Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-09-04

rnnghfare from the Ohio To- the James River
The advocates of Virginia guhge. rersus
Maryland aud Pennsylvania guage, ask no cH-
elusive benefits, Notwithstanding all that has
been said 10 the contrary; and. in proof Of THIS
need only state, that proposition for eompro-
mise which, accepted would have given the same
gungo 10 the Central n Virginia n Tennessee
roads thereby establishing uniform one for the
/ Eastern and Western lines each side ri the
james River,was rejected in the Legislature, and
also.if am not misinformed at the White sulphur
! Convention.
will now proceed 10 notice the criticism of
/ Tfans-Alleehany and the views taken by that
writer of the question generally. This question
/ wish to distinctly state, and by That your rea-
/ ders viii keep it in mind 1t is not ceinpari-
son of grades and curvaturcs between the Gov
iugtou and Ohio road and the Nirgna and
Tennessee road but it is n comparison, first, of
the relative merits of the two competing lines of
Railway from Greenbrier that il to say, the
line 10 Eltham,ya Covington, Staunton and Rich
mond and the line, via Christiansburg, Lynch
burg. and Petersburg, 10 Norfolk. Secondly,
the question of guage, that is. upon what plan
the Covngton and Ohio road should be built or,
in other words shall it be ri zen width Of track
suited to the system of Railways south If James
river, terminating ut Richmond, Petersburg and
Norfolk or should it conform, in this regard to
the north side system, terminating at Richmond
or Ethan. These are the issues, and shall
discuss them and them only. In doing SOL shall
avoid the example set me- of indulgence in OK
pres,ions calculated to excite sectional feeling,
because regard all such attemptsa as calculated
L.. oil tlat lao.
81 long delayed the adjustment of this unhappy
controversy, and consequently the construction
of the Covington and Ohio Railway. | admit the
full authority of the able authors cited by Trans
Allegheny, to show the merits of different gra-
dents, and the capacity of Locomotives in over
coming them but Trans Allegheny has utterly
misapplicd them and instead of showing the SUI
periory of the northern route they these
thorities,) tan the tables against himself and
demonstrates the absolute advantage of the
Southern route by just 50 much n gradient of
sixty feet is superior To ole of eighty teet-which
is an advantage of 30 per cent or there about. As
we'll might | institute comparison between that
portion of the southern line between Petersburg
and Norfolk, where the ruling grade is about 20
feet.nd TINT feature of the Northern line on both
SIdS bI lIlb plue iNltlBe ullPNnfTe tUc pfaue -
20 feet to the mile for the continuous distance o
Il miics;or mightwith as much justice, take that
section of the Norfolk road which is an air line
for nearly 10 miles with grades not exceeding II
feet. aud compare it with the line from Staunton
to Coymgton, with its sharp curves, and grades
up 10 eighty feet per mile,
might Us well institute such comparisons and
mal1e show of tho authorities cited by Trans
Allegheny TO prove the superiority of the South
orn Inc over the Northern line, rs for .llans-
Allegheny 10 do rs he has done in presenting
eof the most favorable portions of his line in
comparison with the most difficult portions of
the southern route.
This simple view of the controversy exposes
the utter follacy and sophistry of the reasoning
Of IRAN. Allegheny, SO far as the grades of the
two routes are concerned
lie by his own express language, adopted
the comparison OF the entire railroad lines, one
with the other, and he cannot, if he would, dodge
this ISSUE; and by his own table, by his own ar
gamrntS he condemns himself aud exposes the
week.-mrs., of his cause.
w admit have on tho Southern line rul-
mg grade OF sixty feet coming east aud sixty
eight feet going west, and tell Trans Allegheny
that he hn-, ON his line, ruling grade going east
81 eighty feet 10 the mile, and of ~ feet in many
pieces over the whole line from point Il do not
reealloct the exact locality east of the Blue
Ridge to Covington this Trans Allegheny can
not deny.
Trans Allegheny introduces die tables of Col.
Garrett shewng the effective power of loeomo-
tives over different grades. This table is author
itl That highly respect. Trans-Allcghany can
net possibly place II higher estimate than | do
upon Col Garnetts professional ability Upon
this point, ut lenst, we agree. He says, in this
connection THE effective power of locomo-
tive a grade of IS feet per mile, is nearly ~
per cent greater than of Ii feet per mile"
"Sleh being true, what contrasting, superior
capacity attaches to the Covington and Ohio line,
over the Norfolk and Ohio Trunk line, with 20
feet per mile grades against 60 feet"
Now submit,in all eandor, to every intelligent
man, whether this is net the veriest quibbling
aud sophistry. After having thrown down the
| gauntlet, and invited comparison between the
taco eatire iines-he is still harping upon one of
! the most favorable grades of the Northern as
compared with the highest grade ON the whole
! southern line. content myself with the expo
sure of this sophistry, and leave others t. draw
their own conclusions. After treating us to au-
thorities when initiate directly against himself,
''frans-AlIeghany" remarks, with great apparent
self complacency: "rhe foregoing will hope con-
vince even the active and jealous opponents of the
central improvement of Virginia, that if they
connect the Ohio valley with the tide-water by
! the most efficient competing line, it should be on
! Il, = u,