Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1868-12-11
Louisville and Norfolk.
Three Practicable Routes for n
RuiIPONEi.


There are three routes, saws the Norfolk
Journal, by which to reach Norfolk from
Louisville the first is from the latter city
TO Cumberland Gap, the SECOND 10 Pound
Gap, and the third via Crab Orchard, aud
| London, KY, to Cumberland Gap. The
| first two routes are the same up to Harrods.
| burg, and from that point it has not been
Decided whether the track shall be laid 70
Cumberland Gap or to Pound Gap. 1t is
! but few months since the charter was
obtained, and tue immense importance OF
the improve ment has attracted the atten-
| ton OF the wealthy inanciers OF the North.
west. There will be no difficulty in oh.
| tanning the means, Is one million OF dollars
can be got from St. Louis when wanted
besides, large amounts from other points in
Indiana and Illinois, whose capitalist see
that a very large portion Of the North west
must secure an outlet at Norfolk. II Is al
so said that Eastern capital eau be obtained
almost without limit.
We may take il for granted that one OF
these routes will be commenced without
much delay, the only question being at
which gap it shall reach Virginia. The
preference seemed at FIRST for Cumberland
Gap; but now it seems that Pound Gap
stands a chance of being chosen the east
ern terminus Of the Louisville, HArrods-
burg aud Virginia Railroad.
The cost of the route from Harrod sburg
KY, to either Gap seems to he be about
equal. II the terminus r. at Cumberland
Gap, the road to connect with cur cousoh-
dated line will strike the latter at Bristol /;
If the terminus is at Pound Gap it will
strike il somewhere near Wytbevile.
What concerns us is the cost Of these
two corrections. The road from Pound
Gap to Wytheyille cannot be lesB than one
hundred and sixty miles long the feature 5
of the country are very rugged, and We
lear present many very serious obstruc-
tons.
The connection from Cumberland Gap to
Bristol is not more than ninety five miles,
about twenty-five miles of which are al.
ready graded, leaving only seventy five
miles to be constructed. This line is called
the Virginia and Kentucky railroad and
was chartered before the war; but its con
struction was stopped by it.
The route from Louisville to Norfolk
would be somewhat more direct by Pound
Gap, but then the unconstructed distance
from Cumberland Gap To the consolidated
line at Bristol is less than one-haf the dis
lance from Pound Gap to Wytheville. This
fact, We think, should induce the Louisville
Harrodsburg and Virginia line to select
Cumberland Gap as their Eastern termi.
nus.
And now for what is in our opinion the
most practicable route from Louisville to
Norfolk-one which is already, tor its great
err portion, completed, and all of which can
be flushed several years before the line
through Hsrrodsburg can be built.
That great and wealthy corporation, the
Louisville and Nashville line, has a branch
already completed from B4rdstown to Grab
Orchard, and will in six months more have
it extended to London, Ky. This latter
point is only forty -four miles from Cumber-
land Gap, and the directors of the Louis
vile s. Nashville road declare in their report
that one of the objects of the extension OF
this southeastern branch OF their road is to
meet The Virginia aud Kentucky road from
Bristol TO Cumberland Gap, Of which, as
we said above, but seventy five miles are
yet TO be finished.
As soon as we can construct these seven
ty five miles, the branch Of the Louisville
aud Nashville road will be at Cumberland
Gap TO meet it. As the Louisville, Har-
rodsburg and Virginia line has not vet been
begun, and as we NAV regard the branch of
the Louisville and Nashville road as built
as soon as we build our connection from
Bristol TO the Gap, we think that every
rt should be made TO complete the lat
ter.
By reference to the map we shall see
that this BArdstown branch is nearly as di-
rect as the Harrodsburg road.
The war has left our people in Virginia
so poor that the road from Bristol to Cum
berland Gap must lag, if measures are not
taken to urge its completion. When finish
II hi flaF.a
be at once quAdruplrd, aud il will b. made
the very best paying stock in the Ste e.
The consolidated liue should therefore
stretch every nerve TO build it, and We
trust thst il will undertake it, either by it.
self or in conjunction with the Louisville
and Nashville railroad, or the Harrods6urg
road If the latter can furnish the funds.
IL no arrangement can be made by either
Of these corporations, we call the attention
of Northern and Western capitalists to this
Virginia and Kentucky road from Bristol
to Cumberland Gap. Money is in it-and
plenty OF it too for over this short lint: will
have 10 pass all the commerce Of the great
Northwest on its way TO Norfolk, which
must be the port to receive the most OF H.,
and which must be the greatest emporium
between the Atlantic and the Pacific. All
that Is now wanting 20 connect Us with San
Francisco is this little link Of seventy i've
miles the route from Norfolk to that city
is the most direct between the oceans, aud
we must reap the unequalled advantages of
our position. While We in this State have
not the means to finish this connection, the
capitalists at the North and West ought to
see their own interest clearly enough TO
advance the money to construct seventy
five miles Of road, over which is destined
TO pass the trade aud travel Of great con
tinapt ava and of the world.