Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-03-08
Virginia Midland Extension.

CHATS ard Manufactures Association Of Balls
timoro Mr. John Bland, the SECRETARY, submit
led reports Oh the ACCESSIBILITY Of extending the
Virginia Mid!a1d Railroad from Danvlla to
Charlotte. via Winston snd Salcr>.
Mr.. Bland ssid kc visited to o,ll sttsnli2n 10
E matter Ct vi:sl imporIaIo, TO the business
prosperity Of Baltimore. The question is whstE
CT the Virgiria Midland Railroad shall be G.
tended from Datvilie southwark TO Charlotte,
N. O., opening inc entirely 10 Ito iotertst Of
CUT city giving i: the power to con!r1l for all
tine tho jobblng trado Of tho South, or Hheth
or, hv lack Of enterprise. We suffer Richmond
aud Norfolk to absorb that great trado The
growth OF tho city his been greatly aidod by
tho Western eraio trade drawn here, and credit
should be given whofo i. is DUE but tho trade
of cur merchants and manufacturers and nrCvi,
sion dealers sin tho South There gots 90 pcr
cout. OF our Jbbing trade. Tho cotton trade
wheat and coro. 1t is trade Of txchapgo atd
barter, and is most vsluatl, to Baltimore.
Whero cotton ia sold there the st lIor buys and
there tho pref Of the jotbr is found.
Let US not. then, overlook the development
main stay and suppcrt-our very lfu's blood.
road, Terminating at Danvillc, is of Ii;lo use TO
the trade Of BlIiimorc, il being dependent M.
Oh tho Richmond ard Dsnvie Road fer ON
nectlon south Of that point; hence, to @ great
extent, in tho power of that company.
a completion of this line to Charlotte would
reverse tho situation. Baltimore, tho initial
r., IL I
lhcr have direct I'll rail freight route, passing
through DanvilIc, Wioston. Moorosyi:le, States,
villo and Charlotte, N. g.. connecting at the
Line rail:oad, leiohiDg Chester, Yolkville,
GrceuviIlo aud Spartansturg, 10 South Carol~
Do, Gainesville, Athens aud Atlanta. 10 Gtor-
gis and oil points beyond.
At Winston and SiateRvillo this road would
pass through that part Ct North Carolina we'll
known to DO the richest section of tho State,
nnd noted tor lis Immense products Of tobacco,
dried fruits. IL.
10 addition TO this a LARGO pas:rgtr traffic
not now to b., CDR sidered would G0d 10 the Vir
GINA Midland its natural aad most expeditions
route. As evidenced that this business is re-.
munerali7c, only lew years ago the stock of
tho Richmond and Dauvilo rti!road was worth
"
o! Sl06. Tho completion OF this road VIII d
also be of the greatest importance to tho Atlanta
md Charlotte Ar Line railway, and would CO..
mert thts interests, which ara indontic,l. Tho
local subscriptions along tho limo amount to
three HUNDRED lbousa1d dollars, and tho man.
agemcnt OF tho Virginia Midland railroad is
DOW working to complete this liok, ard will con-.
trhuto to this end according TO lhtir ability,
n in ~ hor
from Eve to six hundred Thousand dollars to
make it an assured success. Baltimore would
Do favored by all tho through rates on tho new
leo thus secured, and would bo able to maintain
oil its advantages OF position as against North.
crn ciii,s, 1t would relatively lave tho same
rates as Richmond, thus saving from DO 10 I25
pr ccns.
Mr.. Bland RETIRED to tho ciIcamstanc, IS
which led Cincinnati TO construct the Cincinnati
Southern road. and said We fnd ourselves prct.
tY much IN tho same situation now that that
city was whom this enterprise was undertaken,
We have Richmond and Norfolk making sir n
uous efforts for tho trade South of u; LUIS
villa, Cincinnati end st. Louis to tho west of
us, whilo 10 tho cast of Us New York tnioys
direct c nucclOn by magnificent aid powerful
steamship lines 10 every Southern port, thus
oombining all tho iaci itios with tho low st
transportation rates. Tho picture is Dot over
draEn, whatever gentlemen may thitk. Lot
Us Initiate Cincinnati and solV1 tho problem bv
completing tho VIreioia Midland road. 1t will
rqliro only | miles of now road to mike il n
great through line. Tho charter has been OBJ
talncd, tho rouo surveyed, nnd thu lisht of
way aiv1u TO the company. BY c,mpletiop tho
Virginia Midland railroad Baltimore would
thon tc!uny. as cotton market. tho same rel
atiVe position 10 largo Southern territory that it
now docs to tho West as grain market.
Ia The completion Of tho Virginia Midland
railroad We should have no moro freight block
adcs, Interpretations would proc,cd regularly.
smoothly and unintcrruDtod'Y. The fcrtilizing
trade wcu'd not be sat cted to repetition of
the recent Gnncyanc) consequent unon tho ina
bll,ty CT tho stca nhoat lines OF Baltimore 10
furnish transportation, the sao OF hundreds
upon hundreds OF tons of which have been lost
on this acciult. When ytu consider that tho
deVolopcmcnt OF tho cotton crop is largely de-
poid.pt upon tho prompt delivery OF tertz,
ers and isr II ziog materials. you cin readily
lIigo OF tho loss sustained by both shipper
and planter. Tie Virginia Midland railroad
must be completed at once or your opportunity
is lot. Tho atlanta and Charlotte Ar Lire
railway, which would DO its main connection at
ioL "aot VI u OUuuGUtlUu
of tho Richmond and D.nvllo railroad, might
be induced, from forco Of circumstances, to sell
GU 10 that c)mpary. We should havo 90 10
dependent line. as OF present We have 20 limo
at all to Wilmington, an important point, and
ore allowing trade to pass from us. Tho local
business Of the Carolina Ceutral railroad ia be-
Jog diverted to Nav Yolk. the total rate to any
given point on that road being much higher
from Baltimore than from New York. Tho
camr lation OF lino of railroad looking 10
Wilmington as its natural outlet ia worthy of
attention.
At tho conclusion of MIR. Binds rmuks.
Mr. Philip D.roy moved that it 10 referred 10
tho transportation Committee with los &c.
iors to give it careful and prompt corsidera.
ton, Baltimore is outfit mixed" he said, ION
oil sides and something should b. done at orco.
On oDo silo We have tho Cincinnati aud South.
eru Rarosd. drawing tn, Tennessee aud Geor
cia business; tho Onio and Mississippi Road
dong tho same, whilo the Richmond and Dan
vile Road carries eff to Richmond much that
belongs to Baltimore. Our city is left almost
completely in tho wake Of our rivals, and ma