Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-06-24
Railroad Convention.


Speeches made at the Railroad Con-
vention
The first speaker was DR.. Hugh Camp
bell, of Faye,te county, Pennsylvania
The Doctor is what we should term a
sensible. looking man. His features are
quite marked. He wears spectacles, and,
though NOT Scotchman, he has all the
marks ola "canny Scot.' His delivery is
good. He speaks as il no one could doubt
bis statements, and weguess that he takes
care to make no statements which are not
worthy Of credence. On this occasion,
he spoke Blu! short time.
Dr.. CAMPBELL said that lie would make
a few remarks concerning this great route
from the east 10 the west. The line was
such that when the Monongahela and
Ravenswood railroad should be built, there
would be a continuous line from Phlladel-
phia-aye, from New York-to the val
ley of The Mississippi. 1t would pass
through Fayette county, Pennsylvania,
than which there was not more fertile
one 10 be found. Then on to the valley
ofthe Monongahela-that beautiful stream
which stands conspicuous throughout the
world for being, as its names implies,
"the river without an island.'' Then the
route strikes up the river, passing oy
Morgantown, Fairmont, Clarksburgh, and
on, passing the sources ofthis river TO the
head waters Of the Kanawha. Thence
down those waters. And throughout its
whole distance along fertile valleys, where
there would be no difficulty whatever in
securing the proper grade. The priv
ilege being first obtained from your Leg.
stature, our road may then be extended
10 the Kentucky line, there to meet a
road leading thence by connections TO
Lexington. At Lexington six roads ter
inmate, which concentrate their produce
from parts of Kentucky and Of the neigh
boring States. The Monongahela and
Ravenswood road and its connections, he
ventured 10 say, would be the best posi-
Bile route from the Southwest 10 the East,
and must command the trade Of Western
Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, West
Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and the
southern part Of Missouri. Look at the
map! In vain will you search for route
which could compete whit. And YOU
may live 10 see the day when every bale
of cotton and every hogshead Of sugal
that shall leave the Southwest for an cas-
tern market will pass through your town
| [Fairmont
But leave out of view the Kentucky
connection. The NJ. & r. road will
strike the Ohio river, by extending it {
short distance below its proposed terml'
nus, at point where steamboat naviga'
tion is good nearly the year round. Their
YOU are in communication with Clncin'
natl. When you get 10 Cincinnati, yol
NAV go any where you please-every
where. Railroads centre there which
run moth, west, east, and south.
The Monongahela and RaveLswood i
the only road which can be made By
which The West and Southwest may
reach the eastern cities in the shortes
possible time. It will afford them cholc'
of markets. When they reach this point
ifthey want to go 10 Baltimore, here they
are upon the Baltimore road. II they
wish 10 go 10 Philadelphia, they will &c
m 10 the Central road. Or if 10 New
| York, they will then be able to do so. A
company has been chartered which il
already prepared 10 construct road from
New York city, through Eastern Penn
sylvania, across the Pennsylvania road
and so on by the best route to this point
This company has already constructed {
road from New York TO Easton. They
are able and DESTROYS TO form complete
lime across Pennsylvania and Virginia tt
the Ohio River. You know that ou
(Pennsylvania Legislature, at itslast SEES
sion, authorized the sale OF our public
works-our improvements owned by tn
State. The law authorizing the sail
grants full power to the company of com
panies purchasing TO construct roads any
where in the State. So that, so far a
Pennsylvania is concerned. you see tina
there can be no difficulty about the RICH
of way. The Central road compan!
have hud the proprie,y Of purchasing th
public works under consideration.-The!
\ appointed committee to report the valu
Of these works. The committee reported
that seven millions Of dollars was as mucl
as the company could afford to pay TO
them, though that sum is not as much b.
several millions ofdollars as The State ask
for them; but the company may neverthe
less purchase them at higher price thai
the committee named. From this state
ment, you will see that there are two op
portunities OF forming connections il
Pennsylvania. Two lines are anxious Il
ION with this Monong ahela road. I'wo
50 determined, by one oil them at least
two years ago.
This road mus! pay handsome profit
II the Baltimore and Ohio road, built as
is across the country, across the noun
-. Ik.a,nb tha Eli, !. morth tennint