The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-30

chain of five feet gauge railway from the Chesa-
peake to the Mississippi via Burkevllle, over the
Virginia and Tennessee Air Line to Memphis
and points West; via Greensboro, Charlotte, and
Atlanta to Vicksburg, New Orleans and Mobiles
and via Cheraw to Charleston, Savannah, and
Fernandna, shorter than the shortest now
operated and run. Once on the Chesapeake,
line of steamers across the bay will con-
meet the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Balti-
more Annamessic line at Crisfeld, and the
whole grand scheme for quick and
expeditions route from Boston, New York and
Philadelphia, to the far South and Southwest
is accomplished Success to the enterprise!
THE TELEGRAPH is decidedly in favor of all
new routes, and particularly those which facili-
tate trade and reduce the expenses of travel.
The time for reaching Richmond, from Phia-
delphia will then be less than twelve hours;
Charleston, thirty-four hours Atlanta, thirty
seven hours; and New Orleans, sixty-six hours
THE "KEYsToNE" STATE.-We notice a foolish
error going the rounds Of the press regarding the
appeation the "Keystone State, )" aud how Pennsyl-
vanla came to be so called. IL would be an endless
task to attempt to correct all the stupid mistakes
made by newspapers, but this error concerns Penn
sylvanians directly. According to the veracious
historian whose account is before us, Pennsylvania
has no better higher right to be called the Key-
stone State" than this that when the city OF Wash
ington was laid out a certain bridge near George
town had its arch fancifully inscribed with the
names Of the original thirteen States, and that
Pennsylvania, having the central place in the arch,
was called the Keystone by the primitive citizens OF
those times and has continued to be called so ever
SINCE This is putting the cart before the horse with
a vengeance. We do not deny so much of the
bridge story as describes the formation of the arch
but we do say (and think it strange even that it
should be necessary for to that of
the architect was but taken from historical incl
dent of very great importance. The name in fact
was derived from the circumstance that Pennsyl-
vana cast the deciding vote on the question OF
American independence In Sandersons olives of
the Sgners" it is stated that the vote was taken by
the delegations of the thirteen colonies Six of
them voted in favor and six against the measure
The delegations from all the colonies, except one
member from Pennsylvania, had voted, aud it was
discovered that they were equally divided. Upon
this simple VOTE then, depended the entire question
OF issuing the Declaration of Independence. The
name Of the delegate upon whom so much depended
was John Morton, and it is name that should
never be forgotten John Morton voted a1e! and
the deed was DONE Thus Pennsylvania by giving
the casting vote, settled that important question.
and from that circumstance she received the name
of the "Keystone" State-the thirteenth State-the
block of the arch
VIII country papers please copy? and CITY
papers, too, for that matter 1t does not so much
surprise to see the ridiculous story about the
Georgetown bridge copied in the Homer lISad and
the Bloomington Pantggraph, but to find it in Penn
sylvania and, most Of all, In our city papers, makes
one feel sad. The other day. when we saw the alb
surd thing dished up afresh by one OF our contem-
Doraries, we grew savage, and determined to 90
for it. Let us straighten this matter up once for all
and as much for the memory of honest John Morton
as for anything else.