The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1872-11-28
I hnraaay, -" Neyember2s. 1872.
NEW NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., RICH
M0ND, STAUNT0N AND COYINGTON-
THE FUTURE.

ONO Rallfoan Is rapioly proSreSsluS. oiaoA
laying from both the east and west ends being
pushed for ward favorably. The distance
from Richmond to Huntington, the length of
the road when completed is 42o miles. The
track laid from Richmond west is 3Ol miles.
Track -laid from Huntington east, is 80 miles,
leaving 20 miles yet to be laid to complete
the entire line. 1t is confidently expected,
with favorable weather, the work will be fin
ished By the LIST of January next.
: THE construction Of this great improvement
and the consummation of all the arrange
taents for the regular running OF passenger
and freight trains on it, will have wonder
full effect upon the country through which 1t
passes aud those sections whose trade it will
accommodate Penetrating the richest coal
and iron deposits of the continent, the wealth
it. will develop cannot be easily estimated
Richmond city, if her people arc equal to the
advantages which will then be in their grasp,
must necessarily feel the stimulating effect.
Her true destiny is manufactures Her
growth aud prosperity lie within herself, and
arrangements will have to be made to utilize
her natural advantages, by turning attention
to this branch Of industry 1t is hardly pre-
sumed that the intelligent and thoughtful
portion of that community, expect to com.
,nand the trade which will pour over the
Chess peake and Ohio road, ether than that
which will be necessary for their own purpo
ses. The immense coal trade must find a
market farther North, and this will almost
compel the construction Of the proposed
branch road from Stanton to Washington
Alexandra will be the point whore vessels
will load with the coal products of the west,
aud thence be transported to the eastern
cities.
When we consider that deep water can only
be reached 80 miles below Richmond, which
would make it 165 miles from Stanton, and
that it can be reached at Alexandria 115
miles from this point, the logic Of trade com,
pels us to arrive at the conclusion, that what
is now termed the branch road, will 10 fact
be the main channel of communication not on
" for trade, but passengers, between the
western country drained by this great line
and the east. Assuming that 500 600 tons
of coal will be transported annually from the
coal fields Of Virginia and West Virginia to
seek market east at a cost say OF one ceut
per mile per ton. and that by taking the
straight chute from Staunton to Alexandria,
saving in distance to the cities OF consump-
ton would be made Of about so miles, an IT.
resstible and controlling argument is at once
furnished why Richmond will only be the
entrepot for so much Of this traffic as he'
own demands will require. A clear saving
of quarter million Of dollars year to con-
sumers Of coal will give direction to the chan
mel of its transit. And this fact, will OF 1t.
self. ito say nothing of the almost fabulous
mineral wealtaetsss would be developed
though the country this short line would
traverse, determine the necessity of an imme.
date construction of the road from Staupton
to Washington.
There are four points in Virginia which
must become manufacturing cities, if the
State is to be benefited by the completion Of
the Chesapeake and Ohio Road, to the extent
that is anticipated. The mere transit of the
trade through the State will add comparative
ly little to her prosperity and wealth, unless
our people avail themselves Of the advantages
it will present. Those points are Covington,
Stanton, Richmond and Alexandria. The
first place is a mere village as yet, but ten
years time will find it proud of a population
of probably five thousand people. Recent
sales of lands in that vicinity to Northern
capitalists pretty surely indicate that shrewd
calculators are looking to the future, and ba-
sing their estimates upon the manufacturing
facilities it presents. With fine water power,
lime stone, coal, iron and salt almost ia sight,
it requires no prophet to foretell that Coving-
ton is destined to become no incousiderabe
place in;the course Of time.
Staunton now is rapidly growing. She
will have the advantage of the railroad work
shops, the energy, capital and business expe-
rieuee. of the Invest population of any inland
town in the South, aud with the facilities she
will possess Of reaching all sections Of the
country, on the completion Of the various
railroad enterprises in process Of construction
aud contemplated her future is 10 her own
hands. We must not sit idle and allow to
pass through to the east the means which
aione will enable US to play no inconsiderable
part iu the-splendid era that is now dawniug
upon our beloved State.
Richmond and Alexandria alike must be
the architects of their own fortunes. The
means will b; at their command, and it is for
the people of these ci les to seize them with
firm and bold bands, if they would keep pace
with the material progress which the next
decade is to unfold They would be worse
than sluggards, if, with the diversified COM
MERGE Of a continent pouring into them. they
did not rise with the great events and tn e
spirit. which the age vouchsafes, and push