National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-11-25

butter, beef, mutton, venison, game and
| vegetables in those counties, only sixty
miles from Washington, our people are to-
day compelled TO pay just as much forthem
in our markets as they were before the
opening Of the Metropolitan branch of the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad. That Balti-
more has obtained material advantages from
the opening Of this branch is confessed on
all sides. Perhaps the blame docs not all
lie at Mr.. CARROTS door. 1t may be that
our own merchants, not always quick to
see what is for their own interests, have
not grasped the opportunities placed within
their reach by the railroads. Some persons,
however, charge all the trouble Of our
'dear markets" TO the unwillingness Of
Mr.. Garrett to afford proper facilities for
getting to our market in time.
! The relations between Washington and
the Chesapeake and Ohio are very different
since it ignores Washington entirely; and
yet, as we said before, Washington and the
Potomac river are its shortest and most
natural outlet, as well for freight as passen-
gers. Yet, with an infatuation not easily
explained, and altogether inconsistent with
good policy, it concentrates all its energies
in Richmond, an interior city, COMPARE
lively locked up TO commerce by the bad
and tedious navigation Of the James river.
This tedious and expensive navigation must
always be serious obstacle to the success
of the Chesapeake and Ohio road. It was
the intention of the projectors of this en-
terprise TO make it great freight line.
That it will ultimately become such no one
acquainted with the vast mineral resources
of West Virginia doubts for a moment.
Her inexhaustible fields of the finest coal
known, Of camel, splint and bituminous,
TO say nothing Of her iron, timber and
other products, must when properly de-
veloped, give that road a freight-carrying
capacity second TO no other road. But
Richmond, to which the management de-
votes all its energies, affords her neither a
market nor a proper outlet to other mar
keiS.
Washington, with her much greater
population, all the departments Of Govern
ment, her diplomatic corps, Congress in
winter, her navy yard and her arsenal,
offers market for the very coal produced
in West Virginia as much greater than
Richmond as can well be imagined. But
net only has the management of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio railroad failed to grasp the
superior advantages offered by our mar
ket, it has ignored Washington altogether.
Indeed, all efforts TO induce the manage
ment to let these West Virginia Goals come
to Washington over Mr.. CARROTS Valley
road, which taps the Chesapeake and Ohio
road at StauntOn, or over the Orange and
Alexandria, which again taps it at Cor
louisville, ninety four miles from Washing
ton, have been made in vain. 1t might if
it would, make Gordonsville a central
point, it being about as near Washington
as Richmond, and by switching off its
cars at that point enable Washington to
get this coal as cheap as it is sold in Rich
mond. That it will not do. 1t blindly in
sists on carrying its Goals to Richmond, for
the benefit of Richmond, and il Washing
ton wants them it must send vessel and
bring them all the way back (342 miles) by
water, at a cost of $3.50 per ton freight.
1t will be observed, also that after leaving
GordOnsville the route leads away from
Washington. 1t would, indeed, seem i'm
possible to conceive policy more fatal to
the best interests Of the Chesapeake and
Ohio Company. 1t may be well enough to
mention here that four cargoes of the can
mel and splint coal have been imported
into this market this season from Rich
mond, and have sold readily. But our
dealers have resolved to do without it
rather than be compelled 10 send all the
way to Richmond for it, and pay the extra
cost of transportation.
The superior sagacity and foresight of
Mr.. Garrett is nowhere more forcibly illus.
trated than in the fact that he makes the
great Virginia railroad mere tributary Of
the Baltimore and Ohio. He is the great
controlling spirit in the Orange and Alex
andria road, which, as we said before, taps
it at GordOnsville, while his road up the
Shenandoah valley taps itagain at StauntOn,
ninety miles above. And he so manages
these roads that they act as bleeders, not
feeders, TO the Chesapeake and Ohio In
short, he takes as he has perfect right to
do, its eastern-bound passengers and what
ever freight he can from it at Staunton and
again at GOrdonsville and carries them
past Washington and into Baltimore.
In return for this he gives the Chesapeake
and Ohio railroad very little in the way of
passengers or freight. 1t is, indeed, only
natural that he should send both over his
''maIn stem to the West and Southwest.
The Chesapeake and Ohio railroad might
correct this direct communication East via
Washington, and at the same time estab-
fishing a coal depot somewhere on the
Potomac river. But it is said that Mr..
Garrett, in orderto compensate the Chesa-
peake and Ohio for his drain upon it,
agrees not to interfere with IFS coal freights,
which he condesccnds to let go to Rich
mOnd. Perhaps this explains the secret of
Washington merchants being compelled to
90 to Richmond for their coal. Will Gen.
Wickham make a note ofthiS, and act accord
ingly? So long as the best interests of his
road are sacrificed in this manner he can
AoI SApCCl II " DI OLnSl MLSC ILdu uOuuuGI-
ing in financial distress Again Mr.. Gar
rett's sagacity is shown in the fact that he
sends steamboats, up the Kanawha river,
above Charleston, W. Va, and carries tObac-
co and other produce (Which naturally be-
long to the freight of the Chesapeake and
Ohio rallroad) to Parkersburg, and from
thence over the Baltimore and Ohio road to
Baltimore. In this may he not only taps and
blceds the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad
in its centre but also at its western end.
EDUCATION IN THE SOUTH
One Of the most unaccountable features
of thn r,rncnr,t citrntin,, in tlnn Snn,tl, ic In