The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-03-31
THE P1TTsBUpG AND CHARLESTON r.. r..


sylvauia Legislature has recently chartered |
company to construct railroad from Pitts
burg to connect with the Chesapeake Il Ohio
and ultimately, to form other connections
which will afford convenient communication
with Charleston. We have also learned that
the State IF Pennsylvania proposes to extend
important material aid towards the consumma-
ton Of the work. 1t is also stated that veal
thy capitalists in Pittsburg and other parts
of Pennsylvania feel lively interest in the
work, and will contribute, literally to its
construction. Our Information is not very
definite or authentic, on the subject, but we
have heard, that three millions OF dollars
have been secured, to be applied to the work
We hope these statements may be we'll
founded, and We have reason to believe that
they are. 1--WE i-
Pittsburg is great manufacturing city, es-
pecially of articles Of which iron is one of
the chief constituents She is the centre OF
large iron interest, and abounds in rolling
mills, furnaces, foundries. and machine shops
of every description. The city is blackened
by the smoke and scot of her numerous fur
naccs and manufactures of all kinds.
The motives which are said to have slim
ulated the people of Pittsburg to undertake
this important enterprise, are, LIST, to obtain
oooocc 70 tho oh iron oroc Of VIruiuia
and 2nd. to provide the means Of disturbing
the fabrics of her workshops, throughout the
Atlantic slope Of the Southern States. The
Ohio and Mississippi rivers, now give her an
outlet Imperfect it is true: because liable to
interruption by ice 10 winter, and drought
in summcr) to the States bording on those
rivers. But she has no direct oommunica-
ton with the interior, or eastern slopes Of
those States.
1t is said that the iron beds Of Pennsylva-
MIA have been so much exhausted, that they
cannot now be worked with much profit. Pitts
burg is, therefore, driven to look abroad for
new deposits of ore. We have heard it sta
ted, that a large quantity of the ore now used
in Pittsburg, is brought from the shores of
Lake Superior.
1t is not, therefore, at all surprising, that
the attention of the iron men of Pittsburg
should be turned to the rich and inexhausti-
BILE deposits to be found in the mountains Of
Virginia.
From some notices in newspapers, we learn
that it is in contemplation to connect the pro-
posed road with the Chesapeake & Ohio R. R
somewhere near the White Sulphur, If the
Piitsburgers are looking for mineral uaters
that is certainly the point to strike for. They
can find none better anywhere. But If met
al be their primary object and a conuenien
outlet to the Southern States, their seconda
ry motive We respectfully submit, that they
are about to commit a mistake. The iron
region lies considerably east Of the White
Sulphur. It stretches from Covngton east
ward to the Blue Ridge. The W hitc Sui
phur is also too far west, to afford the mos
convenient outlet to the Southern States
We presume, however, that nothing is settled
and that if the work be undertaken in gooc
earnest, that careful reconnoisances and sur
vcys will be made, before any route is finally
adopted.
While We do not profess to have any very
minute or accurate knowledge of the topog.
raphy of the country between Pittsburg and
the Chesapeake & Ohio r. R., we apprchend
the proposed line to the White Sulphur vii
be found to be lmpracticablc. From an in
spection of the map, we incline to the opin
ion that that line would strike the mountain
ranges transverscly SO as to render it impossi
Bile to make the road without immense cost
structed would strike west Of the iron depos
its.
If the map Of Virginia, published b.
State authority a few years before the war
be correct, it would seem to us, that The
most practicable route would be to follow The
Valley of the Monongahala up to the poin
where it receives Cheat River, then t.
follow the Valley of Cheat, and its most cas-
tern branch, up to the borders of PendIeton
Thus far there would seem to be natura
route, along continuous river valleys, from
prtsburg to the western line of Pend!etor
county. The practicability of getting thence
to the Chesapeake 4 Ohio R. R. can only bt
determined by survey. Three routes sugges
themselves-one down the waters of The
Bull Pasture and Cow Pasture to Covington
Another across the county of Pendleton ane
through Jennings Gap to Staunton. A thirt
down the Valley of the Calf Pasture t.
Goshen E ther of these routes would strik,
into the iron region, and would afford con
venicnt means Of communication with the
Southern States.
We do not pretend to say that either o
these lines, would, upon application of tn
Theodolite. be found to be practicable. Al
we desire to do, at present, is, to invite at
tention to them, in the hope that if the Roa
is to be made, engineers may be sent, at leas