The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-08-08
The Cumberland Gap and Bristol Rail-
road Connection.
Conclusion of Report of Colonel Hugheu.l


from Louisville to Grab Orchard; and an eu-
ergetic and influential company of engineers
and contractors have proposed to run rail-
rold southwark from Cincinnati or LeXing
ton, as may be determined, to such terminus
below the Cumberland Mountains as may be
agreed upon, on condition that the cities and
counties interested will make up bonus Of
two millions of dollars to ensure remuneration
for their labor One half of this sum has been
assessed to Cincinnati, which has given as
surance that it will be cheerfully and promptly
supplied. Indeed, | am Informed that but for
constitutional inhibition of the State of Ohio
the whole two million would be voted by the
people of that city. Whether this road will
pass Cumberland Gap, or some more western
depression of the Cumberland Mountain, is
not yet settled. | have done all in my power
to convince the public mind of Cincinnati
that the interests of that city require that
Cumberland Gap should be made point in
the line Amongst other steps taken in this
behalf, last Fall addressed letter to the
President of the Chamber Of Commerce of
that city on this important subject a copy of
which is appended.
At the instance of the people Of Bristol and
Goodson, also visited Cincinnati last winter
anu III pelSOli, pun tuO lodulH,
of the city, the merits Of the Cumberland Gap
route. | was encouraged by this visit to
hope and believe that our wishes in this
regard will be realized | trust that a strong
delegation will be sent by all the Virginia
cities and roads interested in CIR enterprise
to Cincinnati and Louisville on this subject.
! do not, however, consider it absolutely
vital to the interests Of our own road, that the
i,,4, |, l.
should actually reach Cumberland Gap. In
any event, it will approach so aear that point
as to render its connection with Cumberland
Gap question of only few miles. | can
hardly conceive how men Of shrewdness and
intelligence, charged with the important roads
leading in that direction, can fail to see the
paramount importance of this connection with
Bristol, IN preference to any connection more
southwark or westward. Cumberland Gap
gives continental importance to any road
from Kentucky terminating there. If the
road passes any more western gap of the
mountain, it sinks by that fact into mere
local concern.
perseyerlng effort has been made to OBJ
tain the help of Cincinnati, in behalf OF a
road from Lexington, Kentucky to Knoxville
looking ultimately to Charleston, South Caro-
lima. | believe that this proposition finds
much favor III Lexington and Central Ken
lucky. The project woald be but an extern
sion of the Covngton and Lexingt, railroad,
and is therefore chiefly favored by the inter
est connected with that road Put became
satisfied while in Cincinnati, that the prefer
ences OF the intelligent men Of that city We're
in favor of a new and independent road up
the eastern bank of the Licking river through
Barboursville to Cumberland Gap; or, at least,
of a road which shall branch off from the
Covngton and Lexington road at Paris, and
pass through Barboursville and Cumberland
Gap and to Bristol or Morristown, or both.
The advantage of this route over that by
way OF Knoxville, even if Charleston be the
ult innate destination, will be 81 miles in dis
lance; and it will also at Cumberland Gap,
put Cincinnati by means OF our road, in con-
nection with Norfolk and the Virginia har-
bors. The respective distances from CiRcin-
natl to Charleston by way Of Knoxville and
by way oil Cumberland Gap, are as follows:
DISTANCE FROM CHARLESTON To CINcIN-
NATI, VIA THE VALLEY OF THE FRENCH
BROAD RIVER
From Charleston to Columbia $50 miles.
g Columbia to Ashvlle..............167
g Ashyile to Cumberland Gap........138
g Lexington to Cincinnati. .....,....... SO &c
Charleston to Cincinnati. $50 g
DISTANCE FROM CHARLESTON TO CINCINNATI.
VIA THE BLUE RIDGE Is. c,) RAILROAD AND
KNOXVILLE.
From Charleston to Columbia. 1870 miles.
" Columbia to Anderson. ..............l27
" Anderson to Knoxville. ............-.195
Knoxville to Danville, Ky...........lS3 g
+" Danville to Cincinnati. .....,........l35
Charleston to Cincinnati. .......".750
III "a letter received by me from Theodore
Cookley, President Of the Chamber of Com
merce of Cincinnati, he says, of the feeling in
Cincinnati, that "the route which seems to
meet most favor is that via Paris, Nome Bar
louisville, and the Cumberland Gap, strik-
ing the East Tennessee Railroad at Morris
town."
have spoken of the Importance of our
road to the general interests of trade and
to the railroad systems of Virginia and Ken
lucky. | need hardly enlarge upon its local
value to you, who are SO well acquainted with
the resources of the country Immediately adj
jacent to it. 1t passes through great deposits
OF coal in its western divisions, and, in con-
nection with the Virginia and Tennessee Rail-
road, it reaches the valuable deposits Of plas-
ter and salt in Washington and Smyth coun-
ties, and the iron mines of Wythe county,
Virginia. BY bringing together this coal on
the west, and iron on the east, it will build
up mining and manufacturing interest in
Southwestern Virginia, which will make it
the rival of central Pennsylvania in this inn
portant department of industry. Its feights
of coal coming east, and Of plaster and salt
going west, would alone make its stock pro-
ductlye, taking no account of the through
trade and travel which it could not fail to
command.
| should be upfaithful to the cause of our
great improvement, if did not urge upon all
who are connected with it the necessity OF
taking prompt and decisive steps for resum-
ing and pushing on vigorously the work OF
construction The mere fact of resuming
this work will insure such a location of the
L. ILL ,oonacsitata tLo