Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-01-25

internal improvement. which have fUr rheir
obJeci the transportation of articles nf cunsi,i-
cradle bulk and weight from the piac" OF their
growth or manufacture, 10 the place OF sN-
change or sale, maS stand thus. Those OPEN
ings cut through the forests in newly set
tied country. BY which the scattered pOpula-
ton uaNel 10 their court house or market
town Nand with which the members of "a dem
ser population often remain too long satisfied
compose the First class. Good turnpike roadS,
and the improved beds OF wafer courses. con-
sti,uie the second; and the best navigahle ca
uals and iron RAILWAYS, the third.
Ii the VALLEY of the James river is ever inn
proved on the most profitable plan, il will be
by adopting the third, or most superior grade
OF Improvement. To this description then,
will my observations for tue present he con.
hned' Many schemes for important internal
improvements. present strong claims on the
citizens of the United States, for Patronage.
The plan under consideration yields to few
Cf any in point of utility. But in another
| regard, IT stands pre-eminent. II others that
have come under my notice, require the aid
OF pecuniary means from their patrons; this
prefers ITS SUIT, not for assistance but for per-
| mission To draw on its own resources For,
strange as II may appear, ii Is no less true.
| that taking the James river as we find il, "A in
dicous application of the means furnished bv
| its own trade, will complete the improv emen
IN contemplation, as high as it retains its
| name ana even twonty-fOur miles fur
| ther. on ITS principal branch, If il be deemed
| advisable, without drawing cent from any
indiv idsal, until benefit is received and
| then but small portion of that benefit.
BY referrin. TO the books OF the james Ri
| yer Company. il will be found that the sum OF
SiOO 900 per year may he safely relied on, tor
| the amount of tolls from the present trade :;
from which dedscting tor the stated expen.
ses OF the company, aud for small repairs,
60O0 dollars, leaves $4,000 dollars
From the document marked B, referred TO
IN the supplemental report of the Board of
Works last year, ii appears, that the capital
OF We James River Company might then be
considered TO be worth $4,000 dollars. And
that the receipt of six per cent. on that amount
would be satisfactory TO tue parties concerned.
| Bnt TO make itquite safe, w will estimate the
| value of this stock at 800 600 dollars The
interest on this sum to be paid out of the tolls
!, iS,OOO dollars; leaving balance of 10000
dollars Bnt II we admit of "A further redHc-
ton OF 900 dollars TO be applied by the James
| RIVER Company towards the Improvement of
| The bed OF the river, or any other purpose. in
their discretion, there will then be left IL 600
dollars, which is equal to six per cent. fnter-
est on 100000 dollars. Aud that this sum may
DO raised by pledging the James River tolls for
| The payment OF the interest at six per cent
scarcely. admits of a doubt; particularly if IT
| were cast Into the shape OF a stock, irredeem-
able for number of years. 1t is already
limited, that If the general government should
require d lOau for the wear 1920, il NAV pro-
baby be obtained at five per cent.
| III VIII be seen by the estimates. that the
improving the present canal, forming d canal
OF large dimensions, from the head of the pre-
sent lower canal TO Sabbot Island; erecting
locks of large capacity, and making a commu-
hicdtlon with the river, so as TO completely ac-
commodate the coal trade, Except il should
hereafter be found necessary to make another
| communication with the riverO Will not cost
more than 100000 dollars. But as there is
| some doubt whether the streams that may be
! received iuto the canal between Sabbot Island
anu the upper arch, will at all times be COM
petent 10 supply the locks OH that portion, we
| Gale laiiO arIx
| hall mile above Pleasants' Island; where, by
erecting dam, any desired quantity may be
| thrown into the canal. This extension of the
| canal with Que lock, and the dam across the
! liver, is estimated al 1900 dollars making in
| the whole little over 100 900 dollars. There
VIII then remain surplus of 40 900 dollars
after completing the works TO the point last
| mentioned.
| In order 10 discover what effect the i'm
| provcment 81 this first section VIII have on
| The tolls. II will be necessary TO take view of
| ihe present STATE of the coal trade, aud endea-
I vOr 10 ascertain what change will result from
| the increased facility of transportation.
4 That part oithe business which is carried on
! DN water. is conducted nearly in this way
when the coal is drawn out of the mines. il
| rs thrown into heap near the mouth OF the
| min-, or shaft; il is then loaded into carts.
ahd carried 10 the river bank where in ome
instances, II is discharged from the carl az tie
prov OF The hank, and runs dowa 10 the beach
near the waters edge then shoyplled into
wheel-barrows, and wheeled aboard OF the
boat, discharged from The barrows by upset
ting In other instances, the carts are driven
on 10 kind of ScaffOld, furnished with Il wide
spout or director al The. edge; by which, the
coal is conveyed Immediately into ihe boats
These boats are tho common James river pop
lar batteduX, and require three men To- each.
lie upstream navigation being iaboIous the
h"ais are built OF light materials, and continue
nj Tor service bnt "a time, saw from two
10 three years ; their cost, hen new from so
10 100 dollars.
When the river is tolerably flush Of water
one OF these boats will carry about 200 bushels;
bni III low water their load is sometimes dilnIn.
islied to 100 aud even as low as 50 bushels -
They pay for passing the canals and locks 20
the Basin, one dollar per load so that wher
tuli loads are taken, II will amount 10 half
cent per hushel and VIXEN only half loads are
taken. to one cent; the average is probably
about 3-.ths OF cent. On arriving in the
Basin, the boats are unloaded BY shovellimg
the coal into wheel-bIrrowS, which convey il
across the bank of tho Basin, and Law il no in a
heap at little distance from the water-Such
part OF II AS IL intended for exportafion il
lieu again loaded in Wagons or carts and
carried down to Rockets; where ii Is unload.
ed al HE top Of d high bauk. and suffered TO
Inn down 10 near tie level OF the wharis, from
whence 1t is again removed bv shOvelling and
wheeling into the vessels that carry il to
market.
All these operations, after the coal is deli
vered on the bank of the river, and including
toll, supposing the load TO average the year
through, one hundred * fifty bushels, amount
to about seven cents per buSIlel.
The coal that is brought by land for exporta.
ton. is principally OH the south side of the
river; and Is carried in Wagons TO opposite
ROcketts IL there deposited in wards and
thence wheeled TO the vessels that take il to
market Eihe cost OF waggonng from the
mines Ia Rockets, is I2j cents If buShei lie
latter mode OF conveyance certainty Injuries
the article ~ some degree. The loading into
The Wagon. the motion OF the Wagon on the
road, tile unloading into the yard, aud tie
wheeling to the vessel, all have a tendency TO
reduce the Jumps. aud give ii All unfavOrabe
appearance. But the handling of this, is SO |
lmlLch log Iilan of iaI sllicLl IransL.nrtrLL