312 



FARINIERS' REGISTER, 



[No. 5 



great south western line, would probably double the 

 trade and travelling that it will otherwise convey. 



According to the grounds assumed, it seems that 

 by this plan the great and indispensable national 

 object of a south-western railway may not only be 

 gained for Virginia, but that, with that end, there 

 will also be secured aid and profit to every parti- 

 cular existing interest, whether of towns, of back 

 country, or of public worlis, and corporations own- 

 ing them. 



This rail road cannot abstract the least amount 

 of transportation from the James River Canal — a 

 public work which every Virginian ought to desire 

 to be treated not only with justice, but with libe- 

 rality, by the legislature — and neitherto be crippled 

 or endangered, by permitting the improper rival- 

 ship of other routes not essential to the public 

 good. But a south-western railway on some route 

 the public interestdemands imperiously, andsooner 

 or later, it 7nust be constructed. This route, there- 

 fcre, vv'hich can take away no trade from the canal, 

 but will give to it much, (in commodities to and 

 from Tennessee, through Lynchburg,) ought to be 

 viewed by the powerful canal interest, not only 

 without jealousy, but its adoption favored as the 

 sure means of avoiding other schemes which 

 would establish dangerous, if not fi^tal rivals. 



An extensive and productive region of Virginia, 

 which is now wretchedly provided with ways to 

 market, will be able to use this main railway; 

 and this supplying region will probably be much 

 extended by a branch rail road from Danville to 

 the main line. 



Though the route here advocated will not pass 

 through either Farmville or Lynchburg, yet 

 branch routes can be constructed to both, that will 

 probably serve private interests as well, and the 

 public and general interest far better. 



Of the immense amount of new or additional 

 products, and of travel, which this improvement 

 would transport fi'om and to the south-west, dif- 

 ferent parts of the profits would fall into the hands 

 of each of all the towns that have been named: 

 and the share of each, would doubtless be much 

 greater than all that it can possibly now receive 

 from the same sources. Richmond, owing to her 

 superior wealth, population, and more fortunate 

 position, would of course receive much the largest 

 share — and therefore she would act most foolishly 

 to oppose this scheme, merely because her's was 

 not the only market reached, and that her sister 

 towns would derive highly important advantages. 

 It is hoped that Richmond has views of interest 

 sufficiently enlarged not to be governed by any 

 j)etty and illiberal jealousy of weaker competitors. 

 If she fears rivalship, let her look to Baltimore: 

 for if we lose time in disputing about the proper 

 route, and the proper distribution of profits among 

 the towns claiming shares, that enterprising city 

 will extend her lines of trade quite across Virginia, 

 and tap the very sources of the wealth now offer- 

 ed to our acceptance, before we shall have deter- 

 mined through what channel it may be permitted 

 to flow. 



A convention has been called to meet at Char- 

 lotte Court House on September 5th, for the pur- 

 pose of discussing the expediency of constructing 

 a rail road from Danville to Farmville, and thence 

 to Richmond. It is earnestly hoped that the invi- 

 tation will not be slighted — that the meeting will 



be attended by men of zeal and intelligence, dis- 

 posed to act and to aid, as well as to propose and 

 to debate, from all the neighboring counties — and 

 that, when there assembled, they will give due 

 consideration not only to the particular scheme to 

 which their attention was first called, but also to 

 this and other schemes, for a railway connexion 

 with the south-west. 



It is a circumstance as gratifying as it is novel, 

 that the people of the country are already moving 

 in this matter, with zeal and effect. Let them but 

 continue to exert all their energies, and they will 

 not ftiil to attain Avhatever object they may deter- 

 mine to pursue. The country, heretofore, has 

 done nothing in commencing, or directing the 

 routes of rail roads. They have been commenced, 

 and directed entirely by different towns, and sole- 

 ly with views to their own particular advantage. 

 Of this we have no right to complain. Those 

 who plan, and mostly pay for, a great and expen- 

 sive work, have a right to direct it so as best to 

 secure their own interests. But if the country 

 will shake off its inertness on this subject — and 

 will bring into exercise the dormant forces of its 

 influence, wealth, and power, this great work will 

 be so shaped as best to promote the general pros- 

 perity of Virginia. 



To the consideration of the individuals who will 

 meet lor this purpose at Charlotte court, especially, 

 1 beg leave to recommend these views. 



R.N. 



August 7th. 



■ [As the subjects treated by the two foregoing pieces 

 are now engaging much attention, and the interest felt, 

 recently as it has been excited, is rapidly increasing 

 and spreading, we have thought fit to send forth some 

 extra copies of this sheet, to the towns and counties 

 most interested in both these schemes of improvement 

 some weeks in advance of the regular issue of the 

 Sept. No. of the Farmers' Register. We are willing 

 to sacrifice something of the novelty and interest of 

 this No. by thus anticipating parts of its contents, hop- 

 ing that it may induce earlier reflection, and more deli- 

 berate action, on these subjects, which are so important 

 to the welfare of Virginia. 



We take this occasion to remind civil engineers es- 

 pecially, and all other persons who have devoted at- 

 tention to the subject of canals, railways, and other 

 public improvements, that the full consideration of this 

 subject was always one of the objects embraced in the 

 plan of the Farmers' Register — and has been deemed 

 second only in importance to matters of instruction on 

 praclical agriculture. Well digested views presented 

 in original communications for this journal, on any of 

 the plans for facilitating transportation, which are im- 

 portant to the public interest or to particular regions of 

 considerable extent, will at all times be gladly received, 

 and given a durable as well as an early place before 

 the public, by being embodied in this work. 



The Presidents of incorporated companies directing 

 canals, railways, £ic., would aid this general design, 

 by sending concise statements of the present state of 

 their several works; and in future, notices of all such 

 new occurrences, as are necessary to be known, to en- 

 able us to keep our readers correctly informed of the 

 progress of all our valuable works for facilitating trans- 

 portation. Ed. Far. Reg. 



