The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1865-11-17
The Cumberland Gap Rail Road.


As it was due to the liberality and energy
of few citizens of Norfolk, that contract
was made to complete the James River and
Kanawha Canal to the Ohio River, we had
fondly hoped that this great work would be
the first to open up the trade of the West to
Virginia. We find that in this our hopes are
doomed to disappointment. The Richmond
Times OF Wednesday contains an interesting
article on the completion of the Cumberland
Gap Railroad, and says
The important link destined first to connect
in the bonds of commerce, Virginia and her
sister States of the West, is line of railroad
to be run westwardly from Bristol, Tennessee,
through Cumberland Gap, styled the Cumber-
land Gap railroad. The late war, whieh alone
has prevented its completion, has also preven-
ted its importance from rising into notice.
The Cumberland Gap railroad is to be one
hundred and twenty miles in length, and at the
time of the commencement of hostilities be-
tween the North and South, was under contract
throughout its entire ZENITH, considerable por-
ton having been graded before the work was
stopped by the troubles of the country.
The importance of this road to our State
cannot be overestimated, since in addition to
putting us in direct communication with the
meat and grain regions Of Kentucky, Ohio, In
diana and Illinois, and opening to the farm
ers and grazers of the western prairies the
shortest route to the ocean, it will run through
the fertile counties of extreme northwestern
Virginia, opening to them for the first time,
market for their produce. Hitherto and at pres
ent these counties have been forced by absence
Of communication to convert their superabun-
dance Of grain into stock to be driven over a
difficult country to distant markets. This road
will put them within forty -eight hours of Rich
mond and Alexandria. The contractors, whose
operations were stopped by the war claim
that their contracts are still valid and are pre-
pairing to fulfil them and it is confidently ex-
pected that the road will be completed in the.
course of the next two years. The mention
Of Alexandria reminds lis that energy and en-
terprise on the part of our merchants, and a
liberal policy on the part of our eastern rail-
| roads and the James river canal will be ne
| cessary to prevent the immense trade to be
opened up by this railroad from being diverted
| northward from Lynchburg. 1t would Doubt
less be absurdly premature to agitate this sub
ject at present, had our city not already dur
ing the brief period that has elapsed since the
close of the war suffered heavily by the mar
row policy of our public works connecting us
with the west. We have freights from Balti-
more destined for southwestern Virginia car
ried by rail from Alexandria to Lynchburg
for less than they could be transported by ca
nal between Richmond and Lynchburg If
more enlarged views are not to prevail with
those in charge of our public lines of commu-
nication, all our advantages of position will
avail us nothing. We hope, however, that a
new era is dawnirg upon us, and that the adj
vanced spirit of the age will at length pene-
trate the minds of boards of directors and
presidents of our lines of internal improve
ment.
1t affords us pleasure to be thus able to re-
fresh the memory of our readers in regard to
| the completion of this important work. In
/ reading the article from the Times, we Were
struck with the fact that it utterly ignores the
| existence Of such place as Norfolk in the
| State of Virginia, and also forgets to mention
our direct railroad communication with Brs-
| toll, Tennessee, and hence Immediately connect
ing lis with this Cumberland Gap road and
| the Ohio river. We are glad to find that the
Times does not look upon the Norfolk route
| as antagonistic to the interests of Richmond
1 1t at least forbears to mention it, We trust
3 new era is dawing upon the State; we hope
hereafter, in chronicling the legislation of the
/ State, we shall find it characterized by liber-
atty as broad as the Commonwealth, and that
henceforth our internal improvement system
will steer clear of metropolitan Capitalization