Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-07-13
Norfolk and the Ohio River.
TeaScIupEp PROM FIRST PAGE.

very point az issue, and the reasons already CIV
en- in favor Of the uniformity of gnage On The
southern line. il Is believed, sufficient to sat
isfy any unpreiudioed mind.
The Instructions of change OF guage at the
mouth Of Graenbrier. would be injurious To tho
trade of Norfolk and il could not benefit that of
| Richmond, 10 have the narrow gfage extended
| through 10 the Central road at Coyington. The
! reasons are obvious. Because If you facilitate
| the transit of produce from the Ohio ia Norfolk,
| you give 10 that city attractive power upon
| the business of tho Ohio valley aud OF the whole
of Western Virginia, which viii increase contin-
ually. as there wiH be The point Of connection and
! interchange beiiceen our home and foreign bust
ness No city. except it be situated upon such
| hnrbor as Norfolk aud almost upon the Atan-
! tie. and having the advantages of extensive for
/ egn commerce. can exert this influence upon the
domestic trade Of the interior, and reflect back to
the interior cities the advantages oil foreign com
merce. This results in a great measure from the
fact that railways and light draft steamers, are
now so much superior to small sail crafts for
bringing the trade of the country 10 great marts
of trade convenient for large ocean ships and
ocean steamers.
= Now is il necessary to tell the people OF Nlr-
Tinia, that Richmond has not, aud never can
have sufficient depth Of water to nuke her
great mart of foreign commerce.
What then is the obvious policy 10 he persued
of the state Should we impede trade to Nor
folk, our grand seaport, by blocking up our main
artery of trade with the Ohio valley and thus de
priye her Of that aliment which would soon give
her commercial power aud greatness, aud enable
her TO send back through every VEN Of the State
strong and vigorous pulsatons. which would re-
animate every portion OF the Old Dominion.
Shall we say. thus check the natural and
healthfu flow of trade by an attempt to turn it
at,l ninl oh
jectors 10 the policy advocate, say why not let
the main avenue 10 the West pass through Rich
mond The answer is at hhnd--because, first.
the distance i gr ater than TO Norfolk. Second,
the grades are less favorable on the northern
route. Thirdly, the unobstruetcd rontc from the
Ohio to Norfolk would very much economist aud
facilitate the through transit OF trade whereas
the break Of guage mt the mouth OF the Greenbrl-
or. or the round II bout course through Rich
mond, and the transphpment there or even at
Ethan, would counteryail their advantages
most materially. Again, this northern line II
there were other reasons against II rs main
avenue 10 the West. Is liable to the objection that
it comes under the attractions o Baltimore,wh
is strong enough to divert n large proportion OF
the trade passing over it from the ports OF Nr-
GINA, and you thereby inyert the natural course
of trade and plnnt the commercial magnet at
Baltimore, whereas if this Western trade were
directed and facilitated to Norfolk, as it should.
and YOU would plant the magnet there, and thus
converge the whole trade 10 TINT point aud ere
long make even Baltimore itself own the suprc-
macy of Norfolk.
l. there ANYTHING in this view of the case that
should offend Richmond Rather i moi it the
very view which fayors her own interest To
continue the illustration; the magnet of com
meroe being at Norfolk vastly greater amount
of trade would concentrate Mt Richmond from all
interior surrounding country than II the magnet
were at Baltimore where the attraction would be
against Richmond. The snme reasoning would
apply to Alexandria, Fredericksburg and Peters
burg, the truth is Norfolk is the tue seaport for
all the Virginia towns and cities and it is for
their interest to build it up. These interests are
mutual and they will be stunted in their growth
until they see and feel this grent truth. The
reflective influences of Norfolk upon them all
would be beneficial while that of Baltimore would
rather be like the llorseleech CRYING give
give" without rejecting back corresponding
advantages. Who viii for one moment main
tain that Baltimore is the proper point through
which to import goods 10 Coyngton or to Wes-
tern Virginia, il the great Norfolk and Ohio
road were opened and who doe not see that i'm
rortatons direct through Norfolk would be less
burdened than il they were carried around thro'
Baltimore
lst to stunt the growthof Richmond that we
mny damage the commercial prosperity of Nor
folk
Is it better that rs commercial mart The Cup
ital Of Virginia. should be second TO Baltimore
rather than 10 Norfolk If our Legislature would
consult the dignity Of Nfginia they would lay
side all loenl jeaousies aud favour rather thnn
tard the grow ia of Norfolk, and they would thus
give healthful tone to the whole state and create
vast trade aud commerce which would release
her from her present position OF commercial hu-
initiation, and make Norfolk whit her great nat
ural advantages should make her, the CONNER
cial centre, not only OF Virginia, but of the whole
west and southwest portions of the Union and es-
peealiy would every city, town and hamlet up
on the Chesapeake become auxiliary to her trade,
and share in her commercial proSperty;und can
not the good people of western Virginia. see this
and act accordingly. One would suppose almost
from the tenor of the late meetings in the west
that they have lost sight entirely of these eonsid-
eratons, and that il was matter of no conse-
quence whether there were interposed II break of
guage or not, upon this great avenue of trade; or
whether such "a break of guage would tend Ia
throw their trade to Norfolk Baltimore. Ii
they have reference To the great interest of the
State as connected with this subject their pre-
ference should surely not be in favor OF Baltimore.
The really seem to ignore their own magnificent
harbor without considering that if this grea;
trunk line be opened to Norfolk. they would have
a market just much better for them; thus Bal
timore would pay the charges from Baltimore to
the mouth of the Chesapeake. This would be
strictly true if the distance to Norfolk and Bal
timore were the same. But perhaps our good
friends of Charlestown and along the rich valley
of the kanawha will notice this suggestion, and
will be ready to say what have we to do with this
break of guage, one hundred miles east of US
How can this effect our business-let us see
The greater the trade passing over this Norfolk
* Ohio line through the State the cheaper will
be the cost Of transit, and the more valuable viii