The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-12-06
Important Improvement News.


On Friday last the Board of Trade of Pitts
burg held a meeting; committee was ap-
pointed "to take measures toward the
construction of Il railroad cid the Councils
vile road to Uniontown, thence to Fair
mont, West Virginia, thence to Grafton,
thence to staunton, opening communica-
ton with the South Atlantic and Gulf
States"
This is a most interesting proposition
one that is surprising. We had not thought
Of this line of improvement as amongst those
that were probable in the future. Yet it is
one having the deepest interest, as well for
its political as its commercial bearing. To
connect Pittsburg with Richmond by
direct railroad communication would
bring about a new state of things.
A new social intercourse would ensue,
new sympathies would be engendered,
and new commerce would be created.
None but good influences could be ex-
crted by it. Kindly relations would spring
up between communities that have been
widely separated geographically, and wider
still under the railroad system, which
almost laid an embargo upon any commune
cation between them. In political feeling
they have been az far apart as they we'll
could be. To establish commercial rela-
between them will be to put them in
friendship aud sympathy; and in no way
can the harmony and endurance Of the
Union be better promoted than by estab.
fishing such intercourse between sections
heretofore alienated as these two communi.
ties have been.
Nor, is it alone these two cities that are
involved in the bearings of this new scheme.
They represent large rural populations,
which would equally come under the intlu.
ence of such line of communication. We
should, for instance, be brought near to
Northwest Virginia, which we have for
many years only known through Baltimore,
which is farther from Fairmont than Rich
mond is. It is about 275 miles from Rich
Inond to Fairmont, while it Is 800 miles
from Baltimore to Fairmont. We will thus
be brought nearer to Northwest Virginia
than Baltimore with her railroad. We
should thus have that communication with
the Northwest which Virginia should have
established years ago, when she was fritter.
ing away her means in log-rolling .
schemes. She might with such commu
nication have established ties between the
East and West that would have prevented
The partition of her domain-an event
caused by the want of such communication
assisted By the Baltimore and Ohio Ratlroat
COMPANY.
The subject is highly interesting. WI
most ardently hope that the people of Pitts
burg will succeed in carrying out the pro
ject. They seem to. be in earnest, and Il
have formed system which includes I
commerce with the lakes as an important
feature; for the same Board which ordered
this movement with reference to line Il
Staunton, appointed a committee to urg.
the construction of a ship canal from Pitts
burg to Lake Erie. With the proposed di
rect connection with the Virginia tide it il
easy to see what q trade Pittsburt
may draw to herself from the lax,
region. Her position is favorable
Ear enough from the great cities to have .
large commercial sphere of her own, alb,
could use efficiently, especially in winter
oil the advantages of rapid communica
ton by line which would bring her every
hour TO warmer latitude, and by which
she could reach the sea-going shipping il
sixteen hours by passenger and in thirt,
honrs byfsigl,t trsins. She would, beside
drawing to herself O large and Iucratiy,