Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-04-08


Startiog from the then small inland city
Of Lynohburg, this line was projected through
a rich but mountainous County. without the
attraction Of populous towns or villages
along tue route, aud yet it was carried sue
ces fully through in comparative short
space Of time; and that too, over the Blue
MountaiGs aud the Appalachian ranges with
easy grades. And without the aid OF New
York or Baltimore capital or the assistance
# Eoglsh gold. 1t is due 10 the pereeryeI-
ing energy OF the people III the Sjuth-W est,
that this great work is not in the same con-
di;iOn with too many OF our elder improve
ments, that now languish Tor want Of public
spirit, more than the want OF means, though
tleir completion is of the most vital conse"
sequence to all concerned, and particularly
+ the Safe which, like a steamship at az
Choir, only awaits orders to lire up and sail.
This road passes through, UT drains TWEEN
~ of the richest counties in the Unlun.-
Leaving Campbell, above Lynchburg, it pas
ses through Bedford, proverUial for tobacco
and grain, and enters the Blue Ridge at
Buiord's, emerges into the Valley OF Virgin
ia below Salem; and from thence, il ascends
the Alleghanies to Chrlstlansburg, where Il
touches the great Appalachian coal-feids,
while it skirts almost into Tennessee.
We doubt whether any other road could
be carried across the AlleghanIes, at any
other point between Alabama ami the Lake.,
as Cheap and etfectualiy as this has been
done; we are certain that no locality presents
so many natural advantages. Whether locG-
Ted b. chance, or selected by judic'ous aad
practical meO, it certainly could not be better
located. Were it possible to exchange the
counties of Roanoke, Montgomery, Pulaski.
Wythe, Smyth, and Washington, throu Ih
which 1t passes, after leaving the Blue Noun
t.ins, for the garden spo,S Of the world
from Britain or France, or Saxony, or even
our own great " est, we doubt much, in-
deed, whether or not the exchange would be
profitable. Mountainous aud Appalachian
as those highland COUNTIES are there Is
scarcely an acre Of ground in any one OF
them that will not yield TO the hand OF the
husbAndmeu, or the miner. Unlike almost
any other country ih.ring widely from the
iron, or coal, or copper, or agricultural re-
gionS Of Pennsylvania or New York, or even
Western Virginia, We have prolific fields vi
wheat aud corn 90 inexhaustible beds ot
cJat; we bav. all the Constituents Of iron 10
the same h!l.--lor iron ores AID Goals aud
llme,tcne-, may here DC found III close
proximity, AID the james, the Roanoke, the
New, and the Hol-;pn rivers, spend their
giant strength 10 vain, instead OF treadInI
the mill or blowing the forge. But the
Philosophers stone has heen found in the
hnls 0. Montgomery. We have scen huge
masses OF the black diamOnd-the pure An
thraciie, dug up from the bowels OF The
earth. We know it will change TIE face Of
Nature. All it touches will return tribute
OF gid. All those who possess the tails
manic treasure flourish.
Yet more blcst III other respects, Is this
trusy magnificent region, where copper aud
irJn and coal are drugs, and Limestone hills
ard limestone vai!Ies -fcher than Nv heat
Land" aud more productive than those OF
Lebanon, pa, stretch away from the
! png blue kIt'utiuing, far down into Tennrs-
see. o. one side we nave coal and iron,
and Oh the other we have copper and lead,
aud everywhere we have fields Of wheat and
corn, aud Wand meadows, and highland
pastures: aud yet, PERHAPS, more Pserlpus
than all are the suOterranean fields 0! H;D-
sum and lakes OF Salt that lie beneath the
rugged surfaces OF Snythe and W Washington.
Bat we cannot eaumerate, aud there j. No
cJtnpaTIsou--we challenge the world to pro
duee oil the VariCty~-aii The wealth aCI
areilabIhty-all the grandeur, beauty anu
productions OF this S.OsenOuse vi NIrEihIa.
For the trade Of thls !re,On far down into
tie adjoining States, the Virginia ADD Tea
mes ee road eau have 10 rival; for the Soath,
Western travel, and valuable merchandise,
and the United States mails, she will sOoB
have no profitable competitor. Under lid.
eraI policy that tends to encourage the de
velopment Of her vast mineral resources, ;his
road must as certaiUiy be productive to its
Oanerg, az it will be certain TO pour wealth
into the Golfers of toe State and golden
showers into the laps Of Lynchburg, and
Richm5ud and Norfolk. And, we hope,
Alexandra.
but IT mas the power to mOnopolize. and
is a dangerous power, II carried
too far, since a young trade, though groS!ns
and thriving ct preaent, may be crippled
and s;unted IN its infancy and male power
less to rise. lis interests, however, will not
Uc ciCi iuCEu Wy IuIuOuo 4l'o' ~ N"S - -
not possible that the men who planned and
execu;e1 this work, shall lack judgment u
discriminate between the two eztrcmcs--ruln
to the trade, or bankruptcy 70 the rood.
Tne Virginia and Tennessee Railroad IS
2O4 miles Ia length aud i.S cost about 81
600 900. Ii has but lately been completed,
aud its connections at the terminus, with the
Tennessee and Kentucky Roads, arc not yet
made, but its Southern counecton with len
nessee, Aabama, Mississip pl, and much OF
the South and Yves! may reasonably be ex'
pected during the present season.
Is receipts are now over half a million
per gnnum, without the full benefits ot Its
Southern CONNECTIONS, and without the as-is-
lance Of its immense mineral resources, the
development OF which has scarcely Jet be-
gun UndeT such circumstances, may we
not justly conclude, that lis prospects are
fatteriug.
The Influence Of this road in promoting
the growth aud prosperity Of Lynchhurg.
end, indeed, the whole country through
W hich it runs, can scarcely now be caIcu.
lated.
We will merely take a glance q, the cou0-
ties through which it runs, or whose produce
il drains, and we shall have another irTesis-
BILE lrgument 10 favor OF internal ImfrJye-
meets.
In 1850, the taxable value Of land 10 those
counties, az taken from the CENSUS, Was 32S,-
J42 f47-aud in 1856 the State assessment
=. GEg OIL 900 - an IA