The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-07-21
Cincinnati and the Chesapeake.

Gradually little common sense is work
ing it's way to the Ohio River cities. Gin
cinnati has recently aroused herself ana
shaken OF the lcthargy and the drowsiness
of that profound slumbcr which followed
an excess Of sausage! She is fuli OF zcal
concerning the proposed lines southeas'efiS
to the South Carolina seaport anu inc gun
States. But, like most men aroused from
slumber under sense of peril, she has at
first set off in the wrong direction. VI
course she will continue in the line Tor q
time-until she finds out the true danger.
Il has for years been apparent that thc
lake cities were sucking away the vital nuid
from the river cities of the Ohio. Until the
cra of Chicago the river cities grew with
wonderful rapidity. Since then commerce
has fairly rioted upon the lakes, and the
river cities have been checked IN their RAPID
progress, and for years \have been the un-
comfortable witnesses Of the greater pros
pcrity of their rivals on the great lakes.
What was the true remedy for this diver
sion of commerce from the river!
1t was the opening of line OF transit
across the country, upon The Inc OF fat't"oe
qrith the Ohio, TO The Chesapeake bag. That
would have been the easy solution to all the
troubles of the Ohio cities. 1t would have
given them the shortest route to the sea,
and one that would be open for longer
period of the year than any other. 1t would
have secured cheaper and a quicker trans
portation, and one active and flourishlng,
while that of their rivals was suspended
why, then, did not Cincinnati, and Louis
vile, and their confederate cities, upon the
very instant they read their fate IN the
rising wealth and power of the lake cities,
direct their attention to this grand line OF
outlet to the sea, with all its superb advan-
tages?
But they arc now thinking of it, and will
in time wake up fully to its great import
ancc. A very intelligent correspondent OF
the New York Times-a prominent citizen
of Ohio, whose well-known letters, signed
"a Veteran Observer and dated at "The
Becches," have attracted much attention
devotcs long missive to the schemes now
projected by the Ohio River cities for in
creasing their means of communication
southwardly and eastwardly. At present,
as We stated above, they arc much absorbed
with their lines southwardly. The sob
server" thinks not too highly Of those lines
when ne saws that "the whole Mississippi
valley must trade mainly to southern
"ports." But, then, that great valley must
have foreign commerce as well as a do
nestle commerce. and how will that be car
1ed on to rival successfully the great lake
route? He answers in his own communi-
cation by the prominence he gives to the
great lati.udinous line through the way OF
lowest depression and easiest grades across
Virginia to the Chesapeake bay. We quote
tho following reference to this route from
the letter of "The Veteran Observer"
SIN this letter III will mention only one
other work which goes to effect the new
movements. This is the Chesapeake anu
Ohio railroad, of Virginia. This work has
been finished several years to Covin@ton,
near the sources of James river, but the
war interrupted the progress of that as II
did of other enterprises. Measures have
been taken by which this great road will be
completed down the Kanawha to the mouth
NJ Big Sandy. Hence short road through
Portsmouth will connect it with Cincinnati,
aud another, through the interior of Ken
I ip,o nd
YOU will observe that there is another road
through the interior of Virginia, which not
only brings Cincinnati nearer to the lnte-
rior, but nearer to Norfolk, than any east
crn Atlantic port. But this is not al. 1t
is seriously planned to continue the James
River canal (Which, by the way, did more
to save Richmond in the last year Of
the war than any other thing) to the Ohio
and it is entirely practicable to do So
and thus make by far the best water
outlet from the West to the Allan
tic. SO complete is the demonstration Of its
utility and profit that this canal may he
made, and not only may, but it is not too
much to say it probably will be. If Eir-
ginia wishes TO rise again to the front rank
of States, this is just the way she must
take. Make the railroad and the canal,
welcome fairly al northern skill, labor, and
capital, which is willing to come, and Eir-
ginia will soon have four millions Of peo-
pie. Why not? She is still as large as
New York, and she can feed more people.
Norfolk il one Of the best harbors in the
world; and there is coal, iron, and salt,
III Virginia enough to sustain all the fac
tories of the world. The song says, Old
Wirginny never tire and l confess to feel
enough OF sympathy with her people and
destiny to wish she may not tire, but face
The facts of her condition honestly and con-
vert the new elements in her society into
clements of prosperity and glory. Virginia
has nearly died OF politicians; but she can
be revived and glorifed by return to COM
mon sense. Her great statesmen have
nearly been her ruin. Abstract themes OF
politics never made or saved any people.
Looking to dead statesmen for hope is like
Roman heggar looking to the ruins of the