The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-09-05

TIE Petite" g rary iababsanh, Of tbs eoalti4. of
kam5iy yepyejsHts-
FfAI the law Incorporating company for the
d purpoie OF clearing and improving the navrat;a
on OF James River, to which your petitioners beg leave
to refer, was founded upon principles advantag 10
the individual ihare-ooers, and beneficial that par,
or tine community affected by ats operation, in t,s
manner expressly declared by the 1T and 18th fe:
ons OF the fad law; but the method which has tecu
puriued BY the Directors Of hat Company contrary -
the original object of the law tends 10 iacriGce the in
teret OF the community and to promote dat only Of
the individual hareholders and the nhab ,auts of the
city OF Richmond. In bringing this ubiec before the
Legislature, your petitioners declare, that they have
MOI the moi Giitant view inclination 20 inure tls
James River Company the Civ of Richmond
but believing that they were not eXclulvely the or
Iects OF public patronage, and that the great and PR
mary object OF the Legislature was to extend ec1rei
advantages to all, by facilitating the transportation Of
produce INTO Underwater rom the upper parts of IL.
country they Cannot be contented in feeling il Rop-
ped at Richmond turned into object Of fpecua-
uon to the great oppreion of comfortable part 81
tine community The irt feGlion of the law OF moor
poraton contempates the clearing and extending the
navigation of James River from Underwater upwards,
to the hgheit parts practicable, the main branch
thereot ard the nineteenth ieeon expressly providcs
that the navigation hail be opened from Weilhar, 10
Underwater before the Company ihoud be entitled TO
demand the rolls; but the lauda5le exertons Of the
Directors OF that Company induced the Legislature to
indulge them with extenion OF the time in which,
under their charter, they were bound compe.e tl-
navigation, and to permit them 10 receive full toll al
though they had not complied with the provions in
the act OF incorporation. Your petitioners were ZOE
diiatsiied with this benevolent at OF the Legislature
III giving the Company rel pIte from expeDces and IN
opportunity accumulate their fund, becaie thew
would be better enabled proiecute The work to tho
tut eSten; u the original object and exp-tfs conditions
OF the act OF Incorporation but your petitioners and
they believe the community generally BEGIN to view
with iome concern, and entertain ferrous doubs ~
to the further Proecucon Of this important obe and
are aPprehenve that this indulgence viii foon be CON-
irued INTO matter of right.
1t is to be Prefurned that there are fo.r.c few whs
Preierring individual aggrandizement the general
good, willing that the work ihould progress no fur
ther but this by no means the public opinion, and
1t by no means to the public nerei that it ihould be
To- under this impretiion your petitioners beg leave
TO rePreent to your honorable body one of the fer
GUS and oPpreiive consequences which reiut to the
community, well individuals from the want OF
a communication of the canal with tide-watar--It
is aneit that alnoit every article Of produce tranf
ported by the Canal, iubeaed to an additional ez4
penie OF forage and drayage and undeniable t
every exPenie attached TO the produce is ultimately
paid by the cutvator of the foil confequently Their.
is an actual lois upon the real value of produce una
ed the cut1ator ofthe foil, equal to the fun necef
ilJ 10 carry IL from the prelenl place OF depot into
Underwater and to avoid the expeEle Of forage frs
quently conPels the fale of produce upon terms ad
vsntageous only to the Purchaler The delay in com,
Pleng the navigation, is only injurious to the a.
gricutural part of the community but is equally 10 70
the Coal trade for the portage of uch low prced
heavy article as mineral Coal and the lois Unframed
by the receiity of depoft upon the banks of the ca
nal added to the labour and Inconvenience Of remove
ing again to be ihPped for transportation, when !,
might be accomplished by ore operation, materially
INJURIES the commercial part Of the conmunity.-Your
petitioners mutt alio with great defercuce repre(e.
TO your Honorable 3ody, that topping tie navigation
III Richmond, is giving to that CIT, an undue mono
poly OF every iFeces o! property tra1fported to market
by the Canal operates extremely inuriouilv and
may be laid to be an act of oPprefon to the KTer
chants and inhabitants other towns Whole local L.
tuaton entities them to every advantage to be dervd
from thc accomplishment OF this deiilable Object
Your petitioners conceive that it is unneceIry to mem
ton particularly every injury aud opprefion relulting
from the want Of communication of tie Canal with
Underwater, or the advantages relu!tng TO the couuiu
nifty generally from ealy intercourse and mutual
exchange Of produce between the upper and lower
counry.Your petitioners pray that layg may p,fs,
compelling the Directors Of the James River Con1pa.
ny within given time to communicate their Canal
with Underwater in the manner exprelly declared in
the act Of incorporation.
AuguR 90. few 8,