The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-03-06

reference to branch OF the chesapeake
and Ohio railroad through Greene, Madison
and Culpeper, to Washington, we enclose
the same, with the request that you pub
lish 1t In your paper, as 1t Is OF public
character, and presents views on interna
improvements and the public debt-sub
jects which now occupy. the attention O
whole State. Yours truly,
-. WYATT 8. BEAzLEY,
-. WILLIAM T. SINKS.
P. S.-We have bis consent to publish.
....,,......-,,,.- ......... w. s: B.,
..,.-. ~ 49,, ..'',,.. WIN. T. 8.
..-..'.... sTAUNToN, Feb. 20, 1911.
Aessrs. Wyatt S. Beazley and Nm. e
Simnas. ...............a ..-..-...ia Il $500.
Gentlemen have had the honor to re-.
ceive your letter of 18th instant, inviting
me to attend q meeting Of the people oi
Greene county, to be held at their. next
County Court, for the purpose cot, con.
sulting upon some scheme Of railroad
through this (your) section of. country y
and asking me. il, it should not be conye.
in writing as to the utility and practicabili.
ty of the scheme"
AS my engagements are such as to pre-
vent my personal attendance, I take great
pleasure in submitting some ideas on the
subject in the form Of letter. = -:
/ believe | was the first person who called
public attention, through the press, more
than year ago, to the importance Of con.
structing direct line of railway from
Staunton to Culpeper c. H., or. to Wash
ington. The proposition seemed to be
coldly received at the time it was made,
but have been gratitied to find that it has
been approved by Mr.. Huntingdon, the
able and energetic president Of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio railroad, and by Mir. Fl. D.
Whitcomb. the experienced and accom-
plished engineer of that road. 1.-THE Legis-
lature of Virginia will now. grant the ne
cessary amendments to the charter, have
reason to believe that the road will be
promptly constructed. ..-n..
When the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad
shall have been completed from Richmond
to the Ohio river, and its connections per-
fected with roads leading to the Southwest,
West, and Northwest, it is destined to be-
come one OF the most important thorough
fares, not only for trade, but for travel, in
the United States. But in order to secure
travel from Washington and the cities
north of it, it will be necessary to have 4
direct line Of communication from Wash
ington, to connect with the main trunk Of
the Chesapeake and Ohio road at Staunton.
The present line, by way Of Gordonsville
and Charlottesville, DIVORCES too far East
and South, and increases the distance, over
o direct line between Washington and
Staunton, probably 80 miles. In this age
of progress and Of active competition be-
tween rival lines OF railroads, the public
will not tolerate such an elbow in the great
thoroughfare from East to West, and hence
it must be remedied by the proposed short
route. no .....--..- -','...... .-....
The benefits to your immediate county,
aud to all the country lying between the
present railroad and the mountains, will be
incalculable. That whole Piedmont re-
gion is one Of the most delightful in Vir-
ginla. 1t possesses an unrivalled climate,
a fertile soil, adapted alike to cereals,
grasses, and fruits of all kinds, abundant
water-power, and, as am informed, large
deposits of minerals. AS matters now
stand, you are almost isolated from the
other parts of the State. No great thorough
fares penetrate your section and hence the
public are comparatively ignorant of the
value and resources Of your country.
Should this road be constructed, it will give
you ready access to market for all the pro-
ducts of your soil, and will give a stimulus
to enterprise and industry which you can
hardly estimate. Hundreds OF travellers
will pass daily along the road, and have an
opportunity OF inspecting for themselves
the many advantages which your section
offers for immigration and the investment
of capital. 49,
But it is useless to enlarge on this theme.
The advantages are so patent that they
cannot fail to be understood and appre-
ciated by every man of common under
standing. My advice to you is to spare no
effort to secure the construction OF this
road, for feel assured that within q few
years after its completion your lands will
be doubled in value and new era will
dawn on your portion Of Virginia.
For more than thirty years / have been
the unfaltering and persistent advocate of
internal improvements in Virginia. Nature
has blessed us with all the elements of
wealth and prosperity in larger degree
than any other State, and our geographical
portion Gin the centre OF the Atlantic
States), with the finest climate, rivers and
ports to be found on the continent, was
such as to render them susceptible Of the
easiest development. Yet, in the midst of
such dormant wealth and such urgent in
vitations, by Nature herself, to make it
available, we have remained idle and suf
Tered other States, with inferior advan.
tages, to outStrip Us in the race for pros
perity and greatness.
In 1888 made report recommending
general scheme Of Improvement to the Leg
islature. A reference to that report will
show that it embraced almost every i'm
proVement which has since been construct
ed, including the railroad from Lynchburg
to Danyille, which is now about to be put
under contract. l did not, of course pro-
pose to construct all these works at once
but did desire that q general scheme
should he digested, so that all that we
might be able TO do should be done in refe-
renee to it, and thus avoid the danger of
constructing useless and rival works.
Nor did l propose to construct these
works by the unaided resources of Virginia.
At that day an act of Congress had been
passed requiring Distribution Of the pro-
ceeds of The public lands Of the United
States among the several States in proper
ton to their representation in Congress.
One large instalment had been paid over to
Virginia under this law, and had hoped
many more would be paid. Virginia then
had tWenty-one representatives IN Con-
gress, while Illinois had but three. Her
share would therefore have been very
large, and would have furnished liberal
fund for the construction of leading public
works. Unfortunately, as then thought
and still think, this policy of distribution,
which would have enabled Virginia to get
her fair share Of the public lands, was
abandoned, and from that day to this the
public lands have been the subject OF greedy
Speculation, and have, to a great. extent,
been appropriated to the benefit of other
States and the citizens Of other States, to
the almost entire exclusion of Virginians
and of Virginia, who originally coded the
larger portion of them to the United States.
The Legislature of Virginia, repudiating
the distribution policy, adopted the plan OF
constructing works on the partnership
principle, the State contributing, in some
instances two, and in others three-hfths, Of
the stock, and individuals the residue. In
1888 II denounced that principle on the floor