Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-06-16
a For the Staunton Spectator.
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad

peake and Ohio Rail Road, and will max
my articles as brief and concise as the subiec
will admit of. .s n
The importance of this great work will b
manifest to the most casual observer who will
take rail road map Of the United States ane
compare this route with four other leading raj
roads, now completed, and competing for tht
great, and constantly increasing trade of The
West. Take first the Erie Road leading from
New York to Buffalo and Dunkirk on lake
Erie, distance of 423 miles to Buffalo and
46O miles to Dunkirk. This road taps the
| trade of the West on the extreme Northern
boundary OF the u. S. Yet it requires 81
engines, 100 passenger, and 5,837 freight cars
to carry the trade and travel over it. Its gross
earnings for last year were Ia, 317 ,213 dollars.
Next is the New York Central running from
Albany to Buffalo and Niagara Falls-distance
from Albany to the Falls 3O3 miles, and from
Albany BY the Hudson River rail road to the
city OF New York $50 miles, making the whole
length of the road 45a miles. This road ike
the Erie road strikes the trade of the West on
the Canada line and comes in competition with
the Erie Road and the New York and Erie
Canal. All Of them draw their trade and trav-
Ell from the same country and have their outlet
to the markets of the world at the city of New
York. Yet this road, starting $50 miles West
OF New York, competing with the great Erie
Rail Road and Erie Canal, does business an
nuaily amounting to l3,979,5l4 dollars. Its
stock is selling at $3.50 per share These i'm
provements pay to the stockholders. besides
they have built and are daily adding to the
mammoth city Of New York, and they have
made the State of New York SO rich and pop
ulous that, by common consent, she is called
the Empire State. Take next the Pennsyl-
yania Central, leading from Philadelphia to
Plttsburg-a distance of 355 miles, with grades
OF so feet to the mile. 1t can draw very little
trade or travel from the Ohio River on account
OF low water. When there is most water in
the River it is only navigable as high as Pitts
burg by small boats-but it passes through the
Allegheny Mountains, and gives an outlet to
the rich agricultural and mineral resources
along its line, through the State of Pennsyl-
vanla and opens way to the atlantic coast for
limited portion Of the trade and travel of
the West, Nevertheless it requires 4SO en-
glnes, 2l3 passenger cars. and 1851 freight
cars to do the business it attracts. Its gross
earnings last year were more than the cost of
building the Chesapeake and Ohio Road from
Richmond to the Ohio River. Its gross in
come last year was 1890, l5G dollars-net rev.
enue-A, l5l ,52l dollars, declared dividend of
eleven per cent
The last and only road competing with our
road is the Baltimore and Chic. 1t starts from
the head OF the Chesapeake Bay at Baltimore
and terminates on the Ohio River at Wheeling
and Parkersburg. Parkersburg is about l40
miles by water from the mouth Of Big Sandy,
and Wheeling is about 2a0 miles. Below the
mouth OF Big Sandy the river is at all times
navlgabe for large boats, but in seasons of low
water none but the smallest boats can pass to
parkersburg- consequently a rail road tapping
the Ohio River at the mouth of Sandy would
cut all the trade Of the River off from the B,
q Q. road
After the Baltimore aud Ohio road was built
from Baltimore to Cumberland it was ascer-
tanned thai the road would not pay-its stock
went down to $l5 per share all its property
was mortgaged for more money than it was
worth; aid from the Legislature of Maryland
would have been of no value for the credit of
the State was so low at that time, tiat moLey
could not have been realized on her bonds at
ALL 1t was in this condition when the city of
Baltimore agreed to lend the Company her
Wheeling On the bonds of the city Of Ralti-
more the company raised the money, and in
two and a halt years they had the road open to
the Ohio River. From Cumberland West the
road was built through rough, wild, mountain
wilderness with grades as high as 1l6 and 100
feet to the mile. 1t is too far north to ean-
pete successfully for the great trade of the
Mississippi Valley, yet its completion has been
great success IT has made the mountain
wilderness to bloom and blossom as the rose.-
1t has trIpied the population OF the city of
baltimore. 1t has redeemed the credit of the
State of Maryland, and has enriched her peo
pie. 1t has raised the Company from abjeet
poverty to wealth, power and influence unri-
vailed by any other corporation in the land
If SPACE permitted, would like to show the
inlulense wealth and influence Of this corpora
tion-but / will only add that the gross income
OF the main line OF the road last year was $l0,-
0a6, 70d-net earnings of same $4, 437, 983, and
after laying aside large amount for leasing,
purchasing, and building other rail roads &C.,
&c, they declared and paid dividend of ten
per cent. The late quotations show the stock
to be worth l30 dollars per share.
AS this communication is growing longer
than | intended, ! will present at this time on
ly a few of the advantages, which it is appa-
rent the Chesapeake and Ohio road possesses,
over either of the other roads named.
First in climate 1t is so far South that its
constant and regular working will never be i'm
peded by snow or ice. ''It runs nearly on a
direct line from the mouth of the Chesapeake
bay, the centre of the Atlantic coast, the
mouth of the Ohio River, which is the centre
of the Mississippi Valley, and San Francisco
(which is the centre of the Pacific coast all of
them on nearly the same parallel of latitude. -
1t is, therefore, the shortest line between the
centres of trade of the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans 1t is the shortest line from St. Louis,
Kansas city and Chicago to the Atlantic coast,
and must, therefore, be the main outlet for the
trade and travel of the Central and Union Pa
cific rail roads. @
1t strikes the trade of the great Valley of
the Mississippi right in its centre. 1t is fed
by the trade Of the Ohio, Mississippi and Mis-
| souri, Rivers, short line of road go miles
long) now being constructed from Point Pleas
ant 10 the Marietta ana Cincinnati Rail Road,
connects it with the Rail Roads of Ohio, and
at the mouth of Big Sandy it is met by the
Rail Roads of Kentucky. Its highest grade in
passing through the Allegheny Mountains is
| 294 feet to the mile, while that of the Balti
more and Ohio Road is 116. 1t is estimated
that tae same engine can draw q times as
much weight over this Road as it could ove1
| the Baltimore and Ohio road
| The road will cost much less than either o
the other roads oited-must do much larger
business, and consequently pay much larger
| dividends.
| 1t will build up our cities, as the others have
| New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore.
will increase our wealth and population as they
have increased the wealth and population O
the States of New York, Pennsylvania anc
| Maryland 1t will populate the State will
white working men, The world over the work
ing man has always been Conservative, and IL
the end this road will defeat the Radical part,
in Virginia.
ALLEGHANY.
The figures in the above article are taken from
| authcntip