Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1871-01-07
OUR RAILROAD.
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The official repor. Of General Herman
Haup,, Chief Engineer Of the Shenando'
ali Valley Railroad, and that Of Professor
J P. Lesley. OF PhilsdelPhia. Geologls'
TO the Company. have been recently pub
li.hed in pamphlet form, by order OF The
Board Of Directors, together With an IN
lroduc,ory noIe from President Bors' and
The admirable letter written by Commo-
dore Maury last September upon The sub
! jec, OF our Road.
Having been favored by our friend Hon.
A. r. Boteler, with an early copy OF the
above mentioned pamphlet. which CON-
prises nearly fifty pages Of vslusbls and
interesting Information, we would be glad
! 10 enrich our columns by transferring to
them its entire contents. But our limit
ed space this week will allow Us only 10
make The following extracts which we
feel very sure will be fully appreciated by
our readers.
First. in regard to The authors Of ibe
reports, President Borsi says:
Gen. Hsupi was, for some wears. Chief
Engineer and General Superintendent Of
the Pennsylvania Railroad, and, during
the war, Chief OF the Bureau OF United
States Military Railroads in the War De-
par,meni. In a professional career Ct
over thirty years, he has been connected
with many Of the mos, important engi.
neering works OF the United States 4; is s
graduate Of West Point. was Professor OF
Civil Engineering and Mathematics in
Pennsylvania College, and by his pub
lished works ON bridge construction. and
other professional writings, has eslsb.
lished high reputation.
Professor Lesley is the Secretary Of
the American Philosophical Society. and
now editor Of a scientific and statistical
journal. He was principal assistant 10
Professor Rogers in the geological survey
OF Pennsylvania. In The specially Of
American iron and coal. he has no supe.
rior these subjects have been the study
Of his life. The writings Of Professor
Lesley on American Geology have made
him favorsbly known 10 The ssvants OF
the European continent. and his opinions
and statements CON msnd universal respec,
and conf ence.
With this introduction we Row proceed
to quo!e from General Ilaupl's Report Of
his Reconnaissance OF the country be-
tween the Potomac River al Shepherds.
town. and the City Of Knoxville. with a
view to asceIlain the most eligible routes
for the extension OF The Shenandoah VAL
ley Rsilroad. The resources Of the country
tributary 10 the proposed lines and the
expedien'y Of the contemplated exIen.
SON." He says: 1.-The examination has
been conducted with reference 10 The de-
termination.
lst or line which would afford
the most direct through route between
New York, Philadelphia. and New Or
leans.
End. OF tia, which would develop to
the greatest extent The resources OF the
country nsversed. and command the lar
qes, amount OF remuneraliye business for
the road when completed.
3rd. or tina, which would afford the
most favorable characteristics in regard 10
economy Of operation.
4th. or that which incur, in iis con.
slruc,ion. the smallest expenditure Of cap
iial and The earliest returns.
5,h. OF that which would command
the lsrges, local contributions in aid Of its
construction"
All of which the General discusses Sc.
riaiim in the mos, mas,erlymsnner.
Passing over his remarks upon the
Ply ical characteristics of the country
along the proposed route. (which he pro-
nounces TO be highly favorable for the
construction OF our rosd). and omiliing
bi, interesting observations upon the in
,eres,s 10 be developed and The objective
points through which the line OF the road
should be extended. we ask especial at
ienlion 10 what follows in regard to Re.
sources, &c.:
RE.oURcEs
The local resources lobe developed by
The construction OF the Shenandoah Val.
| ley Railroad extension. consist chiefly OF
iron. coal. lumber, plaster. salt, mar
BILE. live stock and agricultural products
generally. The through lrisgbts will
consist oi live stock and cotton eastward.
and merchandise westward. The through
passengers traffic will be thai which is
due 10 The connections with the network
/ of railrosds leading to New Orleans, and
through Georg a. Alabama. Mississippi,
/ North end South Carolina. and on the
completion OF the Southern Pacific Rail-
road uia Memphis to San Francisco.
These sources Of business and of i'll
come will be presented somewhat in de
tail. but il is proper TO observe. that un-
less just and liberal policy shall be sdop-
ted ny yo1r Company 10 encourage tie
investment OF capital along the line Of
your road. IN mills, fsciorier. iurnsees.