The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-11-30
sonth Side Of the Ohio.

3ect OF railway lIoh that to"h "" AA"-
Vile, KY. to Big Sandy or Huntington, w
Va, there to connect with the Chesapeake
and Ohio railroad. The movement seemed
to be earnest and energetic. Newport i
opposite Cincinnati, and is ambitious OF be
coming the terminus of railway which
shall follow the southern shore Of the Ohio
and put her in direct communication,
through the Chesapeake and Ohio road
with Tidewater Virginia.
Tie strong declaration .eof Mr.. TAYLOR,
quoted by us, shows that the people of New
port are Of opinion that the proper relation
OF Newport to the commerce Of the Ohio
cannot be established without the aid OF q
railway that shall give that place direct and
independent communication with the East
In this they are right. If both passengers
and freight are impcllcd to take the routes
on the northern side Of the Ohio, while the
trade ola the Chesapeake and Ohio railway
shall, on the south side OF the Ohio, go of
by way OF Mount Sterling and Lexington
to Louisville, amongst travellers and mer-
chants Newport viii seldom be heard OF.
It will be different affair, however, il there
shall be railway along the southern shore
Of the Ohio from Big Sandy to Newport. IT
was, we are sure, exactly as to this that
Colonel TAYLOR alluded when he said that
"his eyes had been opened.'
The resolution quoted by us yesterday
from the report of the proceedings OF the
meeting at Newport had for its purpose an
appeal to the people Of Newport for cor
porate subscription to the road. The con-
siderations in favor of such subscription
are vital, and we should think that the town
ought to be in good condition to make 1t.
She is quite prosperous. and has built no.
thing that required that she should incur
debt OF any consequence. The road now
proposed is necessary to save her from be-
ing forgotten-from dropping cut, as 1t
were, from commercial reputation. For
such road, if she is not willing to incur a
debt, the inference must be that she is quite
ready to drop out and be forgotten.
Cincinnati has given Newport an example
OF enterprise that she may we'll emulate.
Still we think Cincinnati's example is chiefly
creditable for its energy. 1t has not been
ALWAYS wise. She has overdnne things, and
will find that she has spent vast deal OF
money many mlIions-with very little adj
vantage to herself. The Cincinnati South
ern railway will never compensate the
queen city OF OHIO for her expenditure.
Had Cincinnati expended the many millions
which she put in that road for the purpose
OF completing her communication with the
bay she would have done nobly
for herself. AS it is, she has shown energy
without wisdom, and will now have to de-
pore folly which we fear can never be re-
paired. ... IT,,
Knowing as wo do the Importance to
that she should strike out for her
self, and that she has many able and shrewd
people who also know this, we think it
more than probable that their proposed
road on the south side OF the Ohio to Big
Sandy will he built. That event will be
gratifying to Richmond not merely because
this city will be thus put in commercial
correspondence with Newport, but other
lines OF connection with the West and
Northwest will he stimulated, and we shall
soon have thorough intercourse with the
whole system of western and northwestern
railroads. y. >, j.
While this, indeed, cannot repair entirely
the damage done to the principal city OF
Virginia by the treachery and folly which
have deprived her of SO large trade with
the south side Of James river and the South
west, it will break the force of the terrible
blow which has fallen upon us by the mis-
direction and maladministration OF the pub
lie thoroughfares built with the money Of
Virginia. The trade Of the Northwest and
West that will flow to Richmond through
the Chesapeake and Ohio along its present
route, and soon, we hope, through both
that and an additional way diyerging at
Clifton Forge-the "shipka pass" Of our
western commerce-and thence following
the river, will be more than enough to make
Richmond one of the frst-class inland cities
OF the Union.
We are sure that Newport can do no bet
ter for herself than to build the road along
The south shore of the Ohio; for their own
sakes we trust that they will do this.