The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-01-08
s,sf,nsh Chic.

bst,,e on January ID an % ths ceit
shrasson Of the opening of the seioto Valley
railroad from Portsn otiths which Is upon
tho north bank 81, The Otto tsorty-six miles
from Huntington to CoIumbus ohto. tho
caplsal of the State, shout one hun dr ses
miles distant. The train left Portsmouth
at / O'Clock "a. M.'and reached Columbus
Iabout u ne. Is goodly company farticls-
mated II, The celebration. The line OF cars
Irpon which the excursion party travelled
Included three private coaches OF the OLE
fIcers OF other roads-one OF them the Bal
timore aud Ohio road. There were several
gentlemen IN the party who represented the
proposed line from Portsmouth to Hunt
ingSon, who entered very heartily into the
Festivities, and seemed to iraternize with
| the people rs those with whom they were
soon TO be Joined in marital relations.
| The country Of the Scioto valley IS one
of the richest OF the land. The Portsmouth
Tribune speaks Of itin glowing terms. In
a ,complmentto GEORGE d. CHAPMss, it al.
ludss to the country itself il. the following
| language:
80. Al new err is opening on us in the com
mercial world, and why has it been accom-
plistcdS Simply because q man OF nerve
and practical knowledge in raiiroad build
ING suddenly surprised our people with q
nroposition to build 1t Immediately. HIS
offer was SO plain, his reputation as a man
ogero OF construction so fair, and his indoml-
table will and untiring energy were enough
guarantees for our people to give subscrip.
tion of pecuniary aid. For; thirty Years
the project had been agitatcd and at
public meetings discussed. God had
made q valley rich i'll everything the
ihuSbandman needed, and left out only
Transportation. The progress OF the asf
pointed so singnlarly TO the railroad enter
| prise that further delay was crlninally TOOL
/ ish. Lying open in agriculture was var
Icy OF such beauty and excellence that &c
keep il hidden was Impossible. Ranged on
each side was store OF wealth IN minerals
land timber adapted to the uses OF manufac'
lures, and spread out in view Of the behold
er vast plains OF the,richest producing LANDS
in the. world, gently unduiated and beauti'
fully diversified by the meanderings
i Of The Scioto and its tributaries,
!. reaching up to- tho sPickaway plains,
! where herds, flocks, and droyes attract
1.-THE notice OF travellers over any other
tportion Of the State. This man, George u.
EChapnian, has by magical power thrown
i down in a few days railroad equipped FOL
Etrayel and trade-a feat unsurpassed In the
Eannals OF our country. Such an achieve.
mcns is worthy OF admiration, and his lib.
crafty displayed OH this occasion is entitled
to rur highest appreciation. To the world
we would recommend George D. Chapman
as the ICING Of railroad constructors. lie
has fought, obstacles enough since the last
half OF the road was begun to have driven
any Ordinary man crazy. The money
market has offered no relief: GROWERS
Ehare said bard things about him and MS
credit, discouraged contractors worked .in
willingly, supplies were reluctantly sold tt
tthem, general strike OH the railroad IN tue
Ipast summer prevented the arrival OF IRON
rights OF ways contested even among our
Town citizens, troubles about the Ports
mouth and Columbus turnpike, and {
Thousand other difficulties, seemed to rise
up;in unexpected quarters to hinder ant
delay the work. But in the face OF all this
opposition progress was steadily made, anG
success has crowned the genius and indie
jfatigable labor OF Mi, Chapman and bis
efficient corps OF assistants"
And this is part of tile attraction which
we nave eHQcdSCICui w tAVtaiu " oui AS"o
ers, and it is brought within the immediate
commercial sphere of Portsmouth by the
enterprise OF one man. This "one.man' y
business is a great thing when you have the
| right man.. In estimating it's force it may
be stated as the reverse of that degree Of
force which, is described as a 'sone-horse .
4affair.. CHAPMaN has done for Portsmouth
what all her leading and talking people have
failed to do for forty years past. So
And now it is proposed that there shall Et
a line from Huntington to Portsmouth
Huntington people, rs we stated above, at
tended the celebration, rejoicing in what
they saw, and at the same time exploiting
their project for union Of the Chesapeake
and Ohio railway with that OF the Sciott
Valley. Such union brings us in CORE
spondence, commercial and social. with The
| heart Of Ohio and with fine manufacturing
towns on the Ohio riyer-Portsmouth, ant
Ironton, and Ashland. and several others
Such union expands the commercial inter
course Of Richmond over some Of the mos
tiourishing parts OF Ohio and the Northwest
Let lis consider it.