Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-04-02
For the Eng uire,
For u
LETTERS,
oy7sE IMPROVEMENTS, RESoURcEsIHD CON
MERGE OF VIRGINIA.

pIcrIvE.-LETTER VI. CONTINUED.
We are not disposed to eu!og:se the great onio or
Central route or the Virginia aud Tennessee merely
for an enoomiun that will not apply to sll1 scarce
~ Apply separately or to one. Yet on those tr0
great routes depend the future commercial prosperity
of the State, aud consequently the trade OF the lat
tsrsl and connecting roads. Both Of those routes
With their connections, pass through the entire State
and through region of unparalleled richness, termi
mating on the borders of aourishing states' whose
boundless growth of trade await On exit through 'ir
ginis.
But, though tho future commercial prosperity OF
Virginia mainly depends on the gathering foHehsr OF
the river trade and the drainsge of the Wastsrn
sbapnels of commerce, which, frst or p.ellm'
nary STEP depends on a ohesp rate trdn'H to oom'
pets with the long established Northern avenu's-if
is equally as important to the people and the state'
that its innate its industrial resources, shouid Dc de
veloped; and how can this be done without Inc ne-
oessary means Of cheap transit from tho ol'tsnt pro-
ducers TO the consumersi Or how can 1t oe enectn'
sIly done without rail roads1 People cannot now
roll their tobacco hogsheads from the plantations OF
the Dan to the osure pots OF trade, over mud turn
mixes or corderoy roads, could the capitol OF Vir
einia enjoy the trade of her richest valley, without
our Central road; for, without It, the country West
of the Blue Mountains would be more the dependant
of Baltimore commercially speaking, Its territory
Fvan under tbe Argus eyed watchfuness of our State
guardians, the Briaresn arms Of that adventurous
and thriving city Of the Bay are stretched over our
hills and vsllies, graspng and yet eager to grasp
the fruits Of our neglect, and If they do not defend
g we'll as watch our interests in that quarter, not
only the "Pan. handle" but much Of the pan too,
will become the goods and chattels' OF Baltimore
But directing our attention to the Virginia Central
route to the Ohfo and tracing It's long line from the
CAPITOL through the auriferous aud agricultural re-
ciops of Eastern virglnia-tbrought the Blue Ridge
with ts veins Of copper and lead, and even the ar
seuterous Ores into the valley beyond-that garden
~ the state-snd still on into the mountains Of coal
and iron above over vales and bill and highland pas
until the great dividing ridge is reached and
than down into the vast and undeveloped region be-
vond-that terrs.incognita of Western Virginia.
vbsre, however, it s known that nature has slowed
away In CLOSE proximity her coal and her ,ron' her
,au and her OIL in quantities sufficient to meet the
demands of TINE. Here our attention might Dc
stsd. and this might be our ultima thule. We might
write fns and ne plus ultra atsthe same time, and
might not even look beyond, yet our labor would %
rewarded ten.fold though the porld Of the wet was
still before US, and the trade of an unlimited and
mighty region was beyond.
Though this line was not originally located az
route to the West, and takes round about way
svep to reach the Valley of Virginia, circumstance
much TO bs dsplored. since 1t ipjures the lnleresn
of a narsllel road for some distance, as we'll as It's
I, opens ont the resources Of country that would
o.hsrw;se be reproductive. An engineer might not
aven take the proposed air line from Richmond TO
Charlottesville, and then through the pass OF the
R,,s Rdo. by Stauuton, in order to reach Coving-
ton: but after ALL important advantages are secured
by this liue to Richmond and the country through
which it runs, that would otherwise DO lost and yst
the desired end might not be more satisfactorily
reached.
Wa do not advocate this route, because OF any nj.
turs advantage Of route distance, but because Is
evidently the best under the circumstances There can
bs but little doubt that Lynchburg will apply fox a
norton Of that rail rosd traffic both by Buchanan ind
the Nes river at some future day. But before taat
time arrives, the Central road will have more thai it
can dol) The Central, both below snd above the Bue
Ridge, drains vast territory rich in agricultural Ind
mineral wealth. If we take the air Inc for eIan,e,
Il will compare favorably with the Reading Fail
Road which penstrstss into country not richer in
sois or In minerals than that rayersed by the SHIRT
ont of the Central Yet along ts route popuous s'd
wealthy ci,iee have grown up, and like the fabld
Titan of old, with his hundred hands, this great rod
now puts forth it's hundred branches or feeders inS
and vallies of GOAL that rise above aud sink ,e'
low it, Northwestern termini dragging out their way
vtals to enrich Philadelphia. 1t would be saying mae
than We could substanta,e, to assert that the mon-
tains above Staunton as rich in mineral fuel IS
those at Pottevis in Pennsylvsna,at the head Of tie
Beading Road but We hazard nothing in maintain
| Ing that the mountain region west of the Valley,
richer here than there. They have an abundance d
coal for transportation it 10 true, but their fo
manufacturing purposes are limited. Here we hsw
an abundance Of ores and plenty Of coal, both Al
thracite and Bituminous, for manufactures Of th,
most extensive kind We do not, therefore, need th,
second sight" or prophetic vision, to predict tina,
the great bulk of the local trade Of the Central, will
be the product Of the mines instead Of the soil,
the farm and that Richmond will yet profit as much
through the Central Philadelphia has through her
| Reading Road, which now pours it's millions Of tons
of freight into that city, and takes back millions Of
dollars worth Of merchandise yearly. in return. No
other line terminating in the city Of Richmond
except the James River and kanawha Canal,
can possibly contribute SO largely to her growth
and prosperity. 1t now constitutes her the
grainsry Of q large agricultural region, and
WILL when the treasures Of It's mountain territory IL
developed, pour those treasures into her lap, while
the rich and most valuable articles Of freight, and
likewise travel, that must come BY rail road from the
rivers of the West, centres in Richmond. But the
reights that market for sale, and consequent
ly leaves their per centsge for commissions in the
hands Of the merchants, not the only sources Of
profit that arises from trade. The carrier must be
paid and the labor Of trsnshpping and handling,
gives employment to thousands who must lives and
all Of these, including the producers. como to the
merchant for bis wares and his merchandise. The
trade that goes into young and growing region like
the great West s equal to the trade that come from
IT. the import freight is equal in value to the e1.
port; while both pays to the trader merchant, its
commissions.
The Central road is now completed to Jsckaon's
River. or within nine miles of Covineton, being 1875
miles from Richmond, or more than half way to the
head OF steamboat navigation OH the Ksnswha-
leaving only l59 miles to be built to that point.
The cost Of the road, including equipment and real
estate ia IS 2a5 Sol, or little over 81 900 per mile.
The gross receipts of the road for 1857 s5iOOOO,
and Its expenses s32O,OOO-lsaving enough, however,
to pay interest on its debts and considerable sum
towards its further progress. This is not bad for
here we have road not yet half finished, which Is
actuslly helping 10 build itself When this road is
finished to the Ohio, we may reasonably anticipate
from the practical experience OF others ten fold in
crease from through freight aud travel alone, indie
pendent Of corresponding increase OF local traffic
Thus the road ought to be profitable investment to
;hs stockholders as we'll as to the city Of Richmond
Let us look at it now as means to deveope the in
ternsl wealth Of the State in regard 10 revenue. or
the consequent increasa Of nropertY and availability.