The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-01-03

)ayS the company through Nno'o en' ' 80
was completed so rapidly just comptt-
nent, The writer correctly estimates the
,uiue Of the road to the city OF Norfolk as
wei, as to this city and the State. The COR
nesSons between Norfolk aud that read ana
between that city and Richmond must be-
Come subjects Of deep interest as well 10
those cities as to the State. It was short
sighted policy that sought 10 divide their In
terests and make them independent OF one
another. 1t has bat injured then both aud
thrown the benefits that geographically and
practically belonged to themlato the pockets
Of distant conmunities-and that too, under
the disguise of promoting the interests OF
Virginia:
CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO RAILROAD.
TFrom the Nor folk Landmark
NoEHoLx, December %, 1873.
Coptdia James Barron Hope:
Nv Dear Sir,AYour editorial OF yeStef'
day. in which you cast some unjust renee
t;ons upon the management Of that greatest
of yirgiuia's material acbieIements-the
Cbesapeake aud Ohio railroad-has caused
much regret among many of your friends.
r. has always been held by the wisest and
most sacacious men in this State that con-
nec1ion with the great Northwest was neces'
sary in order to build up a commercial me-
tropolis in Virginia. No one is more familiar
with this fact than yourself. The Southwest
connection which we now have with the
Mississippi river at Memphis existed before
the war, and has existed for about ni'een
years. It has done much good, and is an
iunortant feeder to our commerce; out
similar connection failed TO make Charleston
and Savannah great cities, and it has not Tue
power to force the gro~th of city on TINS
harbor. The reasons are numerous, Du'
foreign to this article.
The great object Of many jealous adFo-
Gates OF snuih-side consolidation was TO give
the consolidated roads the inherent power
TO extend themselves through Cumbcrland
Gap to the Ohio, and on to the bread.ano'
me- at.producing centres OF this continent
The north side and the south side OF Nir-
ninia we're both striving TO reach this coveted
region, and it was thought that to the win
ncr of the race would come speedy ana a
rich reward.
Your correspondent can never forget the
satisfaction he experienced when OH his way
to q commercial convention in the West, the
present president Of the Atlantic, MiSsis.
sippi and Ohio Railroad Company assured
him that there were physical difficulties, al
most if not altogether iDsurmountable I'D inc
construction of the Chesapeake and ONO
railroad TO the Ohio river, and that WIN tne
consolidation of the sOuh-side railroaoS
would come the speedy construction OF Inc
Virginia and Kentucky railroad:
The consolidation bill provided Tor the
construction of this railroad In SIX years
from 1870, 1t is not our purpose 10 crlticise
the failure of General Malone to keep good
his promise. The first and second reports
Of the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Rail-
road Company and the recent speech OF Its
president hive doubtless satisfied his friends
why he has done nothing, and the former
satisfied n number OF your tellow-ctizeGs that
they could not look to his management for
the speedy realization of work without
which his company is powerIess to de-
yelope the destinies Of this harbor. 1t was
for this reason that, after the second an
nual meeting of the Atlantic, Mississippi
and Ohio Railroad Company, your CORE
spondent, in behalf Of number Of leading
citizens and himself, commenced CORE
spondence with Mr.. Huntington and Gene
raj Wickham, looking not to departure of
their original plan OF connecting their Rich
moud terminus with deep water on the
James or York, but to secure to Norfolk a
branch Of their road by connection between
Clifton Forge and LynchbuTg. The CORE
spondence met with friendly response, and
the assurance was given that 80 soon as the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Company
was in suitable condition it would build
this road, which we could use in connection
with our soutb-side roads, and that in the
mean time every facility would be afforded
our good people OF Norfolk to experience
the benefits of ifs present work.
All must admire General Mabone's ability
as railroad manager; bat business men
cannot forget the fact that with all bis &C.
niusand energy he has opened upno new ave-
nue. of trade to Norfolk. He has doubtless
done wonders in restoring and eDlsrging the
facilities of those great south-side works
which his predecessors laid out and con.
structed under so many difficulties and EN-.
barrassments, and which in the light of I'M
proved science and in the age of the Pacific
railroads and the Mount Gents tunnel, pre-.
sent engineering triumphs Of which our old
Commonwealth may well be proud.
Are the people of Norfolk to be SO I'M
grateful as to forget the debt Of gratitude
they owe to Mr.. Huntington and his asso-
ciares for connecting Tidewater Virginia by
the iron bands of commerce with the Ohio
at q point where sixteen thousand miles OF
water navigation centre? He and his asSo-
ciates came not to Virginia band of adven-
furers seeking to further rob and despoil
our war-worn people. They were sought
at their homes by our Virginia people and
Jo.1 49, fol, i.,b or, kha 1r
that work which General Malone had pro.
noupced impracticable, and which our
porth-side friends were satisfied they could
knows the Virgiuians who went to New
York and enlisted these gentlemen in this
great undertaking. He served on the staff
OF one Of them in the Confederate army,
and be wishes Virginia had to-day host of
Andersons to build up her waste places and
develope her limitless resources. 4
In 1870 the Southside undertook to reach
the West under the management Of Malone,
and failed. In 1870 the Northside undertook
to reach the West under the management of
Huntington, and succeeded. Now boat
can be loaded with grain at Fort Benton,
Montana, and foated to Huntington, whence
the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad can bring
it to the james river and discharge it into q
barge, which in twenty hours can be along.
side Liverpool steamer in Norfolk harb Dor,
and at less cost, damage, and loss of time
than by any other route. Should we not, as
Virsinians, rejoice at this, and give praise
where it is due?
Suppose the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail-
road Company has been unable to meet its
November interest, should. We therefjre
draw an odious comparison between it and a
sister Virgins company which was so fortu-
nate us not 10 have any interest to pay du-