Year: 1867




Hons. DANIEL PoLsLEY, JOHN HALL,
and CHAs. T. BEALE Gentlenaen =
Understanding thata railroad organ
ization is being perfected for the
purpose of securing the construc-
ton of line from the Ohio river to
tide-water on the Chesapeake, l beg
leave to suggest the practicabilty
and importance of an effort to unite
the different interests west of the
Allegheny Mountains, with view to
the earliest practicable opening for
use of that portion of the route.


This Company--the Marietta &
Cincinnati-has procared surveys of
lines from point near Hamden,
thirty miles east of Chillicothe, to
the Ohio river opposite the mouth of
the Kanawha. Rights of way have
been obtained for most of the dis
tance. The local interests west of
the Ohio river are disposed to aid
energetically in its construction, but
have felt it prudent to wait for the
development of your enterprise
Your progress, therefore, necessarily
controls their efforts. The Valley of
the Kanawha presents, as l under
stand, portion of your line requir-
ing the least outlay of capital for its
completion, and one which, if opened
simultaneously with the route al
ready surveyed to junction with
the Marietta road, would afford a
very large local traffic-giving to the
valley and adjacent districts a direct
rail connection with Cincinnati and
the entire railroad system of the
northwest The transfer of cars
upon boats over the Ohio river can
be readily accomplished thus obvi-
ating any difficulty from that source.


The application of the means sup,
piled by the local interest along the
valley of the Kanawha to the con-
struction of that portion of your
road, would go very far towards its
completion, and with western out
let made certain, would supply a
basis of credit sufficient to accom-
plish the desired result. The line
thus built or provided for from Gin
cinnati to the head of the Kanawha
valley would greatly strengthen the
credit of the whole enterprise of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad; ;
would, in fact, place its ultimate COM
pletion beyond doubt


The needed link west of the Ohio
river will be constructed under the
branch powers of this company-the
money to be supplied by local in
terest along the route.


The road, however, will be ope-
rated by this company, and the trains
run in connection with those on the
main line. If desired by the COM
pany constructing the line in the
Kanawha valley, the entire route
from the junction ut Hamden could
be economically operated by this
company until your mountain line
was completed. This could be done
either by paying a fixed rental or a
fair proportion of the earnings.


In either case the results would
be entirely adequate to pay the in
terest upon proper cost of the
road thus brought into use.


From an examination of the esti-
mates made upon that portion of the
Kanawha valley route already sur
veyed, l am satisfied that the line
can be opened by the substitution of
some temporary work which will not
impair its usefulness, for a sum con-
siderablv less than is stated in the
Report.


With full confidence that a stimuli
taneous and vigorous effort by all
parties interested will insure com
plete success,


Iremain, very respectfully,


Yours, &c. W. P. CUTLER.