The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-04-19
The Western Connec tons.


o,,, RICHMOND citizens should he very
much gra,ified at the lively interest," ""n
fosted by the people OF the West in tue p'o
r,os.d roads that are to meet the Ches''pe"".
and Ohio railway st Huntington. lucy w
.hrno IN number-viz., the Lexington "n"
p;n Sandy road. which will put US ia e'u
o'e 49, lexington with Louisville snd \
S. Louis the Great Eastern line, "n%u ~.
c,nnect ms with Coviug,an ana Cnc'ana"
49,, Morsv;e. Ky., on the south SIZE Oh tae
oh,o ~ Cat,cttsburg and Huntington; and
Nor,hside railway, from Ctacanna" 70 nua'- |
;,rr,on which will connect the Chesapeake |
% o,,o line with the Ohio and northwest
ern systems OF rosds wtich will gtRe us
communication with Chicago and the other
Lake cities. @es .,.
All these lines are of very great smport.
auce to US. Each Que will Ae'a large contri.
butor to the business Of tile Chesapeake and
Ohio railway, The convention toee held at
Irontoa on the Goth instant is intended
mainly to consider the ways and means with
reference to building the road'frsm CIncin-
natl through Ohio to 'Hsntingtoa- The Gin
cinnati Commercial of Thursday, referring
10 this road, says:
ait is said that propertyowaersa along the
line are DOW willingend apNieUs to subscribe
the stock necessary to build the load through
their several counties. and ask Cincinnati 10
contribute toward constructing 1t through
Hamilton county .end into this city. Cincln-
MATHS interests in the enterprise are sao 10 De
these: Obtaining o new and cheap through
route to the sea-eoast: getting connection
with valuable coal deposits, with down
grade for loaded trains the whole distance,
and tapping rich and Popuous section Tor
passenger and:freight traffic"
The convention at Ironton will give strong
impulse to this enterprise particularly; but
it will also infuse increased zeal into the
Others, and We think we may indulge the
hope that in two years or thereabouts at
least one of them will be accomplished, and
we shall be able to make the trip to Cincin-
natl and to Loulsyille'by rail along our great
Kspawba route. .~ .-
A good delegation from Richmond goes to
Ironton, and wemsy hope that our interests
will be well represented, and that as many
friends as possible will be made for the route
a,ia Richmond and for her people. Unques-
tionably it is the Interest of the inhabitants
Of the niddle.temperate line, that includes
the Ohio river and the best part of the Mis-
sissippi Valley, to use all their influence and
means to penfect'the thoroughfares that open
the way to the commerce OF that line by the
straightest way to the golden gates of the
Chesapeake. In that line lies their grandest
advantages. and their,yital interests depend
upon 1t
We have often addressed to the people of
the Ohio Valley ,hs important truth. Their
farms and cities are to be benefited in the
greatest degree by making their commerce
hug the Ohio and follow the magic middle
line to the sea-: the line OF greatest vigor and
security-avoiding obstructive frosts and
summer drawbacks. Along that line will
our western friends fnd the best and most
agreeable and thrifty way to the coast trade
of the Atlantic and to the ocean commerce
with the world. To all quarters this high
way is the bestfor them. The waters of the
Chesapeake and the railways of this State
afford the very best means of distribution
for the interior commerce of the Middle
States.
There is one point which we cannot en-
force too earnestly for their good upon the
flourishing cities of the, Ohio. That is, that
this middle route of access to the Chesapeake
is their very best protection againstthe drain
towards the lakes. we see that Chicago in
a few years has surpassed them all, and is
steadily leaving them further behind iu the
race. Let them seize upon the middle line
and bring its ways to perfection, and the
drain which has checked their growth must
cease. A new era will be opened for them.
The low waters of summer will not be
allowed to rctard their commerce, while in
winter their advantages over more northern
competitors will be immense.
We look forward to the Ironton Conven-
tion with interest as an event tending TO in
crease the desire to make the western con-
nectons with the Kanawha route as soon as
possible.