Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-14
a NatnrnI Railroad llrade.

Professor II. w. OsrEnnEID. III. r., OK
New York, writes long letter TO the eo'-
tors of the Highland Recorder showing the
practlcability and desirability OF rauroao
which no proposes shall be constructed
from Cumberland, Md. to Chattanooga,
Tenn. He claims that the projected road
would ahor.an tho distance " nom north
10 south - by six hours, besides opening up
n region of country rich in minerals OF va.
rious kinds. By following the courses OF
the various streams which water tha' re-
eion the road viii have none but 20"
GRADES. He says that it will penetrate q
vast and productive section entirely dest-
tute Of railroad facilities. This section,
he claims, will encourage the building OF
the proposed read. BY the way Mr.. Us
rERurLD saws that the Chesapeake ana ONO
canal is to be again put into full operation
as q waterway. .,
The route of the projected road VIII
reach Covington in 1862 miles from Gum Dor
land. Mr.. OsrERHELD names Cumberland
AZ its northern terminus. because there arc
so many railroads centering there. for
like reason ho names Chattanooga as the
southern terminus.
do no. know what the prospect Is OF
the success Of this new railroad enter
prise. 1t is an undertaking OF no llttie
magnitude. II will run, so to speak, along
the backbone OF the United States, ana
will probably be located at a greater
height above the level of the sea than any
other road. The route proposed Is GER
tainly rich in minerals and timber Inc
new road would be at one time in the
Mississippi Valley, or rather on stream
emptying into the Gulf Of Mexico after frst
nassinq into a number of other streams,
and at other times IT would follow streams
emptying in like manner into the Atlantic
| Ocean. 1t would no doubt be remarkable
| for it's meanderings; but as we have salu
heretofore. VIC are not sure that this Is not
n recommendation rather than an objec-
tion to a railroad. 1t would seem that II O
railroad can be made TO accommodate Q
large extent of territory by giving u O
| curve here and there, il would be better
10 do so than TO leave rich section unde'
| welcomed. After one railroad has pene-
trated such region as we speak OF, the
probabilities are always against the con-
struction of another one merely to aecomo-
date territory neglected in the locating
of the first.
Virginia's interests would not necessarily
be overlooked in the construction OF the
projected line Of railroad. 1t would seem
bowever that number of these proposed
northern routes into the rich region OF
West Virginia seek to do as little for Vlr'
ginia as possible, rather than az much
There affairs to be a barrier between
Eastern Virginia and all the roads that
come into West Virginia from other States
Mr.. OsTEBHELD claims for his scheme that
at Covington it would drain the great
valleys of the James, the Kanawha and
the Ohio rivers, also Southwest Virginia
whose trade we are inclined to think car
never be diverted TO the north by such &
railroad as the one under consideration.
The more railroads the better, some
think. Anyhow there is no way OF pre-
venting men from using their money II
such enterprises as this new backbone
railroad promises TO be. Some persons anC
places may be injured; but other persons
and places will be benefited. But every
new scheme ought to be watched not will
Jealous eye but with an eye of sharT
vision by the people of Richmond. Eter
nal vigilance is the price Of urban pros
perity as well as of liberty.