The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-10-06

The location Of Louisville, at the Falls, OF
the Ohio, would certainly give it a great ad-
vantage over Cincinnati, SO far as the trade
of the lower Ohio and Mississippi is concern
ed, provided it had equal facilities for reach
ing the Atlantic; and having more than 200
miles less Of rail would certainly give it
great advantage over Memphis for all the
Mississippi trade.
1t is useless to undertake to point out to the
intelligent merchants of Louisville the advan-
tage which the proposed line would secure
for them, and the effect it must have upon
the prosperity of their city
The article in the Tribune, before alluded
10, sets forth the great advantages of Norfolk
as barber, and claims that by means of the
Covington and Ohio road it ought to COM
mand ire trade Of nearly all the cities Of the
West The advantages of Norfolk as point
through which very large portion of the
West should make its Imports and exports,
cannot be overestimated, aud no road can
ever lie constructed, that eau compete, sue
cessfuliy, with the Covingt,n and Ohio road
for the the heavier arte IS # Western produce
as it will allow such ARTICLES the advantage
Of water transportation up to Guyandotte, or
possibly to Charleston, on the kanawha, and
thence from G,in ,ton to Norfolk by means
of the James river and Kauawha canal and
the James river.
But the Cnyingtnn and Ohio road, with its
light giars, viii have to Yield to the road
now proposed Tor the lighter lfeights, because
it will reduce the distance to St. Louis about
IS miles
The friends ofthe C,tington aus, Ohio Rail-
road claim, very justly that being further to
the South gives it great advantage over the
Baltimore ANA Ohir aud ntiier rt'ads north of
it. They must admit that the same argument
" ill apply with still greater force to road
along the southernaine of Virginia. -aa.s
Norfolk is nearly in the same latitude with
San Francisco, and the route now proposed
ia Connection with the Pacific road must COM
rhand a large proportion Of the travel between
Europe and California, together with such
freight as can bear transportation by rail be-
tween the best harbors on the Atlantic and
the best on the Pacific.
All that has been said upon this subject
may possibly be admitted, but the question
will be asked how it is possible TO raise the
money to construct the road from Norfolk to
Bristol. It is very certain that but small
part of it can be raised in Virginia in her
present impoverished condition. 1t is true
that one or more towns in Virginia will he
greatly benefited by the proposed road but
Louisville and st. Louis will also be greatly
benefited and as they have the population,
the energy and the soeolth, they should bear
their full proportion of the burden, if they
would reap the benefit. Surely if Cincinnati
can subscribe $1,000 900 10 the Charleston
and Cincinnati Road, louisville can Afford to
subscribe larger amount to road that will
place her nearer to Norfolk than Cincinnati
will be to Charleston, and the citizens of St.
Louis could we'll afford to subscribe to the
road from Norfolk to Bristol, as it would re-
duce the distance by rail between that city
and the Atlantic about seventy Ave miles
tits perfectly manifest that the road, then
built, will at once take rank with the most
important roads in the country. All that is
requisite to insure success, is, that the cities
and other corporations which are deeply in
terested in the scheme, and the private indivi-
duals scho kno,o that they must be greatly
benefited by it, should take hold Oft with
energy, and with determination to subscribe
to the stock oae-half of the amount which
they expect to realize from it, If such a
sacrifice should become necessary in order to
complete the work.
aa- ha s ENTERPRISE.
Louisville KY Sept 18, 1866