Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1854-01-04
From the richmond whig
To the Virginia Legislature.


=, The Legislature will doubtless be asked during
its present session for appropriation of money
for the construction Of Btanch Railroad fro Tie
COvington aud Ohio Railroad atthe mouth oil Scary
Creek OH the Knnaw ha RIVER, down said river 10
its mouth; and deep interest is manifested by
the people, in this portion of the State, TO the
probable result OF the action OF the Ltg Stature up
OH the subject Il trustl will be pardOned for briefly
calling your attention to some OF the advantages
which would result 10 the State at large, from the
early construction OF this road.
The main stem OF the great Virginia Cenra line,
terminating at the mouth of the Big Sandy, on the
extreme South western border ofthe State, NEAR the
Kentucky State line, leaves the whole OF that i'm
menSe and fertile teTntoTy9Of Virginia, bordering
ON the Ohio river, from the Pennsylvania State line
tot the Kentucky line, untouched by any railroad
belonging to Virginia. Such being the TACT. the
question arises, Whether the trade Of this extensive
country, and that Of tie great and growing North
west, is worthy of the serious consideration OF the
Virginia Legislature, and If So What course WIS
dom and sound policy dictate ior us 10 pursue, 10
this trade 10 Virginia. The TACT OF the trace
Of Ohio and the NorthweStis question OF The first
magnitude, and worthy oil the deepest interest OI
every true Virginan, Will imaglne, be controVer-
t,d by no sensible man. Were argument neceSSa-
ry to prove this fact, might, evidence refer 10
the energy with which Baltimore las Tor years con
tended for the simple "rlghl of way" to construct
railroads over this territory, with the view OF con
Meeting with the railroads of ONO and thus trans
'enIng large portion of the trade and travel OF
the Northwest 10 the cIlyol Baltimore. FOR many
years Baltimore contGnaed, with an enorgy and de-
termination worthy of so important an object, for
the right of way 10 the mouth Of the Great Kanawha
the point proposed 10 be made the terminus Of
branch road irou the Coyngton and Ohio loud
but the Legislature, time and again, refused her
eureates. ut. .e...
What course will Virginia pursue to secure this
trude? Will SlIz continue TO SumberI while tile
other States and foreign Corporations are construc
ting roads and straining every nerve 10 direct this
immense and highly Valuabletraue iromitS nutural
course through Virginia, 10 rival Northern cities!
trust not 1t is hoped, that the Legislau will,
during its present session, take such steps as Will
SCI cure the construction OF road from Scary to the
mouth of KnnawhO, at the earliest possible time
Such rad, terminating at the mouth OF The Great
Kanawha, would form grand connecting link be-
tween the railroads Of Virginia and those OF OHIO;
and would secure TO the Covington and Ohio Rail-
II nd vast amount of the immense tIace aud travel
of the populouS and pre- greSslvc Northwest. In
deed, the increased trade and travel, which such
road would secure to the main stem, would, in u
very short period, more than pay for its conStTuc-
ton. No where in Virginia, perhaps, could rail
load be constructed over the same extent OF terrl-
tory as from Scary 10 the mouth of Kanawha river
for SO little money. Tie Kanawha=yalley, is one
of the rIcheSt most fertile and beautiful countries
in virginia; and the mouth of the Kanawha is one
of the deepest and safest harbors for boats, be-
tween Pittsburgh and the mouth of the OHIO river
and on either side of the kanawha liver at its
mouth the banks are high and the bottoms broad
and elevated, presenting sites. the most beautiful
and favorable, for large towns or cities.