The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-07-02

THE WESTERN CONNECTIONS OF THE CHESA-
PEAKE AND OHIO RAILRoAD-RETCRN OF
GENERAL EcH0LS FROM KENTUCKY-TiIE
EXTENSION OF THE CHESAPEAKE AND ONO
ROAD TO LEXINGTON TO BE COMPLETED IN
EIGHTEEN MONTHS.
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.I
STAUNToS, July 1, 1879.
General John EcholS returned from Ken
tucky this morning ut l O'Clock, and l ut
once waited on him to get for you correct
statement OF the recent successful railroud
negotiations in Kentucky. In reply to my
questions have obtained the following in
formation, which will give you 4 clear
| idea OF what has been done: Some
wears ago the Eiizabcthtown. Lexington
and Big Sandy Railroad Company was Char
tered TO build q road from Lexington
Nv, to the mouth of the Big Sandy river,
eight miles beyond Huntington. In 1877
New York party OF capitalists got control
OF it, and constructed from Lexington TO
| Mount Sterling-a distance OF thlrty-three
miles from Lexington, coming east towards
the Chesapeake and Ohio road, OF Which
road it was then only intended to be an eX-
tension. Jus, then tie panic OF 1873 came
on, and the work WAS stopped. Dlftcultlcs
arose between the New York and Kentucky
stockholders, the latter being suspicious
|
tention to build the road at all. These diff
iercuces were carried into the courts in
1874, where they have been since pend
ing. The importance OF the road con-
SistS in the fact that it gives almost
an air line from Richmond Va, to Louis
Vile. KY, and tue Virginia and Kentucky
people have alsayS recognized the import
ance or Gllin: this gap. The litigation
which has been going on was the result OF
misunderstanding and to remove this was
the Ghicct OF General Echos's mission to
Kentucky last May. Asceraining that it
could be removed If the parties could be
! brought together. General t.cholS induced
| Mr. c. 2. Huntington TO 90 with him to
Kentucky about three weeks ago, and there
meet the Kentucky people in person. The
conference took place at Lexington, Ky.
The difficulties were quickly removed, and
terms Us quickly agreed upon, which assure
the speedy completion Of the road. The
. Kentucky people agreed to dismiss all the
suits and turn over the control OF the road
, 10 the New York Board OF Directors, Mr..
, Huntington on his part agreeing TO arrange
: for the completion of the road at the earliest
practical moment. Work will be com.
mencrd on the road in the fall. and it will
he completed in eighteen months from this
writing. General EcholS was left in Ken
ment, and finally succeeded on Friday eve
nlng last.
The importance OF this movement 10 Vir-
: einia cannot be oyer-eStimated. The road
from tue mouth Of the Big Sandy to Lex
: ington is one hundred and twenty one
miles in length. Fer fifty miles it runs
through a country rich with coal, iron
and timber. and it then enters the
BIue-GraSs region OF Kentucky, which
is acknowledged to be the richest and most
beautiful in the Union. The wheat crop i.
superior to that OF any other wheat-pro'
ducing region in the East, and the wheat
is peculiarly the expectation to South
America. and is much in demand by the
Richmond mills. There will be brought
over the road East from the Bue-Gla>s re-
sion alone two or three millions of bushels
OF wheat. There is shipped, General Echo!s
was told by the depot agent ut Lexington,
from that station alone over hail million
pounds Of hemp every E.onth, going East
An immense expectation OF cattle, mules,
and hogs also seeks the East by this
route, and travel from the South and
notwithstanding up to Louisville
over the great Louisville and Nashville
road and its tributaries must in great de-
gree come to the mineral springs OF Nir-
ginia and 90 to the eastern cities by this
route. Nothing has tranSplrcu. 0encral
Echois thinks, in the line OF internal i'm
proyements in the last quarter Of century
more important to Virginia, and especially
TO Richmond, than the certain securing OF
this route.
The commencement Of the work only
waits for the establishment by engineers OF
the line which was surveyed some six years
ago. General. Echols says, from his obSer-
vation. the people OF Kentucky are looking
forward most anXiousy to the time when
they will have close commercial relations
with Richmond. OF Dir. Huntington, Geu-
eral Echols in conversation expressed the
opinion that he is one OF the greatest practl-
cal minds Of the age. PENN.