Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-04-17
For the Vindicator.
COyingtOn and Ohio Rail Road.

Covington and Ohio Rail Road,
I propose making a few remarks about
the Gown gton & Ohio Railroad It has re-
ceived an appropriation Of $500, 900, but
the money is yet to be raised, not only the
$500, 900, but some $l2, 600 ,0CO before it
reaches it's destination Other railways have
for years been claiming their advantages,
thereby attracting public attention. Why
should not the Coyipgton g. Olio-the main
artery of Virginia leading from the Ohio to
tide water?
These interests and friends should be Sc
cured before they are permanently diverted;
the next Legislature will give $1,000, 600
instead Of $500, 000. The road will scon
be inished, and the increased tonnage it
will carry to tide water will 5000 start lines
of steamers and Eropellers direct from the
Chesapeake to Europe. Ihope in this let
ter to give you some arguments that will
advance the cause. I do 50 because you
say your paper is devoted to the Internal
improvements Of Virgins.
The earnings Of this road between Big
Sandy and Richmond will equal 81 900, 900.
The New York Central receipts, last year,
we're S8,0O0,O00, and are constantly in
creasing. This road may not have 30 many
passengers but will be more important
freight road. At least 2,000,0 900 tons Of
through and way freight will pass over the
Covington & Ohio and Virginia Central !;
and the canal to and from tide water, worth
$50 per ton, equal 800, 100000. The
commission, disposal Of, and selling Of this
amount of produce, animals, manufactures
and merchandise mnst increase the wealth
and rrosrerity Of Virginia. In my opinion,
tue Coyington 4 Ohio has position equal
to any road in the entire Union.
Commencing at the Ohio river it follows
with gentle grades and curves, the valleys
Of the Kanawha, the New and the Green
bricr rivers, thence crosses gap IN the
Alleghanies near the White Sui. Springs in
Greenbrier county, Virginia, at an eleva-
ton Of but 2O64 feet above tide water. It
then descends to the town Ct Covington. in
Allegheny county total length n! miles,
average rise and fall only 13 f., minimum
curve 900 feet Radius. For minutia of
gra'es and curves, (see the report Of Mr..
G. B. Fisk, Chief Engineer,) Covington
will soon be the termination Of the Virginia
Central Railroad, also Of the James River
Canal, both leading from tide water at Rich
mond. The railroad by way Of Charlottes-
vile and Stanton, the canal BY Lynchburg
and Buchanan, the increased business and
receipts, brought to the Railroad and canal,
will reduce their present charges on freight
and passengers at least one-haf, fur the
greater the tonnage the lower will be the
charges. The good effect Of this reduction
in prices will be felt along tbs line Of the
railroad and canal 40 miles in the interior.
/ claim that mere through freight from
the West, will seek the Covington II Ohio
Railroad than any road North Of it, All the
cities on the Atlantic coast from Portland to
Norfolk, receive their Western freight from
the section Of country bounded by the Lakes
on the North, the Valley of the Mississippi
on the West, and tie Tennessee River on
the South.
There is portion of this country to which
Virginia offers the cheapest, shortest, and
quickest transit 1t is contained within the
following boundaries Please look at your
map. You will notice that lice drawn
! from Point Pleasant to Chillicothe, Zenia,
and Dayton, in Ohio, and continued through
the middle Of Indiana and Illinois to Keo-
kuck, and along the Desmoins River makes
the Northern boundary line,
| The western boundary Of this country is
drained by the Valley Of the Missouri. in
Guiding also, the Valley Of the Mississippi
to the mouth of the Ohio.
The Southern boundary is line from
Cairo, at the mouth Of the Ohio, to Nash
vile and Knoxville, Tennessee. and con-
tinued to Charlotte in North Carolina, and
Norfolk, Virginia. A great portion Of the
freight from the Western and Southern
boundary line, that now goes to New Or
leans, and seaports on the Gulf Of Mexico,
would come through Virginia if her inn
provemcnts were completed for the trip :; by
the Mississippi, the Gulf Of Mexico. Gulf
Stream, and Cape Hatteras, is long and
dangerous there arc also objections to SEN
ding grain, and -four, to New Orleans,
whereas, the Richmond brand is famed 81!
over the world
What am now writing, has been said
to you years since, but thinking you would
like it demonstrated, l will give you the
distances, time, and cost, to the different
seaports, to make good my saying that
Virginia offers the best route 70 the sea-
board.
A few figures can do no harm and are
much better than mere assertion. will
Eoccupy your time few minutes, giving ex-
anples of the charges, on through freight
on different roads, and their earnings, and