Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-08-04
No. @.
Sh~shreaSe hay aud Ohio RiSer Railrsad, by
why OF Richmond aud the virginia

q. q.
Chesapeake may aud Ohio River Raiirsad, b,
why OF Riehmond aud the virginia
Springs.
hessrS EDITORS IL have now disposed Of the inves
CATION OF this subec. all the essential principles per
tanning to the same.
have, it is true, not followed "an Eastern Virginan
along his doubling, redoublng and thrice doubled tract
Of gauge, uniform with the Virginia and Tennessee Road
but breaking With nearly all Others Of Virgins nor dc
complain of the per,insry OF hs advocacy of that 70
the great and am free to say, merorious South West
ern trunk line, which emphacaly is the left Of the
prosperity of Vgnis constituting essential base o,
which to attach the local roads south and southwest
James River, which should for the reason be v,
feet
The covinston, Ohio and Central. may equally be re
gsrded the great right which in its central pro-
gress DIVORCES from the southwestern and they tw,
operate commerce fifteen hundred miles apart
Hence this right equally constitutes base liue
for attaching the local roads Of the central ives, aud
the northwest ard should maintain the gauge adapted for
that purpose Tho two thus by their separate and iude-
pendent operations uusamneled by entangug alliances
distribute on all the markets Of Virginia trade and trav,
el sufficient to enrich Lynchbug, Petersburg Richmond
Norfolk, Fredericksburg AMI Alex ,ndria and excite a
fair competition among all and afford to commerce choice
Of markets.
This increased aud multiplied capacity give diffusion TO
the contributions Of trade ts foeeed concentration on
single mirke. deprives OF that choice that 50
essential to popularity and satisfaction
shall consider the magnitude of violated lecisls
tive faith involved in the policy PROPOSED aud more dis
,nciy advocated" by Others than Elstern Virgin.
sn" viz To stop the canal where 1t is limit the ,ermi
of the Ceutral Riilroii At Miboro and supercede
the Coving,ou aud OHIO, BY the extension of the New
NJ. .Aas- II.
utilization with Norfolk. have shown that this substitute
the necessary attributes cient transportation
and has neither distance direction distinction 10 na
ence or accommodate the travel TO aud from the Ohio
Valley, With the Virginia springs the cities OF Virginia
Washington New York.
From the organization Of the present James River
Company, all legislation in reference its progress has
its extension and completion to the Ohio
River sfordug the West the much needed outlet for its
products TO the markets of the East
In aid of its success large individual subscriptions were
10 to its stock, west OF the Blue Ridge and OF the Al
eShany-sl OF which were consumed 10 its construction
to Lynchourg where its rther progress was for wears
arrested by the local that now proposes the
suspension of the great Central line Nor western
progress effected until by the united Efforts on the part
Of the prominent, men OF R,ckbridgc and B,etourt re-
sponsble persona, guarantee furnished to the State
assuring OF satisfactory results
Reference has before been made to the immense in
vesiment which the State corporations and individual
have (under legislative confdence) made in the
scheme.
now docs tue history OF legislation COMFORT with such
in reference to the Va. Railroad.
Uuder its original charter il ouly local road and
regarded had, however, impaired it by the Lee
ssature OF lSiS-9 new, extensive and rore i'm
porant character Al the internal improvement conven
ton, held in Siauntou Oct 1885, in which large por-
ton e the State represented il adopted as the
opinion Of that intelligent body that the General Assem-
bly, should, without delay, commence on State account,
the building OF railroad from the Kanawha to ton
and that the Capital Of the Louisa now CENTRALLY railroad
Company ought be increased to enable them
extend their road to point at Covipgton The
Legislature OF the next winter March 5th lSi9 enacted
among other purposes increase of the capital stock
carry the road to Staunon, with view its e1>
tension TO Covington.
The Legislature Of jan sOth 1885, passed an act ip
creasng the capital stock for the purpose Of extending
the road from stanton 10 Coviugton.
In August, 1852, an internal improvement convention
held in Union, Monroe, where various internal i'm
proyemens numerously and ably representative
Virginia and Tennessee especially So The committee of
Is reported among other recommendations THAT aid be
granted TO the James River and kanawha Company for
the completion OF the canal point at or near Coyinr
ton Tor Clifton Forgel and TO construct q railroad with
feet gauge lom such point the Ohio river the Cen
trail railroad Company for the completion of their road
10 Covingon or Clon Gorge; TO the Virginia and Ten.
neSsee Company 10 construct branch the line of the
road from CoYiugton the Ohio etc. etc and that the
Virginia and Tennessee Company should have privilege
Of running their freight the Covngton aud OHIO
road."
1t will be observed, that this Covington and Ohio con-
nection, as the main trunk line recognised fixed
fact and that the privilege asked for granted to the
Virginia and Tennessee Company construction of
branch only TO connect with the The feet gauge
aud the privilege OF running the freight cars OF the yir
ginia and Tennessee Company over the Covngton and
Ohio railroad having been unanimously stricken out the
resolutions were adopted but single dissenting
the entire Virginia aud Tennessee member. voting for
them as amended and implicitly pledgng themselves to
their future support, a. future opportunity might offer the
present representative Of Campbell a. b. De.ne j being
a member Of said committee.
Thereafter, viz Feb Is 1854, the Legislature enacted
tha; the Board Of Public Works shall cause TO be con
strueed and equipped railroad with heavy rail from
At or near near Covington Clifton Fosge BY the beet
practicable route TO the Ohio river aud voted An annro
priauon for the same OF $l,OOO,OOO
II An Eastern Virginaus" conclusions be correct IL
IS passing strange that all the considerations nvestiea
lions and previous discussions by wise and practical
Tor the last quarter Of century should have failed 10 per
celve It, and that this Company should not have made il
part and parcel OF their own original system Toe infer
entli reasons for not doing may hereafter be adyered
to.
Governor Johnston in his first message recommended
avery Judtcso system Of Improvement while this con
necuon e'en as branch not noticed he recomm,n
ded with lucid reasons the building the Covngton and
Ohio Road on State account.
Governor Floyd his predecessor referred 10 il as .
branch that was practicable.
The able committee (of txeutyone) of the ao.Ia,,,
endeaVorng to embrace works Of merit in their able re
port strongly recommended the Central and Coyinrtop
aud Ohio oy the White Sulphnr aud yet made no refer
renee 70 this ever a branch
The committee of roads to whom was proporIv rsfsr
red the petition Of the Virginia aud Tennessee Cotooaoy
Tor aid TO make the New River branch failed for reasons
satisfactory to themselves report bill on the subject,
Their reference clearly show the then state OF public
sentiment and judgment.
II oil those public demonstrations aud Legislative en-
actments had induced large corporations on the part
Of individuals aud corporations, the proprey Of the Leg
gislature taking reroyrds deoa' dJandonng iis polev
and rebuking ts own wisdom aighsbe dkJaiaJe DropS
sho" That however is the case. Uud.r the sane.
ton OF the various acts referred to- those respectively in
'ere''ed in the objects and recognising them in good faith
aud not as "IaHtdtu' tempting promptly responded to
the sane aud have literally subsc.1ed TO carry forward
the WORKS, embraced in their provisions
The county of Augusta to forward the road
III, TO ! stanton $4,000
The citizens OF the same u large sum
The counties Of Greenbrer aud Monroe 10 e1.
~, tend il 70 C2yingon 100, 900
The city Of Richmond, after being assured
that the Ohio TO be the terminus aided
the Central Railroad 900 oOO
hIg expect 70 ADD TO the same another 100000
Under these cifcumstances il would seem that the oh
g'on OF the State % carry out tl policy ia immea.ura
by increased, and eau be abandoned, conceiyab
principle OF consistency or good faith.
THOSE who could counsel such a Of influences on
me Legislative department, manesty eynce a factious
and discouflging SPIRIT ADD instead Of helping on the
progress and property Of the State evidently hinder
ing, oh'tructng and embIraing the same or II Dor
chance pr1cti'el in violated pledges aud broken Gh,