The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-12-14
Western Produce.

w lS1 - ASNSNsSS'
The accounts from the North show that
there is a vast amount Of western produce
blocked up in transitu between the Lake
cities and the Atlantic. Upon Lake Erie
it is estimated that Sl0,OOO,OO0 worth il
stopped on the way, including some perish
able articlcs-such as 100000 bushels OF
potatoes and 10000 barrels Of apples. II
is probable that part of these things will
be transferred to railroads and taken to
market; but much loss and Inconvenience
must grow out Of this state Of northern
transportation. The delay in the CONVEX
sion of such large stocks into money is a
serious injury to the holders, apart from
the loss attendant upon such an obstruc-
ton to its delivery in market.
The Erie canal was closed a little earlier
than usual this winter, and will not again
be navigahlc probably until April. All
other northern canals were closed at the
same time, thus greatly diminishing the
amount of shipments from the interior to
the Atlantic cities, TO the injury Of pro-
ducer aud consumer. The railroads can
not transport all that was conveyed by
these canals. In The parallel Of the lakes
and the upper Ohio winter very much i'm
pedcs their operations, and already we
hear Of numerous trains being stopped on
the way, and vast amounts Of freight lying
between the places of shipment and de-
livery, to the veXation and injury Of mer-
chants and traders.
Now, what is the eXpedient naturally
pointed out to the producing and COM
mercial world Of the Northwest to protect
itself against these injurious distractions
to transportation The opening Of a more
southern route to the warmer latitude of
the Chesapeake bay, where it finds it's out
let TO the ocean. That is the line to which
the people of the Northwest should direct
their attention. Nature has marked it
out. The sources of the Ohio and the
James rivers are separated in the noun
tains Of Virginia by the narrowest dividing
line, whose elevation is SO low that IL Is
crossed with grade Of only twenty-nine
and half feet to the mile coming east To-
wards the Virginia tide-water. Gong
west the grade is about forty feet 10 Inc
mile crossing the Alleghanies. This line,
then, gives to the people of the Ohio val
lev the best grade of all the routes from
the Ohio to the Atlantic. Finish our rail
road upon this line, and it will furnish a
transportation more efficient and much
less INSTRUCTED by weather than any other
whatever. 1t would give new impulse
to winter commerce in Chicago, Cincinnati
Louisville, and St. Louis. 1t would en-
able the producer to be far more certain
Of placing his products in market in win
ter at time when, If not converted into
money, he suffers from their deterioration
and waste, as well as being deprived OF
the results of his labor for many mouths
1t is amazing that this great route, so
vitally important to the river and lake
cities Of the Northwest, should have been
SO long neglected by them. It's advan-
tages are 50 notorious that the apathy in
that part of the world with regard to them
is unaccountable. An effort is now being
made with a view to the construction of
the Chesapeake and Ohio road, and they
should all rally TO its support, and aid in
carrying it through to completion with the
greatest energy! Our people will do what
they can. Ii the West but meet them in
like spirit it will not be many winters
before the road is completed, and the COM
merce Of the Ohio find an easy and rapid
exit and entrance through the grand high
way between the capes Of Virginia.