1836.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



367 



to Richmond, addincj the freight of iioenty addi- 

 tional miles on lhe rail road, and thirty on the river? 

 No one. And Richmond, with all her advantages, 

 will he thrown in the back ground. 



But we have no room to pursue the subject. 

 The sagacious portion of the cotnmutiity, wliose 

 interests are in jeopardv, will, we doubt not, he on 

 the alert. Ft certainly behooves ihem to look well 

 to the conflict of the surrounding elements. 



From Ihc Rich'mond Compiler. 

 SOUTH-WESTERN RAIL ROAD. 



Sir, — I have read with some attention the com- 

 munication (from the Farmer's Register) in your 

 paper ot Saturday, on the best route for the above 

 road, and really the writer appears to advance 

 strong argiunenfs on good loundation. His facts 

 being correct, which I have no reason to doubt, 

 why should not his conclusions be allowed I 



It is desirable, [lerhaps necessary, to the speedy 

 accomplishment of this irrcat and important line, 

 that a route should be adopted, which will unite 

 all its friends; but this will not be done until a per- 

 tinacious adherence to local interests shall be re- 

 laxed. Let us then be willing to concede to others 

 a fair proportion of the anticipated benefits, and Qn 

 together as in the pursuit of a common cause, if it 

 can be made so. 



It should be no serious objection, and ought to 

 be conceded, that our neio;hbors of Petersburg, if 

 they can find the best route near them, should 

 reap a share of its benefits. We of Richmond 

 would certainly claim the same privilege, in a like 

 case. 



But let us examine what will be the bearing of 

 this plan upon Richmond, should it be adopted. 

 The road would be convenient enough lor all who 

 wish to visit our city, or go thence to the south- 

 west. On the other hand, we have a line pro- 

 gressing to the Valley, which perhaps ou irht to pass 

 through Charlottesville to Staunton; but, if ex- 

 tended to Harrisonburg, will secure the travel 

 from the great channel of communication through 

 Virginia, westward. Between these two, will be 

 the James River Canal, to convey produce from 

 both quarters ; and really I. think we shall be pret- 

 ty well accommodated, and may be satisfied to 

 yield to the towns on either hand, the share of tra- 

 vel and trade which will fidl to them. 



One consideration to recommend the southern 

 line is, that it will be far enough from James Ri- 

 ver to remove, it may be hoped, the opposition of 

 the Canal Company. 



1 have thus briefly noticed this subject, that 

 eome competent pien may pursue it, and if possi- 

 ble, reconcile the clashing interests, or promote a 

 spirit of accommodation which will be ready to 

 accord to others as much as we claim (or ourselves. 

 I hope that both Petersburg and Richmond will 

 be fully represented in the proposed convention at 

 Charlotte, with instructions to pull together in any 

 measure where mutual interests can be promoted. 



A STOCKHOLDER IN THE JAMES RIVER COMPANY, 



AND FREEHOLDER IN RICHMOND. 



From tlie Lynchburg Virginian of August 22. 

 A KEVV SCIIE3XE ! 



We have received a sheet of the forthcoming 

 (September) No. of Mr. Puffin's ''Farmers' Rc- 



gister," in advance of its regular publication, and 

 our attention is called to a long and well-written 

 essay contained in it, professing to inquire, 

 "which is the best route, through central Vir- 

 ginia, lor a railway to the southwest ;" but in 

 reality laboring to show that neither of the two 

 routes, the advantages of which have been recent- 

 ly so warndy discussed, is Ihc proper one, and that 

 both of them ought to be abandoned, for a third, 

 which the writer suggests. This route lies on the 

 ridge south of the Appomattox, commencing east- 

 wardiy at the Petersburg and Roanoke Railway, a 

 lew miles south of Petersburg, (with which town 

 it would of course be thus connected,) and passincr 

 through Dinwiddle, by Nottoway Court-hou.se, and 

 nearly along the line which separates Lunenburg 

 and Charlotte on the south, from Prince Ed- 

 ward on the north, having Lynchburg out of the 

 line, abovt twelve miles, and going directly on to 

 New London — and thence westwardly ! The 

 main arguments urircd in lavor of this route, are 

 1st, that between Petersburg and New London, 

 if we keep on the dividing ridge, we shall not 

 cross a single stream, ravine or hill ; 2dly, that a 

 road upon this route will accommodate a section 

 of country, which, at present is without the benefit 

 of commercial facilities ; and 3dly, that it will be 

 so far distant from other improvements as to lose 

 the character of a rival to any, while the distance 

 will not be at all increased. Richmond is ur<ied 

 to support this project, by the consideration that 

 she will siill be the uliimate destination of the 

 trade, as she will be connected with Petersburg 

 b}- a rail-road; and Lynchburg is told that she 

 may have a branch from the main railway, ''which 

 will be necessaiy and sufficient to accommodate 

 the Lynchburg travel." And 'his scheme is 

 warmly urged upon the consideration of the Con- 

 vention which is to meet at Charlotte court house 

 on the firstMonday in Ser)tember next. 



Is I^ynchburg prepared to support this scheme? 

 Whether she is or not, we cannot say, having yet 

 had no opportunity to ascertain the state of public 

 sentiment in relation to it. But whether she is or 

 not, should she not send a delegation to Charlotte 

 court-house, to represent and defend her interests ? 

 If she is willing to see the great rail road to the 

 Tennessee line pass 12 miles south of her, let her 

 say so. II not, let her at once protest against it. 



But JRichmond, it seems to us, is vastly more in- 

 terested in this matter than we are, and she is 

 much less sagacious in perceiving her interests 

 than we suppose she is, if she accedes to this pro- 

 position. True, she may be told that she will be 

 the "ultimate destination" of the trade and travel 

 on this route : and she may be so at first. But 

 how long Avill this state of things continue? No 

 longer than a rail road could be constructed from 

 Petersburg to City Point. Who, wishing to ship 

 his produce to an European or a Northern market, 

 would send it to Richmond, and incur the delay 

 of a circuitous route and the expense of tranship- 

 ment, storage and drayage, when, on its arrival at 

 Petersburg, they could wheel the cars at once to 

 City Point, and put it on ship-board ? Men are 

 not so blind to their interest. 



The advocate of this new route, however, en- 

 deavors to lull the suspicions and fears of Rich- 

 mond, with regard to the effect of rivalship from 

 I this quarter — and tells her. "If she fears rivalship, 

 I let her look to Baltimore.^'' Very good advice, 



