Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1857-03-07
npmchburo Cfraintan.
saturday Morning. March =. 1851.



We are much graiifed to tnd ihs; our friend.
in the Southwestern counties ere abau, to make
efforts 70 preserve the charter granted by The
Legislature in March 1850, for the organization
OF company 10 construct what is known as the
Cumberland Gap Railroad. We regard this as
the most important Tailsay now TO be butt IN
Virginia and ne do trust that energetic efforts
will be made 10 comply with those requirement.
Of the charter. upon which depend the State
subscription Of three ffths of the capital requiF
ed TO build this road II we mistake not, a rosie
for this road was surveyed in 1853, by order Of
the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad Company,
and pronounced highly favourable; and the length
ofthe road found not to exceed one hundred and
thirty miles We think the report suggested
that it was probable more careful e1am'nsiion
of the country might lead TO the location OF
shorter line.
IL ,b;. line Of road were constructed and hen
.nckv should connect her Improvements with Il
a, Cumberland Gap. she vii most certainly
ia the distance from Nol foik 10 Louisville tronia
1, 5., s,rsa Aaaarsd ard nineteen aiiss; from
Louisville to City Point. SIX hundred and fifty
three mics: from Louisville to Lynchburg. h'e
hundred and nineteen miles.
The tide water connection between the upper
and lower James river. e, Richmond. beng CON
pleted. a canal barge oaa pass from Lynehbafg
to Norfolk. as tie canal boats are now ioWed tn
New York, which pass into the Hudson riTer at
Albany.
|. weall seem from these facts, there is no
reasonable doubt. that if the read from Abingdon
TO Cumberland Gap were commenced. Kentucky
would surely do her part in uniting the lower
y.lley Of the Ohio river with the hai Dor of Nor
folk Should this expectation be realised and
read Of seventy miles in length be made from a
poin, opposite Louisville 10 Vernon on the Ohio
q Mississippi Railroad, continuous line of rail
way would be established from Norfolk to Chi
cago. as drec, as any line of the same extent in
the Union. The vast importance Of such line
Of fatercommunication considered either com
mercially. socially or politically, must be nppa-
rent to every enlightened citizen Of the Union
and we. therefore. do not permit ourselves 10
doubt that in very few years We shall see the
products of the Northwest. as well a. those OF the
Valley Of the Mississippi passing through our
city to all the marts Of commerce OF the world,
But if the Cumberland Gap railroad be viewed
d
as any line Of road yet TO be constructed IN the
State. as it will be the line Of transit for all the
Tonnage Of one of the most fertile districts Of the
STATE There is one feature in the soil OF the
counties tributary to the Cumberland Gap rond.
says Col. Garrett IN his report. which vii prove
most important when they become fully settled
opened The mountains are rich 10 'heir sum
mts The soil the very tops Of the noun
tains is Of most extraordinary fertility the
Bucl eye. Of large size, and Lynn are found at
the highest elevations. The valleys are long
and very rich. Lee county now sells 10000
hogs, $500 cattle, and large number Of horses
annually bot this gives u most inadequate idea
Of the capacity Of The county for production
when a railroad shall deyelope it, resources. In
the northwestern States II il admitted as set
tied fact, tha railroad through any district Of
rich land. will pay III per cent oni,s cost. From
alItbe information we have on the subject.
have no hesitation in saying that there Is no land
in Ohio richer than much of the land along the
line Of the proposed RailWay.
Bot it is no; proper that in regarding this as
local improvement. we should exclude from our
view the contiguous country in Kentucky and
Tennessee. because, If the connection With the
Ohio should not DO established, the Cumberland
Gap railroad will ai;rae, much tonnsge, outside
Of Virginia, from all Of that region the products
Of which formerly passed through Cumberland
Gap TO the Atlantic markets. some idea may
be formed Of the fertility Of the country, when
We consider tina, there passed annually through
Cumberland Gar. b.Jore the trade ras direrted
10 the Mississippi paiiey, one hundred thousand
hogs, thirty FIVE thousand cattle, and large
number Of horses and nules and even now, the
number is about forty thousand hogs, and from
twelve to fifteen thousand cattle. We. there.
fore. think-viewed either as a local enterprise
or as great national work-the Cumberland
Gap railroad is of the utmost importance, and
should commend itself 10 the favorable conside-
ration of the capitalists of the country.
The Atlantic Telegraph Bill