, 1873-02-07
VIRGINIA.
The Chesapeake l. Ohio Railroad
Opened to the Ohio River.
The Eanlwha Cana1--Revival of
Trans-Allegheny Canal
Projects.
California Helps Kentucky 0ut---niralr11-
lous Movement to the West.

| From Our 01en Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 81, 1873.
| TIE cuEsApEAKE ONO RAILROAD.
Nothing has happened in the Border States Il
years, of a material character, compared to th
satisfaction with which Kentucky, Woat Virginil
and Virginia hail the opening Of the Chesa
poake g. Ohio Rond. This ID the fifth trunk lin
between tidewater and the Great West, and n
railway south Of it crosses the AuegheDies
except the Virginia e. Tennessee Road, which
| $50 miles distant, and aims for the Southwest
! North Of tho Chesapeake l. Ohio 100 miles is tt
! Baltimore L. Ohio Railroad; next above, II,
Pennsylvania; and then the Erie and the Ne,
York Central.
| THE NEW TRUNK ROAD.
The New York Central Road was opened from
| Boston to Buffalo in 1842,-tLirty years ago
| Nine years later [1851), the Erie Railroad wa
completed; and, in 1852, Chicago was united t.
! the tide. In 1853, the Baltimore Il Ohio Rail
road, after twenty-six years Of heroic labor
reached the Ohio Kiver; and in 1854, tho Pom
sylvania Railroad reached Pittsburgh. Ninetce.
more years were supposed to elapse before th.
Commonwealth OF Virginia-an early mover il
railway enterprises-was to connect the greatest
AAt-AUoA OA tAAC GokA9k Will VI 1tl1NO1t
navigation on the River Ohio Hampton Roads
and Huntington; or, more properly, at present
Richmond City and Huntington,-a distance oi
427 miles. The las. spike was driven lasl
Wednesday, Jan. 10, 1878. The road has cost
a35, 900 GOO, and it extends further vest thar
any corporate limo with which it viii compete
west Of the meridian, Of Cleveland. Ohio.
FROM CHICAGO TO RICHMOND.
West of Huntington, this road has made much
progress toward Mount Sterling, in kentncky,
whore, by the lease Of the Cincinnati, Louisville
l. Lexington State Line Road, it becomes an
outlet, open Ill winter, Of the eystems Of rail-
ways between Chicago and Memphis, in all no
less than eight. Chicago will be just $40 miles
from Richmond Va, next fall, and only GO miles
from the White Sulphur Springs, which will
hereafter be q Western Watering place, md no
moro than nights ride in sleoping-car from
Cincinnati.
In this prospect alone, tho quantnoss OF the
new revelation made by this railway will be COM
mendcd to you OF the Great West. A day and 4
night will place your bridal couples from cllica-.
go on the Peaks Of Otter, and ut tho Natural
Bridge, Weyer's Cave, the graves Of Lee and
stonowan Jackson, aud the dozen healing
springs Of the softcss mountain-ridges in the
Union. Near rs this country will bo to
tens Of thousands Of tourists weary OF the
old Northern rounds, it is still the Oldest
country west Of tho Allegheny,-the
countr , of Boono, Kenton, and that band of
more commercial spiTits who founded the City
OF Lexington in 1779, where, in tile year 1884,
James Wilkinson opened tho first a1y-gootis
store in all the West.
The Chesapeake Il Ohio Railway is in come
sort development OF the Central Pacific Rail-
road; the credit Of its compilation il duo to the
City Of Sacramento, which contributed to the
nearly bankrupt enterprise of tho City Of Rich
monl and the State Of Virginia, President and
d force III
c. P. HUNTINGTON.
The War had broken down utterly the credit Of
the business names Of virginias railway men,
and had also surrounded with confidence the
na'ncs OF the few merchants of Sacramento
who had pushed the Pacific RAILWAY across tho
Sierra Novadas: Hence, while not D dollar
Robert z. Leo or any other Of the revered names
OF the Lost Cause, tho North raised SIS, ,000, 600
at the pronouncemcnt Of Huntington's name,-.
name set up over shop for many years in q
mining town Of the Pacific Slope. TO this man
Virginia gave away, in 1868, the work OF thirty
two years, namely: 205 miles Of completed rail-
way, reaching from Richmond City to Coving-
ton, Va, tha millions OF labor and study put
upon the task, and the 1ight-of-way FREQ to the
River Ohio Such are the cxtremitiea to which
Commonwealth may be reduced, and such the
opportunities good credit and experience MAY
obtain. In three years, the Sacramento man had
found q market for his bonds, and had passed
his laden trains from the Ohio River to tidewc~
tor at Richmond.
THE WORK
involved nearly rs much tunne1ing os the Mount
Gents Road between France and ITALY, or seven
and one third miles. The Chesapeake i Ohio |
attained the highest summit, 2;07s feet above
the tide, in sight OF 3 mountain-inob 4AlS feet |
h1gh; and for $50 miles the road is crossed by |
no other railway whatever, but PASSES through = |
virgin region, full Of precious and useful min
srais aud productions, connecting the great |
5ran-y3tley OF Virginia with the grazing plains (
of the Kentucky bluegrass, md opening up, be-
'ween the two riches Of camel coal, salt, mari,
slate, economically porcelain-clay, fire-clay, and
oipe-c!ay; hcnatito iron ore III veins 50 feet
vide, running 215 tons to ton Of pig iron;
alino springs of Vest Virginia, which lie bo-
ide this road, nre of extraordinary consequence,
nd at the Snow Hill Works alone, tho product |
s 40o, 700 bushels per annum, running 45 gallons
# brine to the buahei yielding besides 100
pounds Of bromino per diem, and the whole
nected with coal found on the spot in scam
Get thick.
HUNTINGTON.
The new town Of Huntington lies on slight
y,,shclving ridge Of ground, backed by woody
oLA NAS plA41AA O4Aos N4IA 1A1la steamers, l
nd floating wlnrfhouses and arks, in sp.eaa ouk
efore it, very cxquisitely. Alitt1e waJ above is
cen tho old pole-boatmen's town OF Guyan-
otte. IT tie Ohio River were to h1ep the same
orthwes.ward course in which it Aowa from
huntington to Cincinnati, it would nearly touch
hicago.
Here city may ariee; but Charleston, or
oalsmouth: is quite as likely to be the city for
railroad has not helped Parkersburg any, and
heeIing very little. The Ohio River is filled |
ith places once riotous With promise, where,-
some one has eaid, civilization cot its nightly
dging, and pushed on next day. By tho cen
ls Of 1870 all the population Of this region
ong the Ohio, in four whole counties, was
lly about A, 600. Huntington now contains j
~ hundred poople, and Charleston, which was
tiled 80 long ago. contains but $3.50.
TIE TOWN or BRE4K-Eu1K.
The town Of Covington, Va, county-seat Of
hole county OF but 8, 500 people, wls many years
20 hnointed for q mighty destiny. In the
santic intellect Of the old Virginian, Coving-
Il Was Set down for q great mari of exchanges, |
lere everything should break bulk and swap I'd
ugcs. The road from the West must hero d
eet both canal and railroad but, to protect
e canal, the competing railroad VAS required {
have. new gauge, so that, when the boats =
n {r *io11 : = /