The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-05-31

CHARLESTON, S.
now in process OF construction, lies on tn
north side OF range OF mountains, and there
fore commands only the trade Of q limited por
tiOn OF North Alabama, aud is cut off by thi
chain OF mountains from all communication
with the great cotton belt until it reaches
point in Central Alabama come distance nortl
OF Selma, where it connects with roads leading
to Mobile and New Orleans.
The Selma, Rome and Dalton Road is now II
actual operation as far as Rome, and win soo1
be completed to Dalton. This Road runs al
most parallel 70 the Wills Valley Road, bu
being located on the south side Of the chain O.
cotton region of Alabama, and by its cOnnec
tions at Selma offers at least as short route te
New Orleans and shorter one to Mobile an6
Besides the advantages referred to above the
connections to be made at Knoxville are many,
and OF incalculable importance. At that point,
Cincinnati would connect with roads in actual
operation. which traverse East Tennessee, and
the entire length of the great state Of Vlr-
ginia, terminating at Richmond and Norfolk.
BY as asrailroad now under construction, and
completed, (the means for building which have
already been provided) Knoxville will soon be
placed in connection with the entire network OF
rai1Toads that traverse the length, and breadth
By the Blue Ridge Railroad they will connect
with the railroad syetem of our own State,
which would open to them a large market for
their manufactures and surplus products, and
will reach OUT harbor, which is the nearest aud
best Of all the Atlantic ports for the transac-
tion OF their foreign export and import trade
with Europe, the West Indies and South
America; and offers peculiar advantages as q
point OF debarkation for European immi-
grants.
The stockholders Of the GeaAgia Railroad
Company, at their recent annual meeting, in
structed their president and directors to ex-
tend the Athens branch Of their road TO
Clayton. Georgia, o point on the Blue Ridge
Railroad, south of the mountains. This will
southern and southwestern Georgia, including
| the port OF Savannah, than by the circuitous
route via Chattanooga.
With this statement Of the comparative ad-
vantages CT the two routes, and which believe
| to be entirely correct in every particular, it
| may we'll be deemed strange by an impartial
observer, that there should be q moment's hes
:. ltatlon as to the route to be selected. 1t can
only be accounted for by the fact referred to
in the earlier part or this Communication, that
the advocates of the Chattapo )ga route having
had entire possession of the public ear prior to
statements created an impression favorable to
that route; and it is well kno En that fTNst i'm
presslons are not easily eradicated Aysn by the
pialnest and strongest evidence. t may also
be safely said that in all such enterprises un-
dertakeu by o city or State there nre many
private interests that may be tavorably az
fected, not only by the selection Of the termini,
not be supposed that this case forms an
| exception to that general rule, and I
nave no doubt if o dozen other routes
were proposed they would each dnd some
| interested and jealous advocates.
SO far aS our own people are concerned it
would be work sup pererogation to enume-
rate the many advantages which short AMI
direct communication with this port would
| a vuool oc 10
livery practical merchant knows what those
advantages are; but the people OF Cincinnati
know little more Of Us and Of our harbor than
we know OF them and their manufactures. and
must therefore be excused il I make some
ailusiOn to them.
The merchants of Cincinnati attach much
Importance to q connection with a Gu port,
| through which they might receive their SUP.
Plies OF sugar, molasses, coffee, and other
West Indian and South American produoe.
endeavpred, and think successfully, to satisfy
advantages in this respect than any Gulf port.
The distance ls about the same, but the voy-
| age being one Of less peril, and the expenses
incurred by vessels visiting our port being
| clded advantage in the rates Of freight. The
difference Of insurance is also greatly in our
favor; and as Wa export largely Of yellow pine
lumber to the West Indies. by vessels which
have now to seek return freight to the
North in consequence Of the smallness OF our
| imports. such vessels would take our lumber
| at lower rates, il assured Of q reasonable pro-
liability, Of return cargo to this port. The
same advantages as to freights and insurance
would apply to cargoes OF coffee from Rio. We
also offer great advantages as compared with
Northern Atlantic ports, owing to the short
ness of the voyage, and the avoidanc % Of the
storms which prevail north Of Hatteras dur
| ing q greater portion Of the year. .a.
The low rates of storage, drayage and other
petty charges, as compared with either the
kGulf or North Atlantic ports, is also an import
ant item in our favor.
As most of the ships and steamers arriving
ct our port, from Europe, in quest OF cotton
said Of the West Indian and South American
trade applies with even greater force to the
European trade.
I have said that, upon fuller investigation
I had at first formed and expressed. that in
the event of the adoption Of Chattanooga as
the terminus Of the proposed road. we would
Blue Ridge Railroad. ! shall now give my
reasons for changing my opinions, and will en-
deavor to show that Cincinnati is much
more m r. = deeply Interested in the selection
endeavor to convince the people Of our city and
State that they should at once devote ali their
energies to the speedy completion OF that
70 ad, regardless Of what action Cincinnati m
take at the present time.
That may not be accused OF inconsistency,
here repeat that have decided preference
for the Knoxville route, and hope, and believe,
Cu1c oue poVPAo VI 'Oauclunatl Will AoOpL tn4t
route and no other. My preference is based
upon the conviction that the interests OF the
two cities are. to a great extent, identical, and
that the Rockville route is the best for us,
SIMPLY for the reason that it ia the best for
Cincinnati. tstASstA .f& fal &A
Let us for moment suppose that the Chat
tanooga route should be adopted, and examine
what would then bs our position.
Cincinnati and Louisville are unquestionably
great commercial rivals. By this, must not
be understood as saving that the peODle Of
either Of those two cities are enSious Of the
prosperity OF the other, or would desire to see
them overtaken by misfortune merely wish
:" noson so1e ne = aS saaS that Sa their Ssyg
necessity, compete for tho trade Of
vast districts Of country which are to some
extent tributary to both. It is this rivalry
forth all the energy and enterprise Of both
parties, aud develops to the utmost degree
their latent energies and raaonrcaa which