The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-01-20
Covington and Ohio Railroad-James
and Kanawha Improvement, &c.

Welearn from authority entitled 10 credit,
that in Western Virginia an excellent spirit
exists in reference to the first named OF these
great works. A company, rich and powerful
Is negotiating already for its construction, and
there is more than a reasonable hope--there Is
almost a certainty-that their terms Will be
accepted Next to the water line, this Is the i'm
proyement of or eatest consequence TO Virginia.
But the two ought not to be separated, or placed
in antagonism TO each other. The railroad is,
In truth, the helpmate of the canal. All the
lighter freight which requires quick move.
ment, which pays for railroad transportation,
and which cannot wait for the slower motions
of the canal, will pass along the Covington
and Ohio and Virginia Central railroads,
There is every prospect that the TWO com
binsd will do an enormous business i'll the way
of freight In the way of travel, If the rail
road be worked iudiciously, and be not killed
MP by high charges, we know Of no line which
ought to surpass 1t. 1t is the nearest route to
Washington, and even to New York of all the
lines proposed or constructed, from nearly all
the principal cities of the West; from Louis
VILE for instance, from Cincinnati from st.
Louis and, we believe from Chicago also. 1t
has been graded the whole distance from
Coyington to the Ohio, and is the most admira-
BILE mount tain track in the world. The grades
nowhere exceed twenty-nine and half feet
q fact without precedent, SO far as we have
ever heard, in a country mountainous and SO
Distracted with rocks, precipices and water
falls.
There exists also in the Legislature OF
Western Virginia, and among the people, a
desire TO carry out the contract with Messrs.
Ballot DE MISIEREs & Go. for completing the
water line TO the Ohio; SO that We may look
upon that affair AS already fayorably settled.
We have heard nothing very lately from these
gentlemen; but from the extreme anxiety
manifested by them to commence operations
up to the time we did hear of them, we doubt
not they will commence as soon rs they posi-
bly can Doubts have been raised OF late, by
persons profoundly ignorant of the subject,
40 to the feasibility of the proposed work
but the engineers who know most about IL
have no doubt whatever. Indeed, Ii COM
pany have plenty of money, they can over.
come any physical difficulty whatever
Whether they will do so or not, depends
enureiy upon the profit In prospect Now, no
pubhc work mat ever existed on paper or in
mct ever offered such prospect as the water
line, combined with the Covington and Ohio
railroad. We have often had occasion IN sna.L
Of tbs enormous body Of coal'locked mn
In the mountains of Western Virginia. and
wanting nothing but the means OF transporta.
tion 70 circulate all through the United States
and even abroad through Il large portion of
continental Europe. Scarcely less abundant
- the iron which peryades the whole noun
tsin region, In somequarters oyerrunnng and
taxing possession Of the hills. The article of
petroleum 10 also particularly abundant. One
county alone 10 said TO have Melted mil
lions OF dollars by IL. Now, railroads and
canals are known TO stimulate production
above every other appliance that can be made
ioa country. Taks all these things into con-
ssdsrafion, and we'are prepared 10 show that
thsse two improvements combined--even IL
lsAS s&sets were eoanasa 70 virginia slope.