Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-09-16
THE NORFOLK AND PETERSBURG RAILWAY
To Tic Editors OF Tie Enquirer:
NoprN,r Itp.rx,. Js.u


hGr great interior railway system. The
pleasure Of railroad iaunt is thing not
Ken spoken CT ROW that the track and ma.
chihery oi these corporations have, in many
cases become Is ricketty and dilapidated as
their hnances But in this case the expression
is strictly applicable Fancy line eighty
miles long. practically dead level throughout
having at one terminus only short ascent Of
Sc feet to the mile; iitty.two miles of the dis.
tance without single curve, and but two. Of
radius so great as not apprcciably TO retard
train in Seycntv-thrce miles: gauge Of five feet;
a rail weighing siXtyiye pounds to the yard;
bridges OF iron and granite; and telegraph cx-
tending its guardian lines over the whole
Such line, marked throughout by complete
ness, solidity, durabillty-cverv quality, in
short, that can secure speed, safety and cheap
ness of freight CARRIAGES worthy keystone
to the arch Of Nirginia'S internal improve
mcnts. and fit to bear the tide of wealth she
has (profcsscdly) been so long endeayoring TO
concentrate at mart within her own borders
Forced, by the apathy of the people along
the route. and by an unfortunate and mistaken
jealousy on the part Of sister communities, alike
interested in the matter 10 rely entirely on her
own resources, with the usual aid from tho
State, Norfolk has shown no little spirit and
energy in the accomplishment Of this work. !
believe the instance TO be unique in our State
Richmond, Lynchburg. Petersburg and others
of our towns deserve great credit for efforts Of
the same kind But in no case did either Of
them stand alone. More or less OF substantial
sympathy and aid were always extended to them
from counties. towns, and individuals without
| their limits | note this in 10 invidious mood,
for no man would more sincerely rejoice TO see
the fortunes Of all our cities at doodtide but
simply as evidence that Norfolk is not so devoid
| Of enterprise and sell.rcl;ance as she is some
times pronounced.
The results Of the few months which have
elapsed since the opening Of the road tend
strongly to forcsay its complete success, and
/ its great ultimate value 10 the State at large.
| Viewed askancc from the beginning by other
roads. and even ridiculed By some Of its natural
friends. it has literally fought its way TO favor
and respect 1t has already secured n consde-
rabe share of the through travel from Rich
mond, and points beyond, TO Norfolk.
For this it has had to compete with steam
boats, generally accounted the most cheap and
pleasant means of travelling. While the fine
James river boats will, beyond doubt, be well
supported by local travel, they must prepare
themselves to part with a much Increased share
of the other branch Of their business. W thin
few davS-pcrhapS before these words are IN
prnt-a through ticket will be established be-
tween Richmond and Norfolk. Passengers will
then, leaving Richmond at about the same hour
with the boat, reach Norfolk five or six hours
sooner, and at an expense, all items considered,
but few cents greater. Leaving Norfolk, on
the other hand. after an early dinner, they may
take tea with friend Ballard or ut Ashland, on
their rapid way northward. So with those
who select the bracng and enjoyable sea route
to New York. Avoiding the tedious trip up
and down the James river. intcrsperscd ~ 1t Il
with groundings they will take or leave the
steamer at Norfolk The steamship line itsel!
will thus he benefited, by escaping the draw
backs Of the river portion Of the route. The
public will give it credit for greater speed.
regularity and certainty. With the aid OF
the new steamer the Yorktown, and the crea-
! ton of q through ticket to Lynchburg ard
| Memphis, it will, beyond doubt, have n patron
! age beyond any past calculations, and will ulti-
mately become daily line. 1t will help to
draw Western and South Western passengers
from Charleston; since, while short ocean
route is an agreeable ,ntcrludc, long one is
ANYTHING else. Between Norfolk and New
York but one night is spent ut sea-between
the latter point and Charleston, three. The
run between New York ard Norfolk can be
made in % or % hours. The jamestown has
| done it, At this rate, travellers would gam
some 80 hours. or GOO miles of rail roading
| Coming by Norfolk, they would reach Chat!a-
noosa by the time others leaving New York at
! the same hour would land at Charleston.
| have hitherto been speaking OF travel alone.
The Atlantic end Of any great Eastern and
, Western railroad must be not less available Tor
! frc:hts Viewed in this light, the Norfolk and
Petersburg road is decidedly and notorlouSly
crior-imconparably So if We exclude the
! Hudson River road, TO the corresponding por-
, ton Of any of these great avenues oi trade-
Contrast it with the eighty miles Of the Balt'.
more and Ohio road east of Harpers Ferry.
with their grades of cghty.six feet and curves
of four hundred feet Or extend the contrast
| and take in two hundred miles instead ol eighty,
from Piedmont to Baltimore rCrSuS from Lynch
burg to Norfolk. That brings in the very
finest part of the Baltimore road-thc saving
clause of the concern, without which IT
could no more carry coal than 1t could
carry Caucasus, and yet the superiority
remains on our side Go OF TO the Tennessee
line or to Guyandotte and to Bcnwood, and
that superiority remains incontcstibe over
and above this superiority of grade and dl-
rcctness, the Virginia line has an addltiona!
one over oil but that OF New York. mea:i
thc aid for heavy freight of canal and tide
water transportation Of for 800 miles, nearly
naralle with the rail and having the same east
ern terminus. Bulky articles. which cannot
bear railroad tolls even at the lowest figure,
NAV be transferred from the cars 10 the boat
at Lynchburg, at Petersburg, or at Richmond,
and towed to Norfolk by steam. Canal and
railroad would then labor together for the
general good No longer internecinc compc,i-
tors, we should see them, like the cities they
connect bound together in 4 common interest
and throwing into the lap Of the Common
wealth a torrent Of trade and treasure tiye-iold
that they are now squabbling over.
The Norfolk and Petersburg, the South
side, and the Virginia and Tennessee compa-
MES ought to be consolidated. They could bs
then operated with vastly more economy,
profit, and public advantage. No local interest
need suffer On the contrary, all, or nearly
all would in the end gain. Lynchburg and
Petersburg would see ten times rs much
freight and travel brought to their doors. " neat
would be cheapened. and much enlarged IN
spnnlv n the Richmond mills. SO to her
other manufacturers. would the command Of
raw material be increased. Everything on
which her prosperity really and permanently &c
nonds would receive new impulse. There
, might be few Yankee schooners the less at
her. wharves, though that is far from being GER
tain. The three steamers week that carry
her her trade to Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New
York, might be supplanted by others, which
would only carry it down James River TO q
Virginia city. onc-third as remote. But sho
would lose no valuable business she has now.
The Danville road would bring her more
passengers and more freight than II does no" or
is likely to do under existing circumstances.
The Central road will give her its annually
growing tribute. She would haze. in short, no
new enemy and no new difficulty TO appreheho,
while all her solid resources would oe ra'hef
IL Ln..roSScl