The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-06-06

AtuC va sAC o0uOAtJ AN EO8uy SuG
distance from Erie to Philadelphia is
426 miles, against SOY by one and 535
by another to New York, showing an ac-
tual difference of 81 miles in favor Of
our metropolis, whilst the difference in
the acquainted distance, would be much
greater. A tunnel through the Broad
Mountain, the only obstacle in the way
of a direct connection with this city by
way of Pottsyille and Reading, would
reduce the actual distance 20 miles
This accomplished, the Sunbury and
Erie will afford to New York City, by
way of Philadelphia, a shorter and bet
ter connection with the West than any
she now has or can have through the
limits Of her Y State. But without
reference to the latter achievement, the
distance from Erie to New York, through
this city, would be no greater than by
the New York roads. Hence we con-
clude that the admitted principles fixing
railroad capacity, are a deception
sheer deception, if they do not guaran-
tee for the road in view, complete sue.
cess. But other advantages may be
considered. The Harbor at Erie is
usually accessible in the Spring, from
points above for two or three weeks in
advance of the opening of the lakes be-
Low. With a direct road to hat port,
the trade and intercourse, awarded to
Philadelphia by this provision or nature,
though seeming to last but for afeM
days, would soon of itself, grow into i'm
portance and beget business relations
extending through the whole season.
We are aware that the meagre amount
of tonnage now found at the Harbor of
Erie has been made the basis of satire
upon the pretensitn of that point. But
prejudice and not judgment has given
existence to such ridicule. We should
like to know why tonnage should seek q
harbor from which there is no outlet
And who will say that its absence under
such circumstances, is evidence that it
would not come, were q cheap and sufi-
cient avenue to the Atlantic markets
furnished. It would be Just as wise to
say that railroads should not be CON-
tracted through the woods because loco
motives and loaded cars had not been
found there in advance. The captain
with freight for the Atlantic cities who
runs his vessel into the Harbor at Erie,
in its present condition, will have to run
it out again and like a sensible man he
goes to q point from whence his cargo
can reach its place of destination. But
there is surely no natural reason why
the Harbor at Erie should net be as
busy a port as that Of Buffalo. The
difference in their present condition has
been the work of man.. New York has
cherished a poor harbor, whilst Pennsyl-
yunia has neglected good one, aud
hence the present contrast. Whilst it
will not be pretended that our read
asst descends the lakes, it is evident that
it would receive a valuable share. Be-
sides, that vast tonnage, equal to the
whole foreign tonne &c Of all the Atlantic
cities, is composed Of q rich variety, q
portion of which, with equal opportuni-
ties, would seek the Philadelphia mar
ket, If for no other reason than because
the producer would desire to exchange
It for our unqualified manufactures,
machinery, and other articles, which he
would fnd it difficult to obtain else
where.
But the lakes would not be its only
source of patronage. Another, if not
even a greater, would be presented, by
the railroads now in process of construc-
tion from the Ohio line, near Warren
to Dayton, aud another from Kinsman,
in the same State by the Clinton line
route to Fort Wayne, and thence paral-
lei with the Lakes through the entire
breadth of the State of Ohio Indiana,
aud Illinois, the Mississippi River, drain-i
ing a country unsurpassed on the con-
%tinent, in the extent and variety of its
agricultural productions. Both these
vast projects are relying upon the Sun
bury aud Erie through the Venango
Road, for an eastern outlet. These lines
present equal, if not greater, advantages
ia distance from important internal
points of the West, than even the route
by the Lakes, and could not fail to fur
nish a valuable patronage to the pro-
posed road and to the city of Philadel-
phia. By this route the distance from
Cleveland to Philadelphia would be AIS
miles, and to New York, by the way of
Philadelphia, SIS; to New York by
the Albany route, 625 miles, and by the
New York and Eric. 597.
The Allegheny Valley Road, when
constructed to Ridgway, would also be-
a valuable contributor to the local
business of the Sudbury and Erie Road.
It has we are aware, been asserted,
the Sunbury and Erie would have
New York tendencies. Such assertion,
it seems to us, however, must be more
the result of feeling than ofjudgment.-|
It would be difficult to find q reasop for
such q conclusion, unless it be furnished
in the fact, that when our road, with its
and western connections, shall
nave been constructed, fully embracing
the advantages so p~rofusely offered BY
nature, it will present a shorter link be
tween New York and the West, by the
way of PLiladelphia, than is cow fur
by the New York roads. To
this extent its " New York tendencies "
will 90, and no farther. But surely, it
cannot render those dreaded tendencies
stronger than they nov are. With the
Sunbury q d Erie road extended to the
we shall certainly get some of the
trade from that quarter-without it, we
get none. Nor is the objection. that
tonnage aud travel pursuing the Sunbu-
~ and Erie from the West, may diverge
the Catawissa Road. and 60 through
by the Lehigh Valley route to New
York, any more sound for, unless the
Sunbury and Erie be constructed, the
New York destiny Of such business
would be inevitable. As to our own
vast mineral and other productions, no
right-minded man could object to facili-
their transmission to any market,
in or out of the State.
But we would plead for no contracted