370 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 6 



from Farmville, and near the main road from that 

 town to Charlotte Court House. Richmond would 

 be the eastern termination of'botli routes — and the 

 western ends of both would be undetermined — 

 both being expected to be continued, in distant 

 lines, far towards the south-west. 



From this pnint of intersecUnn to Petersburg, 

 by Nottoway Court House and Cocke's Road, ac- 

 cording to long established computation, the dis- 

 tance is 74 miles ; and continued to Richmond 20 

 miles farther, would be 91 miles. 



From the same point of intersection, by the or- 

 dinary computation, to f\irmville, the distance is 

 20 miles — and thence to Richmond by the mail 

 stage route, (agreeing nearly with, and being lully 

 as direct as the ridge between James and Appo- 

 mattox rivers,) the distance is 76 miles, or96 in 

 all. Thus by the present nearest and best roads, 

 and by computed distances, Richmond is two 

 miles nearer by way of Petersburg, than by way 

 of Farmville. 



Again — suppose the rail road from City Point 

 to Petersburg (for which subscriptions are now in 

 the course of being received,) to be constructed, 

 (say 11 miles,) and united with the great north- 

 ern, southern, and western hnes which will all 

 meet in Petersburg : then from ihe pnint of inter- 

 section to City Point, would be 105 miles — and 

 107 if reached by the lower Appomattox — and by 

 Farmville, Richmond, and James River to City 

 Point, the distance would be 146 miles. 



Thus, from the common point of intersection, by 

 the southern route, and through Petersburg, Rich- 

 mond is nearer by 2 miles, and City Point by 39 

 miles. If, instead of at City Point, the railway 

 connexion with .James River is made at Coggin's 

 Point, (15 miles from Petersburg,) and the north- 

 ern ridge route continued by railway from Rich- 

 mond to Westover (26 miles by the present road,) 

 the comparison would be somewhat varied in fii- 

 vor of the latter. Still the distance fr-om the point 

 of intersection through Petersburg to Coggin's 

 Point (at deep ship navigation,) would be but 109 

 miles, while through Farmville and Richmond to 

 Westover, just opposite, would be 122. 



For these distances, I have thought it prefer- 

 able, and nearest the truth, to take the existing 

 roads, and their computed distances, rather than 

 straight lines on the map, and any supposed devi- 

 ation which railway routes might make from 

 either of the existing roads, whether to seek short- 

 er, or more level courses. It may be presumed that 

 the two routes compare fairly in these respects — 

 and that it is as probable that one would gain as 

 the other, in the changes made for proper railway 

 routes. 



Let us now compare the northern and southern 

 routes, (between Richmond and \he point nf inter- 

 section,) together with their probable business in 

 conveying travellers and commodities. 



It is admitted by all, that railways cannot com- 

 pete in cheapness with moderately good naviijation, 

 whetlier on canals or rivers, lor conveying the ao-- 

 ricultural products of a country, or an"v heavy 

 commodities, not of great value compared to bulk 

 and weight. Therefore it follows that a railway 

 route which crosses navigable rivers, flowing by 

 good markets, or which plisses parallel and near 

 to the course of a river, cannot be expected to re- 

 ceive any such commodities, when near to naviira- 

 ble water— nor even at a distance, except fur car- 



riage to the first place of deposite for the cheaper 

 water transportation. While the navigation of 

 the Roanoke and its two great brandies remains as 

 imperfect as at present, the Danville railway, which 

 will cross both the branches, may be expected to 

 bring to market the produce of that rich surround- 

 ing country — but it will not be so conveyed far- 

 ther than to be embarked on the Appomattox, at 

 Farmville. It is not necessary to repeat the rea- 

 sons stated in my former piece, to prove that for 

 all the remaining distance, of 76 miles to Rich- 

 mond, that either the Appomattox, Willis', or 

 James River, will be sufficiently convenient, and a 

 much cheaper carrier of agricultural products. 

 The same circumstances and reasoning will also 

 show that no bulky or cheap merchandize will be 

 brought from Richmond by the railwa}-, for such 

 distances as either of these rivers will serve for the 

 transportation. Light and very costly commodities 

 only, or others in case of rare emerirency, or in tem- 

 porary interruptions of navigation, will constitute 

 all the freiiiht that can ever be expected for the rail- 

 way, in either direction, between Richmond and 

 Farmville. 



Between Staunton River and Farmville (about 

 40 to 45 miles,) and especially while, as now, the 

 Staunton is scarcely used for navigation, this road 

 will take much freiffht : and this section of the 

 Danville Railway, will be the more profitable, be- 

 cause it also may be constructed on a continuous 

 ridge, without crossing a stream, or a ravine. 



The southern ridge route would convey country 

 produce, and from a very extensive region, from 

 the point of intersection to Petersburg — and a large 

 portion of that produce as far as Richmond, or to 

 James River. It is true that both the latter ex- 

 tensions would belong to other companies : but 

 they will be but diflerent terminations of the same 

 great route, and it is proper to view the trade and 

 travel of all the parts, in connexion. Confining the 

 view, for the present, to the part of the route east 

 of the point of^ intersection, it will be evident that 

 it offers the cheapest and best conveyance to mar- 

 ket for all the products of the counties of Notto- 

 way and Lunenburg, the greater part of Dinwid- 

 dle, and smaller parts of Brunswick, Mecklenburg, 

 and even of Charlotte and Prince Edward — and 

 without there being any danger of rivalship from 

 any other future improvement elsewhere. In ad- 

 dition, some part of the freight from the Danville 

 road may be expected to diverge to Petersburg, 

 or to James River, and thus increase the profits of 

 Petersburg and of the southern route, at the ex- 

 pense of Farmville and the northern railway. 1 

 readily admit that when this western railway shall 

 be continued through Campbell, that the products 

 received above Lynchburg and Farmville, will di- 

 verge to one of these towns, and thus balance the 

 advantage to (he eastern section above mentioned. 

 The country jiroducts collected above Lynchburg, 

 and as far as Tennessee, would all leave the rail- 

 way for Lynchbiirii, and the cheap water convey- 

 ance on James River. And (his would be an im- 

 mense and new gain of trade to Lynchburg, and to 

 the canal — as without the facility of railway trans- 

 portation, not the hundredth part of the amount 

 of heavy produce could be brought from the south- 

 west of Virginia, and from Tennessee. 



So much for tiie comparative business of the 

 two routes in conveying commodities : now let us 

 compare (he induccinents to travellers. 



