The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-02-06
nn.a Great Railroad.

their places ana not 10 UliucIS'alu '-
where and to whom they belong, the ms
match has one star which is its guide, ana
which can never mislead it. That pi'Sh'
and super-eminent illumination OF Its pain
is the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad. i
refreshing in the hour of confusion anu
conflict to see it dispensing its clear 'S"'
and steadily rejecting the brigh, promises
of Virginia and OF this her greatest clt!'
which is cminentlv entitled TO her con-
Germ and support.
The Chesapeake and Ohio railroad Is
RAPIDLY approaching completion. For the
energy and spirit with which the western
half of it is pressed. and the speed with
which il will be completed, it throws all
other enterprises in this State and the South
entirely in the shade. If enterprise. the
mastery control of means and force, and 4
wonderful rapidity Of railroad construction
entitle man to wear the crown of railroad
king, that crown belongs to somebody con-
nected with the Chesapeake and Ohio rail-
road but it belongs to man remarkable
alike for his reticence and modesty. That
man is Mr.. HUNTINGTON, the president OF
the company a man who had won his fame
before he entered upon the Virginia thea
ire by his gigantic achievements upon the
Pacific Railway.
The peculiar advantages of this grand
Chesapeake and Ohio railway is that 1t
connects the Virginia tide with the great
western fields, agricultural and mineral,
which are peculiarly adapted to the sup
port of manufacturing industry and the
growth Of commercial communities. Both
those fields which will be pierced by this
grand artery of communication, are almost
unlimited In their resources.
When we look at the Chesapeake and
Ohio route we at once see how it is adapted
to the business of transporting the products
of these great fields. We find the James
river valley reaching along the latitudnous
line from the foot Of the klleghanies to The
Atlantic tide, and separated by mario"
ridce-only mile and a half wide there
from the waters of the Kanawha, rising and
running along the kanawha valley, pursu-
ing the same line Of latitude westwardly to
the Ohio. That narrow ridge is crossed by
the railroad at the grade of t,renty-n1nc anu
a half feet to the mile! \ fact without
parallel in any of the raill Dads which run
from east to west across the mountain
ridges parallel with the ocean.
1t is the purpose Of the company TO
change the route of their main freight line
so that it will follow the valley Of the James
river to Richmond. The President, MIR.
HUNTINGTON, has declared his purpose to
complete line to tide-water here that VIII
have no grade above thirty feet to the
mile land indeed none above twenty
after passing the Ale"hany) comm"
east-the direction Of heavy frcights.
This will enable the company TO lower the
charges upon freights so much that no other
railroad fine can well compete with them,
since the rates Of freight depend mainly
upon the grades railways have to traverse.
The company is now asking the Legisla-
ture for the power so to alter the location
and grades of their road As to give it advan-
tages which must be invaluable to Virginia,
and we cannot doubt that the Legislature
will readily grant their petition. Every in.
terest of the State dictates that il should be
granted.
The commerce that hugs the james River
Valley is the commerce Of Virginia, and
must contribute TO her wealth and power.
When the wise scheme Of Mr.. HUNTINGTON
is completed we shall sec its bcnetccnt re-
suits. There will be 4 prosperity and in
crease in this city exceeding the predictions
of all the sanguine friends Of the work who
have labored so many years under adversely
fmay we not say peryersity , to secure its ul-
innate completion. 1t viii bring TO Us the
things that do make great cities: the raw
material for manufactures and the necessa-
ries of life, and it will take back the fabrics
Of our industry, and the importations OF
our men of business. Here we shall grinC
up the wheat and ship it to South America,
our ships returning with coffee, hides, &C.,
OF that continent, and these again will be
taken by the West in exchange for then
products.
The Chesapeake and Ohio railroad grows
yearly in magnitude. We venture to tres
pass upon the circle of private intercourse
SO far as to repeat some Of Mr.. HUNTING
TONS views not intended for the press. lie
stated that when he took hold of the Ches-
apeake and Ohio railroad his purpose was
to make u two-years' job of it, and windinr
it up, to devote himself to some new enter
prise. But he found that ii so steadily
grew in magnitude that he could hope tol
10 such speedy conclusion OF his relations
to it. He now begins TO think that it is to
occupy his time and intellect for the bal
ance of his days. With the steady increase
of bis appreciation of the work, every one
who knows him sees that he is becoming
more and more enthused about it, and that
1t Is, in short, already pet upon which his
affections are beng concentrated.
Mr.. HUNTINGTON sees that this railway
is upon the just middle line Of temperature
that is most favorable of all for the energies
of man, mental and physical, as well us for
the development aud fostering of the social
refnements and virtues. He sees, more
ever, that the land upon this middle line
abounds in mineral and agricultural re-
sources Of the most magnificent and mex
haustible character. He pictures to him.
self the grand actions that are to take place
on this theatre, and the important part hi.
railroad is to take in them, and his mind Is
euthused with his anticipations. That there
shall be nothing wanting to complete the
circumstance and dignity of the great high
way under his direction. it traverse,
beautiful lands, and winds its way through
mountain passes Of unsurpassed lorelines: