Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1871-05-05
Railroad Movements In Virginia. &c.

Railroad Movements In Virginia, &c.
The Richmond Dispatch gives the following
interesting resume of railroad movements in
Virginia and North Carolina:
We understand that engineers are survey
ing line for railway from Matthias Point,
on the Potomac, in King George county, to
this city. This point is Immediately opposite
Pope's creek. on the Maryland side, the ter
minal. point of the Baltimore and Potomac
Railway, now 10 course of construction by a
company of which Governor Bowie is or was
President.
1t is assumed, and correctly, that this route
from Baltimore to Richmond is the shortest
and most direct that can be made; but the
ferry at Matthias Point will be some drawback
to the speed with which it can be travelled.
The ferry is at point that will seldom be
interrupted by ice, probably not once in five
years.
1t is understood that the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company, which got charter last win
ter to build road from this city to Alexan-
dria, is the real builder of the Maryland road
as we'll as the protector of its continuation
through Virginia Whether that company
will become the purchaser of the Richmond.
Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad or not
is problematical If it should buy that road
the line crossing at Matthias Point, by strik-
ing the Fredericksburg line near Bowling
Green, Caroline, will be as straight as an ar
row. Should it not buy the Fredericksburg
road, there is good reason to believe the road
from Alexandria to Richmond will be built
by it, in which event the Matthias Point line
will be made to connect with it at some point
in Caroline. This will give travel from Rich
mond two routes to Baltimore all the way,
and three from tue connecting point of the
Matthias Point line 10 Caroline.
The road through Maryland to Pope's creek
will be graded by the 1st of June, and soon
thereafter equipped. Should the company
purchase the Fredericksburg road it will be
easy to have the all-rail line by tho lower
Maryland route this year.
Certainly there will be great railroad changes
in Virginia in the next twelve or eighteen
months. Besides the anticipated changes a.
bove referred to, there are active movements
in the Valley. The Pennsylvania Railway is
projecting line along the Valley to Salem,
and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad is al
ready stretching its arms along the same rich
region of country, having its connected lines
already from Alexandria, and from Harper's
Ferry to Harrisonburg. There is pause at
this point. The proposed continuation, under
the name of the Valley Railroad, over which
young Mr.. Garrett is President-and which
is the especial enterprise of "Mike Harman"-
hangs fire for the want of county subscrip-
tions. The people of Lexington took firt
at it short time since, as our readers know,
and deputiZed committee to sound Mr.. Gar
rett the elder, and another to commune with
Mr.. Huntington, to ascertain which would
help their road out of the mre, or which would
give the best terms. So, with two strings to
their bow, will hardly fail.
The DanviIle road, which is getting thaw-
ed, is looking for its new links, giving it a
straight line to Atlanta, Ga, and shortening
the distance between New York and the Gull
at least $50 miles.
But the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
pany is also looking down into tho North
STATE, a recsht movement about tfe-chart-
cred line from DanviIle to Statesville, N. c.,
looks as though little Of the Baltimore steam
is at work there.
1t is supposed that the Pennsylvania COM
pahy will also soon appear 10 the North Carr
DINA arena, and will give a new impulse to
rairoading down there.
Gen. Malone is understood to be arranging
matters with view to the construction of the
Cumberland Gap road, which opens new
route to Kentucky.
Finally, our sure reliance, the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railroad Company, is achieving
wonders in the way Of Fastening the compile
ton Of their railroad to Richmond. And what
is deeply interesting in addition is the ener-
getic movement in both Ohio aud Kentucky
in the matter of establishing connecting roads
between the terminus of the Chesapeake and
Ohio Railroad and Cincinnati, Louisville, ST..
Louis and other great Western cities. These
connecting lines will be completed probably
as soon as the great road itself will be finish
ed. which will be in July or August, 1872.
Here are, indeed, great railroad movements.
They are most cheering to our people. What
they want is rapid transit and low fare, and
no obstruction to trade. They're as able to
take care of themselves as other people, and
neither desire or ask for anything but equali-
ty-the same facilitated intercourse that other
people have, aud like liberal rates Of trans
portation.