The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-10-09
o,,r Western Connections.

Our Western Connections.
This subject is one which has ever been
deeply interesting to us, and our city read
ers must be far less concerned about the
welfare Of this city than we are IL 1t grows
to them tiresome. Would that we couio
make report upon good authority that tue
Chesapeake and Ohio railroad was about TO
be united with the western and northwest.
ern system OF roads. That would be most
rrati!ying to every man in Richmond VINO
understood and appreciated the rest inter-
esta ~ this city. While we nave no
such positive information, ana "n'le
an Of MS have been disappointed ire
o,ontly in fixing our hopes upon
s;pns which promised the immeoiate
establishment OF the connection so much
desired, we still have good reasons to nope.
IL there be no other one, we know that the
narrow and short throat. as it were, that Is
immediately at the point OF the passage OF
the Ohio river between the State OF ONO
and the junction OF the boundaries be-
tween Kentucky and Virginia cannot
he Dermltted 10 remain an obstacle to
railway connection between the Atlantic
and the Mississippi Valley. Instead OF
being any real obstacle it is the inviting
passage for a railway that at no great cost
must unite the east and west in bands OF
social and commercial union that must lead
to prosperity and harmony that will i'm
prove the advantages, goodwill, and hap
pincss Of an immense population.
few days ago we stated that the Scloto
Valley railway would be completed anu put
in opcration on the 1st day OF October. The
information upon which we made the state
ment has not been sustained, and the scloto
Valley railway is not opened to Portsmouth,
its terminus on the Ohio river. Still, that
road is 90 near its completion that at the
farthest it cannot be long before it is opened.
Want Of funds postpones the opening, Dut
the work is so near completion that those
who have put their money in 1t cannot afford
70 allow it to remain long doing nothing.
The completion OF the Scioto Valley ral-
road is only important to us as far as 1t may
hasten the time that puts us in connection
with Ohio and her great cities and the vast
Valley OF the Mississippi. That this rail-
road will facilitate this connection we all
see. But its completion in October might
not put us nearer to this grand consumma-
ton than might its completion in January,
which is the tine fixed in the last view OF
the progress OF the road.
Rut another chance is now opened Tor
filling up the gap between Huntington and
Portsmouth. A railroad is projected up the
Big Sandy Valley. We learn from the Iron
Aoe. Of Irontop, OHIO, that the money for
this road is so nearly raised that its friends
now consider it secured, and look for its
early completion. This project is based
upon large mineral properties now owned
by the manufacturers in Ironton, Ports
mouth, and Cincinnati. There are immense
deposits of iron and of coal in the Big San
DIV VALLEY. The Ohio manufacturers are
expecting immense supplies OF both from
that valley, while Cincinnati expects by
railway connection to draw her winters
supply OF coal from 1t. Cincinnati has
shown a determination to have railway
along the north side OF the Ohio riG Ports
mouth to connect with the Big Sandy road.
The construction OF the railway to the
Big Sandy is certainty, and the uncer-
tainty is only as to the time when it will be
built. Nevertheless we feel assured that
there will be no avoidable delay about it.
If other expectations are disappointed,
we may feel assured that connection be-
tween Portsmouth and Huntington will
come through this road to the Big Sandy.
The Iron Age says:
"The Chesapeake and Ohio by extend
ing her track to Catettsburg would be met
there by track from Ashland, which We
learn the Ashland people propose to make,
together with liberal subscriptions toward
bridge to be located at or near Monitor
Furnace, thus giving the Sandy Valley
connection both east and west, and
placing it at once OH the footing OF
great feeder to the other roads. we
outline, as we think, what ordinary BUSH
ness sagacity would suggest, in view OF the
Riyerton to Huntington on both sides OF
the river. The vast mineral and timber in
terests must, sooner or later, attract large
amount OF capital for investment into this
great iron and coal centre; and that each
and all NAV have the best and cheapest faclll-
ties for reaching the various markets east,
west, south, and north, it seems to us that
no better selection could be made for the
river crossing than at or near monitor Fur
mace. and the lower end Of Ashland.
-"But few decades hence and this whole
section will be one solid hive Of industry
the manufacturing centre OF the country.
It remains for US to do only our plain duty,
as is taught by the present and the expe-
rience of the past, to fulfil at least our part
OF the destiny that opens up before lis in
its comparative infancy 'the great iron
era"
1t has been reliably stated that the Chesa-
peake and Ohio Company has assured those
interested that it will meet any railway at
Catlettsburg, and the reason for believing
that there will soon be a railway from the
West to that point Of meeting is beyond
doubt. This opens the West to the James
and Kanawha line, and we shall soon there
after have more ways than one 10 the Lakes
and the Mississippi.
-
Criminal Expenses.
The State has been much burthened since
the war by criminal charges. The increase
OF crime-owing to the social revolution