The Waynesburg Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 1867-18??, 1868-04-08
From The Pittsburgh Commercial.
PITTSBURGH AND NEWBERNE.
Practicnbility of the Proposed Railroad
to Newberne.--lts Commercial Import.
anee to Pittsburgh.

TO Newbefne.--itsCoi commercial ImpOrt'
My attention has been called to an
lrticle which appears in your issue of
list inst, entitled pittsburgh and
Sewberne," and written by G. w.
Daugherty, Esq, late of the U. S.
Typographical Engineer Corps. AS i
irst called the writer's attention to the
subject, and have since given the mat
er some study, l beg leave to add a
ew remarks to those already made,
md which | entirely indorse. Although
he subject may not be new to ma
~ of your readers, 1 have yet to hear
I publicly discussed, and have very
rarely heard it discussed at all. Some
three yearsago, during the sudden rise
of the Dunkard Oil Region Into prom
inence, and the simultaneous discovery
of lead and other minerals in localities
farther South, 1 was first impressed
with the necessity of a railroad that
would connect Pittsburg with the
heart of the Southern States direct
That it would be great advantage
was certainly known to every think
ing man long before, Subsequent. in
vestigation has tended in every way
to confirm the truth of those impress
ions. Let us look at the situation as
it now stands.
What is the position of Pittsburgh
with regard to the South? Simply
this, while she is the great manufac-
turing metropolis of the United States
and destined to head the list of the
world; and while her manufactures
are peculiarly needed in the agricul-
tural regions that lie South of Mason
and Dixon's /; yet with thrce-fourths
ofthe area of those States she has no
practicable communication whatever,
save by, tedious and circuitous routes,
and by paying heavy freightage on
all her wares. But if she wants
the South as market, the South
needs her no less for the same pur-
pose.
Starting Southward from Pittsburgh
we at once encounter the rich farming
lands of the Monongahela Valley,
with their wealth of cereals live stock
fruit, produce and lumber; with theil
iron, oil and lead with a prospect OF
more valuable minerals, developing
and yet to be developed and, and as
a browning item to the whole the in.
exhaustable, readily accessible, and
almost incalculablc supply Of coal. II
is one thing, / know, to read the ab
stract calculations and reports, ant
quite another to traverse this entir'
region, as / have done, and see the re
atty. | am convinced that if the cap
italists of Pittsburgh could see the ex
tent and Importance of this region, i'll
stead ofrcading about it, it would mo-
be many days until we heard the sount
of the pickaxe, nor many months un
til we were startled by the scream O
tbs locomotive all along this Val
ley.
Passing through West Virginia W
have along the entire route, a countr,
Astounding in lumber stock, fruit, pro
duce and minerals. Reaching New
berne the proposed terminus; we tai
the East Tennessee and Virginia Rail
road, and from thence have direct rail
way communication with all til
Southern States, with New Orlcan
and cities Of the Gulf and South Allan
tic seaboard. | have before me the en-
gineers report of the survey of the Ten
nessce and Pacific Railroad. which is
direct route from Knoxville to Nash
vile, cutting off one hundred miles o
distance, and as the report states, DIES
tined to make the shortest line fror
Norfolk to Memphis, and thence t
Guyamas OH the Pacific coast, via tn
proposed Southern route of Genera
Fremont. This enterprise to which
liberal amount of State aid is offere
and which has good prospects of
speedy completion shows that OIL
"Southern brethren" are getting full
alive to the necessity of the times, an
that Northern enterprise will soon fin
competitor and n rival from th'
quarter. This direct connection will b
of material advantages to road frol
Pittsburgh.
This new route will also add great
ly to the develop ment of Eastern an
Middle Tennessee. This country ws
; not adapted to slave labor, and henc
was passed by as worthless by the dc
voices of the "sacred institution"
} is but recently investigation has pro,
en- this hitherto neglected region, 4
be unsurpassed for stock raising eve
: in Texas, and it is claimed by intcll
gent men, who can give good reasor
for their claims, that it is the be
,, fruit-raising section in the Unio
without exception. General Jacksc
, once remarked that ''the time pou
come when this would be the gardt
, spot of the United States" Its mil
: eral advantages are equal to any pa
Of the Allegheny range. A dire
D road to Pittsburgh would throw
these advantages into her lap.
5 In short the whole country with
t two hundred miles of Newbernc
8 settling, and will rapidly fill wi
Northern emigration. This is the r
$ gion that contains the loyalty that mt
eventually spread and leaven Il
whole South. While this is 'beil
r done the industrial interests of Il