Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-01-29

| VIII stare u al : CtutS.
Now let us apply these rates 10 the
transportation Oi "a ton of merchandise
from Richmond 10 Point Pleasant
From Richmond to the mouth
| OF Dunlap'S creek, by AN indie
pendent canal, 249 miles. al one
cent. ..... So 40
From the mouth of Dunlap's
creek TO The great falls of Kama
| VIVA. by the proposed new road,
| 80 miles al 90 cents. ........... lS 90
From the great tails to Point
| Pleasant, by the kanawha river,
| "a miles al cents. ............ So
The whole cost of transporta-
ton OF ton of merchandise. la
| ken from Richmond and deIv-
| cred at Point Pleasant, would be S % 81
III This expense were, without h,akiug
| any allowances, calculated strictly, on
What | believe TO be sound data, the
| amount would be hut i8 dollars 935 cents.
Ii appears from very good authority
that, besides what has been carried from
New York and Baltimore for the supply
Ot the western country, there has passed
from Philadelphia 10 Piiisburg, the whole
way (more than 800 miles, by Wagons,
the annual ameunt of more than $500
Tons of merchandise, at an expense of
transportation exceeding S 80 per ton.
Baltimore hopes, aud perhaps reasonably
expects, TO be able 10 transport goods TO
Wheeling for an expense Of S so per ton.
Surely then Richmond, without being
eliargeable with expectations loo san
guine, may calculate OH delivering al
Point Pleasant 5000 tons, if she can do
II for % per ton. The preceding calcu-
latlon makes il but 22 81. If then we
draw from This transportation, a revenue
equal TO 5 G3 per ton, the phoie expense
on goods sent from Richmond 10 Point
III asant, will not exceed S25 per tou
and The rate OF 50 63 per ton on 5000
tons, will yield annually S 1850. This
sum would be raised bya toll Of one cent
per ton per mile, from Richmond TO the
mouth of Dunlap's creek, and IA cents
per ton for The whole distance from the
falls to Point Pleasant, leaving the return
ing trade OH Kanawlla, and that on the
road both ways, entirely free from charge
on account of revenue.
he preceding statement is made with
respect TO tie outward trade only. There
can be no doubt the return trade would
De q,iiie equal TO II, making the revenue
equal to 1853 per ton on 10, 600 tons, or
the ANNA amount of 26, 300 dollars.
1T will be obvious, think, on the
slight investigation, that this is a very
moderate estimate. Ii is certainly far
short of what would be the reality, if
goods can he delivered al Point Pleasant
al no greater expense for CONVEYANCE
than % per ton. have stated that
1000 ions are carried annually frsm Phi
ladelphIa TO Pil,sburg, al an expence ex-
ceedlnS $50 perton, ought 10 have said
Sl40 per ton, for this is rather below The
DIlt L,..
Is 10 reduce II 10 10 as the minimum
| and Baltimore hopes TO reduce 10 S so her
freight TO Wheeling. | even admit their
hopes TO be realized. Then if Point
Pleasant be as favorably situated for ex-
ienslve distribution as Pittsburg or
wheeling, land think this cannot admit
OF doubt,) and Richmond can deliver
| goods there for S25 per ton, what will be
The inevitable consequences Articles
| OF great value in proportion TO their
weight, will bear high rate of Transport
tation, but a vast amount of articles of
more weight in proportion 10 their value
will be excluded. A great many kinds
OF goods, prohibited at 40, can be
carried at so; many prohibited al S 80,
can be carried at so; and still more pro-
hlbiied al 8 so, can be carried at 5 25.
| lhls consideration, even at the rate of
tolls, which ] have purposely assumed
very lone, would vastly augment the final
result beyond my estimated revenue of
S 26,300, but even this sum affords an
anlmaiing prospect.
| | am fully convinced that to accom-
| plish all the improvements proposed, no.
thing more Will be necessary than 10 issue
at 6 per cent. stock irredeemable for a
limited time, and perhaps thereafter only
Il IFn1f tod al
annual, or halt-yearly payment of inter.
est the James river tolls; those at pre-
sent existing for commencement: and,
as the work advances and more funds
become necessary 10 carry il on. the pro.
ceeds of canal tolls will be a continually
augmenting resource for pledges for adj
| diiiOual stock. When an independent
| canal shall be made as far as the mouth
of Dunlap's creek, the before mentioned
fund of $4,000 may come into opera.
| ton; this, in addition 10 that arising
| from the trade OF James river, will un-
| queslionably form a fund sufficient for
further internal Improvements, even be-
| yond our present views, for redeeming,
| ifihoughi expedienl, the stock previously
issued, and for diminishing tile rate of
| tolls.
| Ii has been already stated, that we have
| explored Tie kanawha, or New river, no
higher than the mouth of Sinking creek:
but every information have been able
] TO obtain of that noble river seems 10
invite strongly an examination of it, per-
haps even as far as the seatbern boundary
| OF Virginia, aud especially respecting
The praciicabiliiy of connexion with the
| Holstein river. 4 very valuable trade
may be expected on The upper parts of
Kanawha river; and, il the connection
alluded TO, be found practicable, at a
| reasonable PYnense the trade NAV lie