The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-01-06

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"peake navigation. This would give them
possession not only of the nearest. but
" also incomparably the easiest and cheap
"cst. line between the Atlantic and the
"great Vest
OF course it would, and also greatly d'min-
ish i,s grades in comparison with tho o'her
lines rs stated above. The writer assumes
that this line would convey freights at rates
twenty-five per cent. less than those charged
an the northern lines. At this rate OF de-
duc,ion-or two cents per ton per mile-the
road would at least take l,000,0 900 of the
y 900 900 of tons conveyed by the four
Trunk railroad lines between the seaboard
and the West; which, on 400 miles, would
yield revenue Of sS,000,00o per annum
from tonnage alone; and the cost Of work
ing, SO far, has been only fifty per cent. OF
its receipts. If this is not materially IN
creased, we see what an immense annual
profit the company will have upon irelghts'
while the passenger business will be in
creased in an equal proportion with the
freigbts BY the extension Of the road TO
the Ohio.
The pamphlet enters into review OF the
agricultural and mineral resources OF tine
country traversed by the road, and the en-
matte advantages of Virginia. 1t dwells
upon the coal and iron, and anticipates a
large business in Kanawha coal and salt.
The superb Kanawha Goals are used largely
for making gas. New York alone mas I'M
ported 800, 900 tons per annum at about Sl'
pcr ton. The statement" setting down
the miners price for coal delivered on the
cars at 81 assumes that it can be brought
10 Richmond ut two cents per ton, or III
i. e.. 50 including frat cost-and delivered
in New YORK at sll-a saving Of "a per
ton. But the writer says the Baltimore and
Ohio road charges only TWO cents per ton
per mile for carrying coal over grade OF
lie feet to the mile, and one and one-third
cents per ton per mile for eoal transported
over grade Of seventy feet to the mile;
and taking this as guide, he thinks that
over the easy grades of the Chesapeake
and Ohio railroad coal may be carried at
one md oue-third cents per ton per mile,
or for IS per ton from Kanawha to Rich
mond.
The present property Of the company is
valued ut SIS, 900, 900; its funded and float
ing debt is only s3,2sS,G92.
The pamphlet states that the work on the
unfinished portion Of the line will be prose-
cuted with increased yigor, and that "the
"part of the road between the Kanawha
" coal fields and the western terminus of
the Ohio river (seventy-fve miles), being
Sin good part graded, can be completed and
" pnt in running order during the present
year. The heavier items of the work on
"the New River section, between Kanawha
and White Sulphur Springs, can, mean
" time, be put under contract, and by the
" cioae of 1871, if not sooner, the whole
" line to the Ohio be brought into full ope-
ration
We look upon this announcement ms
official. Though not positive that the work
will be finished hy that time, the intimati0n
- means business and when we consider
who has control Of the line, and how much
is to be gained every year after it is finish
ell, VIC must conclude that nothing that can
be avoided will be allowed to delay its con-
struction.
The merits of this great work have been
discussed By US time and again but the
pamphlet presents come new points and
then its representations are not put forth
from this CRY, sounding like still small
voice, not to be heard afar off; hut they
from the great settling point and
money centre Of this continent, and VIC may
feel that at last the great merits Of the Cen
trail Trunk line are about to be understood
by the world.