The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-06-17
The Ohio Committee-Important

The Ohio Committee tan"
ITnon the return home OF the intelligent
committee from Ironton and PORTSMOUTH
who visited this city upon the subJecs OF Tue
construction of railroad from Portsmouth
TO Huntington, they made report, wh'cn Is
nublished by the town papers, signed oy MT.
Er,,s Men as secretary. This report shows
that the committee were gratited at their re-
ception and what they saw here.
After speaking of their reception as kind,
they particularly refer to their visit to the
Governor. They say:
"Aficr very agreeable interchange of
sentiments the delegation was escorted to
the various points of interest in and about
the city after which they were driven to the
residence Of tie Governor OF Virginia, who
gave them very hoSpitable reception and
manifested deep interest in the object OF
the mission. The delegation were gratifled
with the generous reception with which they
were greeted, and were Still more pleased
with the apparent prosperity and THRIFT OF
the city of Richmond, and left there fully
satisfied that Richmond is natural point Tor
the distribution OF products Of the great
West and the most convenient point from
which to draw supplies"
The statement here made Is that of most
intelligent and practical gentlemen. They
viewed the route, and they viewed the ad-
yantages here for transferring to the ocean.
going transports the commerce for the ocean,
and sending to all quarters by rail that which
is destined for the interior. They looked al
the route lying upon the parallel of latitude
that secures to trade and 10 all the pursuits
of man the health, and vigor, and lie, ano
hope that belong TO the line below op'
siructiye frosts and above the eXhausting
heats and malaria. This is the line, said they
upon which we can trade and labor with
greatest success, aud upon this line we car
with greatest force and triumph maintain the
prosperity of the Ohio Valley, and avoid the
drain which draws it's vital forces towards
the lakes. Hence they said, in few forclole
words "RIcuXoSD Is A NATURAL POINT FOR
.-uE DISTRIBUTION OF PRODUCTS OF THE GREAT
"WEsr, AND TIE MOST CONVENIENT POINT
"FRoS WEIGH TO DRAW SUPPLIES"
Here is practical philosophy in nutshell
How hard have We labored for long years tc
reason out the fact. Yet these practical and
sensible gentlemen have promptly discerned
and embodied it in brief sentence. The
condensation Of columns in a single sentence
1t is exactly The point in the grand discussion
1t should be the motto of the city. Her PEG.
pie should adopt it, and should concede
nothing from it; because it is entirely true
There was q particular point in the pre-.
senla!ion of their case by the most worthy
committee that was of the greatest interest
to this city. In their speeches before the
Chamber Of Commerce they spoke of the
projected railway along the Scioto Valley
from Portsmouth to Columbus, Ohio. Let
the reader get the map and trace the route
between these termini, and he will under
stand the project better. He will see that a
railroad there built will put Portsmouth in
railway connection with Chicago and the
lake cities, and we see that we are thus only
separated by 4 gap CT forty-eight miles from
tine same connections with lake cities, and by
a little indirection from Cincinnati. 1t is
only forty.eieht miles from Huntington to
Portsmouth, and the route to that place in.
cludes Catlettsburg, Ashland, and Ironton.
On the subject of the Scioto Valley road the
committee was not entirely positive when
they were here. See what they now say:
at was not expected by the delegation to
hope of success depended on the early CON-
pletion Of the proposed Scioto Valley rail.
road from Ports mouth to Columbus, making
the connection with the North and West.
On that subject the delegation abored under
some embarrassment, as they could not say
to the people of the city Of Richmond that
the Scioto Valley road was a fixed fact; but
the delegation since their return bone have
learned that all the arrangements for the
construction Of the road have been COM
pleted and that the work will be commenced
at once, with every reason to believe that
this line from Portsmouth to Columbus will
be completed within the present year."
So we may rest assured that "uithin the
present year" we shall only want forty eight
miles to complete all.rail lines between this
city and Columbus, Chicago, Milwaukee, De-
troit, Cleveland, sc. Do we feel the full force
Of the fact that we, after fifty years of labor
and 4 thousand times having been driven 10
the very verge OF desperation, are now within
les. than fifty miles of an all.rail connection
with the greatest cities and the richest val
leys of the great Northwest? Do we real
ize it?
Weknow the committee. They are prudent
and solid men. They would make no such
statement lightly, or without knowing the re-
liable nature Of the grounds upon which the
statement rested. That committee has done
much for Richmond if it did no more than
state the opinions and conclusions arrived at
in their report, and our citizens may we'll re.
fleet upon these.
The Wicked" and the Truly Good"