The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-02-04

From the Baltimore SUM-
Completion Of the Chesapeake and
Ohio Railroad.
1t has been already announced that
the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad has
been finished. The first tfaiD from
Richmond reached the banks of the
Ohio on Wednesday last. Thus there
is another through line from the AT.
lantic to the West, making the fifth
connecting line reaching from the sea-
board to the western system, or at least
its waters. The fact that there are 80
few through lines" compared to the
expansion of the railroads in the Mis-
sissippi Valley, is owing to the greater
difficulty and cost Of construction, arts.
ing from the rugged, intervening eleva-
ton OF the Alleghenies. The Baltimore
and Ohio railroad has the honor Of
leading the way in crossing the Aneri-
can Alps, a victory Of peace nobler
than Hannibal or Napoleon ever
achieved. Since that time the surplus
produce of the Western States has
grown to such dimensions that existing
railroads-the Pennsylvania notably
among the most important-aud the
Erie canal are scarcely able to accom-
modate the freight. The producer in
the West and the consumer in the East
must both gain by the construction OF
a new line possessing all the elements
for cheap transportation.
In 1886 (the year in which the Bal.
timore and Ohio railroad had been fin>
ished to Harper's Ferry) the Louisa
railroad was incorporated by the Vir-
GINA Legislature, intended to pass by
or near Louisa Court House TO q point
near the eastern base of the Southwest
Mountains, and thence to extend to a
point in the Valley OF Virginia. After
wards the scheme was extended, and
the.name was changed to the Virginia
Central. 1t was carried by Charlottes-
vile and Rockfish Gap to Staunton. in
the Valley, the extended scheme being
to reach Covington, Allegheny county,
Virginia, there to tap the Covington
and Ohio railroad, to be built on State
account and with a different gauge, the
object being to extend the James River
and Kanawha canal to Covington, and
give that chance to compete with the
railroad for the rich trade that woud
flow both ways. In all re
legislation concerning this RAD
clauses and provisions were inserted
intended to prevent it from injurlng the
canal. The original capital stock OF
the company was gradually increased
By acts of the Legislature as the extern
sion of the road demanded until it has
reached the sum OF $l3,5OO.OOO.. Its
maximum authorized capital is $780,
100000. The road was completed to
Louisa Court House in about lS4O, to
Gordonsville few years later, to Staun-
ton in lS47, and to Covington in l8oo.
There, when the war overlook it. it was
awaiting the completion of the Coving-
ton and Ohio railroad, which was being
rapidly pushed by the State.
At the conclusion of the war the
Virginia Central railroad WAS left a
complete wreck. All of its bridges and
most OF its depot buildings were do.
stroyed, much OF it's track torn up, and
that which remained in such condition
that it was unsafe to run over it In
train of cars, its engines, coaches and
cars worn out, and its treasury utterly
depleted; the prospect seemed indeed
gloomy. The superintendent Gays that
they h d LESS than 300 in the treaeur!
and only twenty miles of road available
for producing revenue.
In September, 1858, the Legislature
granted a charter 10 the Chesapeake
and Ohio Company. the Covington and
Ohio and the Central having been previ-
ously CONSOLIDATED, and 1869 a PROPOSE
ton of Huntington & Co., Of New
| York, was accepted under which the
work has been extended to the Ohio
the length of the line to the northwest
arm boundary of the State OF Kentucky
being 427 miles. Half Of this great
railway has been constructed IN less
than three years. There are seven
miles and about one.third of tunnels on
the road. The road strikes the Ohio
| at a point further west than any other
and as we have before stated, 1t Is pro-
posed that its eastern terminus
shall not remain at Richmond, but De
extended to Newport News, on the
James river, near Hampton Roads,
With a branch at Yorktown, on the
York river, the company desiring to be
able to transfer the freight to the larg,
est European and coastwise sailing and
steam vessels. The cost OF the work IL
stated at upward Of s35,OoO,o0.
We congratulate our nelgnoorine
State OF Virginia upon the happy con
summation of this grand enterprise
We NAV also congratulate ourselves 81
by means of our approaching connec
ton with it at Stanton, by the Valley
railroad, and by coasting vessels at III
eastern terminus, our own commefc'
will have due share Of its dement's.