The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-07-20
CAPACITY OF MOUNTAIN TOP TRACK
TO CARRY FREIGHTS.

We are glad, at this juncture' to receive
from the President of the Central Road the
following statement of the amount OF bust.
ness which can be done on the track which
has been built over the top of the Blue Ridge
to accommodate the western trade until the
tunnel is completed, which, owing to the diff
culties of that work, viii require probably
three years.
But whilst our patience is taxed in waiting
for the achievement of this noble underta-
king Of the Legislature, which so effectuslly
unites us with the valley and is the great
agent for opening the way to the trade of the
Ohio, Richmond ought to feel her sympathies
for the Central Road doubly excited, in con-
sequence of the readiness with which the
Company has taxed itself with the expense
Of building this so called temporary track,
which is, in point of fact, one ofthe most solid
and permanent tracks in the United States
The company have at the present time two
locomotives of great power, constructed with
general reference to the nature of that track.
They have no tender or separate carriage for
wood and water but there is a contrivance
for taking these on the back of the locomo-
tive, thus dispensing with the draught of the
carriage, and at the same time increasing the
adhesion and consequently the power of the
machine
One of these engines was built by Baldwin
Of Philadelphia, and the other by our enter
prising citizen, j. r. Anderson. The Bald
win can carry over the mountain three cars
loaded with either freight or passengers the
Anderson is the more powerful of the two,
and can carry more, but under the influence
OF the rigid system of prudence that charac-
tsrizes the management, the load of that too
il limited to three cars.
The net load of freight in three cars is
about 20 tons, and each engine can with ease
make two trips-three if pressed-each way.
With two trips to each engine, there would
be carried eastward 80 tons per day, or of
produce, in 300 days, $4,000 tons.
The company are expecting daily another
engine of equal power, and fourth of some
what less for these add only one-half of
what the two present machines carry-12O0
tons-making, with the two present engines,
$4,000 tons-equal to 100000 barrels of -four
ttsn barrels to the TOM This is for tonnage
only one way, viz eastward.
Suppose the westward tonnage to be only
two-thirds of this amount, we have of mer-
chandize, going west, $4,000 TONS making an
aggregate which the mountain track is capa-
bic of transporting of SIXTY THOUSAND
TONS.
We ask, is not this an amount of business
to be gained west of the Blue Ridge, worthy
OF the most earnest efforts Of Richmond
Would it not then be suicidal to withhold aid
nom the Company until the Tunnel is done
II Richmond does not step forward at the
present crisis, the Company may be over
come by the disheartening GOODNESS of the
city.
There is enc view of this question which
cannot be urged too often, or with too much
esrnestness Richmond ought to press the
Central road up to Covington, before the merit
meeting Of the Legislature. Let her but aid
the Company to accomplish that, and with the
work performed by the State west of that
point, so little will be left of the disputed line
that 1t cannot be abandoned
If, on the contrary, the Central road is
found, by the next meeting of the Legislature,
to have made but little progress, the motive
will be powerful one for attempting to stop
1t. To the polls then, fellow citizens of Rich
mond, on Monday next; vote the slOo,o 900
which obtains from the State $3.50, 900 more;
and secure to your city the overlooking be-
nefits of the Western trade.