The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-03-30

in the valley of the Ohio, it keeps on
the inner rim of the bituminons coal
deposits, in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West
Virginia, Kentucky, Michigan and H.
linos. Hence, if these deposits can be
reached, (Which is yet experimental }
the sole benefit of this commerce will
inure to tbcso States.
The central West is the depository
Of bitumious coal, probably the most
valuable clement for the arts, and the
comforts Of life which the earth con-
tains. On her coal mines England has
built up her manufactures and her
commerce, and on these vast beds of
bituminous coal in the Valley of the
Ohio will be built up arts, manufac-
lures, cities and commerce, which will
rival anything the earth has secn.-
Here, too, are the main deposits of salt.
Western Virginia, Western Pennsyl-
vania and Eastern Ohio contain the
great supply of salt water for the Val
ley of the Mississippi. Here, too, are
the best varieties of iron; and here,
too, are navigable waters, which ex-
tend through thirty thousand miles. of
coast, which is at every principal point,
in connection with twelve thousand
miles of railroad.
Amidst those incalculable elements
of productive industry and commercial
wealth, agriculture has been almost the
only branch Of business which has
been thoroughly developed, and this
has not halfreached its ultimate pro
ductiveness. But we see the result
We see that the exports of the Central
West TO Europe already exceed one
hundred millions per annum, with nc
immediate limit to either the capacity
for production or the demand from
abroad.
The war has also taught the West
some other matters of commercial i'm
portance. The railroads to the North.
west have doubled their business and
their profits. The Mississippi has been
made to run upward. The immense
mass of products which formerly de-
scended the Mississippi, from Ohio, In
diana, Illinois, Kentucky and Missou-
ri, being cut off from that course by
the rebellion began to flow over the
railroads of the West to the Northern
Atlantic. Every pound Of freight ear
ried between the Mississippi and the
Atlantic had to pass through Ohio
Ohio is the great gateway between the
Atlantic and Mississippi. Her three
thousand miles of railroad have been
crowded with business; and the pro,
prietors of the principal lines reaped
unprecedented profits. At the conclu-
sion of the war this flow of business on
railroads will not increase so rapidly,
but the produce and commercial agents
having got accustomed to this route,
and learned tho superiority of North
ern markets, the main body of the bu,
siness willcontinue in its present chan.
mel, and whatever may be said Of
others, the railroad proprictors Of Ohio
have found thiswar very profitable.
We have now come to another ele.
ment of Commercial revolution in the
Valley of Ohio. The war produced
emancipation in West Virginia, and in
very brief period emancipation viii
follow in Kentucky and Tennessec.-
Slavery has deprived Kentucky of ,
million of inhabitants, and Tennessee
of as many. Tho great tide of immi
grafton which foi fifty years has flow
ed through the Valley Of the Ohio, ha.
steadily kept on the north bank of the
river. Across the Ohio the black form
of slavery stared every freeman in the
face; and though every statesman, ant
all the clergy thl ough orators, politi
clans and news papers should asser
that slavery was 3 good, divine anC
a humane institution, yet the freemer
will not 90 there. In 1915 Kentucky
stood side by side with Ohio. To-day
she is a million and a-hulf of people
behind; but this Question need not bC
discussed. The drcrco of fate is pas
which c9neigns slavery to an eterna
death. With freedom will come tn,
migration of frecmcn to that grea
country, which, though mountainous
is the finest mining and manufacturing
country on tie continent, comprehend
ing East Kentucky, Eastern Tenncs
see, Western Virginia, West Nortl
Carolina and Northern Georgia. The
: armies which crushed slavery, hav'
not trod that country in vain. Its hill
and valleys and mines are marked on
for the future labor and enterprise
The petroleum hunters are there al
ready, and that development Of natur
al resources, which we have waitec
half a century forin vain, will nov
begin, and go on with almost the rapi,
growth of California. Thus we SC
that with the political a2d moral re
.volution, which has gone on the South
ern side of the Ohio, will comea grea
commercial revolution, which will
signalizc the new growth and prospect
ty of the West. L. D. NJ.
: Cincinnati, March 13, 1865.
GUERRILLA DolNGs.--A poorwomal
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