The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-11-12


cuishcd engineer. Moncure Robinson. whose
name is identified with the Inauguration and
construction of 80 many Of the railway lines
of this. bis native State. recalls tho fact that
he was one Of the comparatively lew men OF
the times when his professional career began
who saw the adyissbity of the State deyot-
ing its means and energies 10 the general ex-
tension Of its system Of internal improve
ments rather in the form Of railways than OF
waterways. Mr.. Robinson was firm be-
lever in the superiority Of the railroad over
the canal at a time when i. was thought that
it would be necessary to charge so much ior
freight transported in cars, a. railroads were
much more expensive in their maintenance
than canals. that therefore RAILROADS "ou'u
not be able 10 compete with the 1a''e' WIG"
they ran on parallel lines.
Subsequent events confirmed the foresight
OF Mr.. Robinson and all who entertained the
same views. There is not a more melancholy
spectacle in the State Of Virginia to-day than
that presented by the track OF the old Rich
mond and Allegheny road running along Inc
towpsth Of canal whose only trace now con-
sists in its empty bed. If that canal had been
pushed to its completion long before the IN
stitution Of railroads had reached an I'M
portant stage of development. the history OF
Virginia would have been different and this
is tantamount 10 saying that the history OF
the Union would have been different. Or. If
the plan of extending the canal had been
dropped as soon as the Louisa railroad WAS
inaugurated, and all the funds Of the State
which could be spared had been devoted 10
the construction of road to the Ohio, 1t IS
not going too far TO say that the war would
never have occurred.
The West was at that time in state OF
rapid development. and the extent Of its agTi-
cultural wealth was only beginning TO be
fully appreciated. When that vast area OF
country was Wilderness. the ssgaciOus mind
Of Washington had gagged its possibilities
and foreseen that some day it would become
the granary Of the United States If not OF the
world In order that Virginia might reap the
benefit Of its growth in population and IN
crease in production, he advocated the con-
struction OF a canal which by connecting the
eastern and western waters would furnish
highway from tho valley Of the Ohio to the
Atlantic coast.
When tho anticipatons Of Washington as TO
tho growth of the West had at a later day
been realized, the wise men Of the North
seized upon the opportunity which Virginia
had neglected 10 turn ell that expanding
wealth TO the advantage Of their own section.
The Erie canal was dug, canals and railroads
were constructed in Pennsylvania. and the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad was built The
cities of New York. Boston, Philadelphia and
Baltimore and the great Commonwealth in
which these cities are situated. as well as the
other Northern Commonwealths adjacent, are
in large measure monuments of the wisdom
of men like Dewitt Clinton, who, following
in the footsteps Of the father Of his country,
successfully advocated the construction of
great highways to the West which would d.
rect to the Northern Atlantic coast the impe-
rial natural wealth of that boundess domain.
In this interval, Virginia. seeking to con-
form to the conflicting local interests Of its
different divisions, was expanding large sums
Of money IN the construction of general
system of internal Improvements instead Of
concentrating the means at its disposal, as
the State Of Maryland had done upon one
great line of railway like the Baltimore and
Ohio If the present Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad had been built at the time that the
Baltimore and Ohio was in course of con-
struction, Norfolk would have become the
greatest Of the Southern seaports, new in
terests would have sprung up in the
principal cities of Virginia, agricultural pur-
suits would have been varied by manufacturing
pursuits. slavery would either have been
abolished or would have declined in popu-
lanty. the people Of the South would have
been brought more in sympathy with the
people Of the North, and their influence would
have been used in infexible opposition t. the
disruption of the Union, the great slave
problem Of the cotton States would probably
have been settled peaceably. and the Old
Dominion to-day would extend from the
waters Of the Chesapeake to the Ohio instead
Of being bounded by the range Of the Ale
ghsnies.