Ohio to
facilitate the through your extensively circulated
and influential paper.
The concluding paragraph OF the first Number of the
articles alluded to- to indicate desire the part
Of this writer that public attention may be excited aud
enquiry awakened in relation to the subject important
to the whole State, and to right understanding of it.
The Of consideration, and the in which
An Eastern Vrginian has undertaken to exercise the
involved in the of policy which the State
has determined to pursue is Of such striking Of
sentiment, and judgement, with that exhibited during the
latter days of the late session of the Legislature by
| tain members, locally identified with the nouopoisug
scheme previously concocted and then made mani
fest that is perhaps not hazardng much suppose hin,
| TO be Of themselves.
The repeated proisstations of disintsrssei pdtroti
that prompts to the industrious ,naeknd!ons that are
by that party being employed .educe the Legislature
into abandonment of line of connection between the
Tide Water OF Virginia. and her Western border ard
the great ray beyond which has long eoneeireI
thoroughly Investigated and discussed and fully enacted
and the adoption Of another and hitherto ,though.
medium Of transit, crowdipg uto section of the
State and sing gle ne trade and travel of i'm
aeasy, sufficient to eergise, stimulate and render pro
iueiire the various works OF the great Central line and
enrich he different cities Of the common wealth If per
United i,s aud proper diffusion induces strong doubts
of the sincerely of such protesations aud suspicion OF
a mschevous aud selfish Hypocrisy.
Some of the prominent actors in this scheme of sec
onal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and determined opposition to the
long cherished policy of the State, but few years
found among its esteemed riends-assocated the
k"orn friends, and meeting around the same council
board and protesting anxious wishes for the prosecu
ton and completion OF the Central line Of improvement
any of its local advocates Ii said of old how
ever, These have gone out from because they were
not of ps'-but verify some have received a reward
As Eastern Nirginan has but repeated his sta
scs Of tonnage productions and travel tat which has
been repeated over and again. shall admit all he has
said these subjects and that in reference these
he might have safely enlarged the and number
This, however, furnishes OF itself conclusive evidence
that accommodate the transportation OF the same re-
que. the perfect road which the topography of the
intervening country from the James River Canal to the
mouth OF the GreenbEier will admit Of in order that its
capacity and efficiency may be adequate to the immensely
of the demands that be ts services In the Ian
guap of he al af s.,
Of the Virginia and Tennessee road page IL 9Th anuu,
report of said company November, 1851 at is clear
therefore, that If Virginia the best road that
be made from the Ohio river Richmond and the
other Chesapeake markets of the State that road can
compete successfully with the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road for tonnage. But it is OF vital importance that Viz
gnia should avail herself of advantage that nature
hos gittI in srch close contest Again Co.. .ruett
SAYS in same report anl thoSe Ebom he ought
blush at the admoniton,) There should be rivalry be.
the markets OF Virginia Ii true themselves.
they all flourish Let than lay asi. all jsdousies and
tis;r emitted strength complete the shortest chea-
pest aud most Efficient, Eud in all respects the best route
TO the Ohio rireT well the tennessee line Let
each town aud CITY secure connection with this great
trunk and there will be commerce poured down on our
Eastern border, mot Norfolk alone,) which will Fill the
measure Of their prosperity. Such system, faithfully
carried out, would at once ersei FTgi" with her
size Interests and pursuits, into Poeyd empire. Let
them faithfully Investigate toe subject and adopt the best
route whichever that may be-
It's Messrs Editors, 10 investigate the subject, and
endeavor 10 demonstrate the best, shortest most direct
and efficient from the James River Canal to the
Ohio River; wbe;he! the CogingtGn aud Oho railroad or
the extension OF the Virginia and Tennessee road rom
Chansburg down New River, will bes, constitute the
route filing the recommendations OF Col Garrett that
propose this for publication.
IL subject OF regre; and surprise that an Eastern
V,rgnian with Col Garrett accessible and his scrr-
tic qualifications abundint should in mis- whole series
have wholly omitted in the Giis: the vsest and bold
est assertions 10 refer TO the one copst the other
reference 10 those essential attributes recognised by all
engineers the Indispensable prerequisites Tor such a
road Col. Garnet says, should Quilt from the con-
siderAton perhaps that those living in glass houses should
not throw stones.
An Eastern yirSinen seems TO be one so much Of
PdgaHin capacity that lieasa policy or one city
prosperity, single line Of connection. uniformity of
guags strnged philanthropy; has blinded him TO
the essential considerations in support Of the exclusive
professions, he has for this fIuged banting
shall therefore institute comparison between these two
ne the rol the Canal az Lynchburg via Christians
burg to the Ohio River the oaeg IRON Covington by the
way Of the White Sulphur Springs the mouth of the
Greenorer and To the Ohio River, upon the principles of
science and the tests OF experience approved aud recog
Missed not only by engineer hut by stage proprietors
drivers al! wagOners And for the scientific data relied
on may be permitted to quote Col Garnett himself not
because his doctrine. are peculiar but because they will
be more readily admitted By those Tho seek the subyer
sion Of the Coyiugton and Ohio Rail Roid
The order therefore, of conducting this comparison
shall be:
FIRsT-Their general topography, ruling, limiting and
msSmum grades, and consequent eff ency and capacty
SEcoND-Their directness OF from the mouth OF
GreenDeS 20 their respective ,ermn a, Coyngton
and Lynchburg aud hchE!ond and Norfolk
TmRD-Tbeir comparative distances from the same
common point west to Tide Water; OF ample shoninc
capacity the by Richmond, the other by Lyncabure
and Petersburg TO Norfolk, aso comparison Of distances
By each TO Washington City.
FoURTn Their eHergising, stimulating, and mutually
reciprocal influences upon other improvement, IN which
the STATE, corporations and dvds have 40 large in
ve'tments and from which part of the system such
high anticpatons properly entertained.
fiYIH-The gpage, which under existing circumstances
aud in reference 10 iIpos.sEt connections and
contributors, should he maintained the great trunk
line through the centre Of the State aud supported BY
the authority Of Col. Garrett.
10 ordeF therefore, as the basis which the commu-
nifty may at once and inte!gi5ly commence their own
reflections and investigations the subject Of grade and
the relative power to be expended these two lines IL il
proposed TO state the eastern and western datum line of
each above tide, and their eliminating submits:
Lynchbmg ~ ] credib!y informed il 500 feet
above tide Montague summit Of the Alsghauy near
Chf1;anburg is $500 feet above tide Cs feet grades
in ascending westward from thence, occurs to another
higher summit, between that and New River How much
this other summit Is higher than Monagues may be as
sumcd AZ 100 feet-making the 100 feet TO bs
VIa frg,. Ill Al. i.