The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-04-03
The East and the West.

The problem Of increasing ana -coeapeu'
$40 the means of communication between
the East and the West, which has engaged
.he minds of the leading public men OF the
dsy. ~ not likely to be solved by the dist'n'
ynished committee Of the United states
Senate. II Is said that the report OF tna'
committee will favor double track ra''Foao'
And let us ask from and to where1 o
that is a vital question in the ma.'e'' .,o,
Of railroads we have several anu LIZ,
have nearly all of them double tracAs. Da'
~. .o.;n no;nt relates to cheapnees OF ti"hS'
wv 1n sn that the excessive production
srtso r;ch western fields may reach the con-
.,,,er in The East at prices which VIII pay
RI, nroducer. That is the question. Ana Mr.
,y,x,ou,s committee cannot solve 1t by an-
.,her donbletrack railway, which will only
;n,nc,,,,e another scheme OF fraud anu
.orrup,;op. emulating the CIedit-Mooi'ier'
This will add little to the so'u''oh VI 'ue
~rest question that occasionea the appoih''
-nent Of the learned committee.
wba, Mr, W1spox's report may pro-
,o.c as TO how the double track Is 70
be built, and the part the Federai GOV
ernmen, may have in its conslructiop'
we know not; but II it does not open
the way for the malp7actices we ABOVE
.llude 10 Mr.. WISDOM and his eommhtee
have been ingenious enough to hnd out a
way TO defeat fraud which has never yet Deen
discovered by anybody save themselves.
The double-track railway will necessltate
the construction of new system OF railways
for the purpose Of accumulation Of frelghts,
and in fixing its termini the Federal Govern
rneut will become the judge Of the course
OF Notwithstanding point OF departure
and a point of terminus, to the de'rlment
O; all competing points. We suggest 1nat
che settling of matters in this way will neither
be agreeable to the nation nor entirely con.
eonant with the province Of inpartiality ana
iustice to all Of the Government Oh the
United states.
We have faith in the integrity OF the Sem
a,o committee, but we have SO much the
greater taith in the decision Of the body of
ENGINEERS who have been considering the
same subject that was referred to the CON.
mi,,ee. as is implied In contiding not only in
their integrity but in their practical wisdom.
This bodv of engineers, it has been stated on
very respectable authority, will report In
favor of the Central water-line. They will
declare it neutrality-suspicious. not only
with reference to It's adaptabIllty 10 tIans-
rcrtaton, but to cost and volume OF trans
If practicable al all, it will ex-
coed the capacity of double track railway
Immensely.
No one will dispute the almost unlimited
of q water.line for transportation.
g,r, we must not confne our estimates of its
advantages in this case to The capacity OF the
jcc itself. We must extend our estimate to
he power of concentration Of freIghts from
II quarters upon the main line. At tue OHIO
liver i, is put in connection with fifteen thou
and miles Of water transportation, the cheap
st that is possible. No railroad can have
uch advantages, and no railroad can receive
I'D forward such Accommodations OF freight at
uch low charges. Every one must readily
&c this. So its power of distribution as we'll
5 collection cannot be surpassed. The world
i water is its medium of diffusion.
That Senator WISDoA's committee cannot
.rry the proposition OF the double-track
ailway we feel satisfied. They may sue
eea in embarrassing or defeating more
PRACTICAL scheme, we fear; but it is conso-
atom TO know that they cannot carry their
,wu. Aud we sincerely regret that the Ia
,ocs Of so Intelligent u committee should be
e>t; but if we are rightly informed as to
he conclusions at which they have arrived,
.!:cr their laborious Investigation, that will |
be LIE cud of all their efforts.