Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-01-09
l76,G66
RICHMOND. JANUARY o 1891


oHHES nv Eh N1PIGfIION-I AGAIN.
TO THE EDITORS OF THE ENQUIRER
GentiemeR Several essays have recently an
Pedted ia your paper relative To the improve
inert OF the James and Jacksons rivers writ
ten by protested advocates Of that great en-
iefpriza Ii must he gratifying 10 lis friends
to hud lis supporters increasing. But either
from want OF comprehension in me, or from
some little ambiguity really existing in those
essays. II has tofcibly struck my mind that the
authors would have written better if they had
walled for more Information on The sohject.
conteSs l have given The two numbers of
CiVis bnt one slight reading. bur the produce
ton Ell the " Friend 10 Improvement" have
now betere me. IN which l find u stated that
CivlS, IN has first No. recommends an addition.
al toll un coal but la Ills second exprpsse, AN
opinion that this article cannot bear auy in
creased expense. In The latter sentiment he
Is cordially united With by his friend, who
gives TWO estimates To prove ills correctness
Now, as the improvement of the river is the
SUBJECT treated Of, Il would seem that these
estimates were intended ts have bearing
some way or other on that subject; and more
over, 'nihk thai idea Is plainly imferred from
the opinion gwen, that twenty wears will roll
away before 100000 of bushels will be
brought down James river"-the estimates of
the Ensinerrs and the Improvement OF the ri.
YER Notwithstanding. Bnt strange as il may
seem, these estimates OF the Friend 10 I'm
provement are made in relation 10 the preseu,
Stale OF thugs, without any refer ence whate>
YER 10 an improved state OF the navigation.
nave never read the reports OF the Eugi.
neers since short time after they were uub
Iished ; bat think well remembers. thai Que
OF these at least, has predicated his calcmla-
tlous on, not only the most improved state of
the navigation Ia Richmond bat also on the
completion Of the Richmond dock which
wohd bring the coal boats along side of The
sea .ssSeiS. The first states the Inconvenience,
The losses and the different items OF eHpeuse
attending the present transportation by wafer.
The Friend to Improvement does Tie same
Yftt.aa Ia
irasts this with All improved stale OF things
when d man, boy aud horse, will deliver
1000 bushels ia the same time that three meu
now deliver lj0 TOR their average lnad is not
more.) When all The items of handling about
the basin. carriage, loss 10 quantity and deteri-
Grafton III quality are doHe away, ard when
even AN Improvement in the management of
the coal al HE mines shall take place reduce
ing tie whole expense TO very snail sum
compared win the present and delivering the
article iui0 The vessels la better state Than
II Can possibly be when brought in wasg0us.-
All Ibis he supposed would tend TO encourage
the transportation By water, aud increase the
consumption.
But The Friend 10 improvement inconsistent
as 10 may appeal has made discovery that
aots all improvements al defiance. La his COM
paiisOn OF iha expense between water aud
land carriage, he considers The difference he.
tween The value ct coal AT the waters edge and
a distance from il, as an item fairly chargea-
bic TO the water transportation, aud actually
nave es the latter with TWO cents per busheI
from Brow" 81 Finuey's mines, berause they
arr nearer the river than some others II this
rnie will apply TO The present na Vigsfion il
VIII also apply TO better one, aud ut cOui So
1t The James River Company should fluid the
means OF extending the navigation 10 the
Deep RHn Pits, they ought not To calculate
on any greater quantity being taken by waller
ihau al present., because the difference III the
price OF actual transportation, must be added
To tie water Carriage, so az TO keep il up to
The Wagon price, and OF course the coal will
suIl he takeu to market by land. And so of
all the mines which may hereafter he Opeoed
near the Canal. The rule will also apply
equally ds we'll TO every other article that can
be brOught 10 market by waller.
AS It's probable this discovery is original,
the Friend TO improvement will OF course he
entitled To all the merit derivabIe gheTeiTOm
In another part OF The essay he asks the
question, " How came II to pass that the only
=" contract that has been entered into by the
"DirecIors of the James River Company and
: received the appreciation OF lhe Commissions
eTs ter a short distance OF the contempI at ed
Improvement of the River, should be nearly
" double The two Engineers EsUmdtesr' There
Is an axiom adopted by mechanics aud UNDER
takers, which asserts that an additional qudHt
iity Of iabomr at given rate, is as certain 10
increase the amount OF an estimate AS the quais
tum OF IsbOuT contemplated would, u paid tor
AT aD advanced rate. For instance, il an esti-
male was given tot building a house on "A GER
crease the dimensions so Us 10 add To the guam
tum Oi labOuT, the mechanic might perform
all the work at The contemplated rates, aud
yet the house would cost more money.
Now II the Friend % Improvement had
waited nntil the subJect WAS fairly before the
public, by tue publication oil the report VI the
James River Company and other documents
relative TO II, he might possibly have discover.
ed, that The Directors (peihaps foT very good
teasOus) may have determined 20 render thi,
lower and very important section ct Tie canal
more capsclons, aud tire locks aud other work :
more perfect ~ ettty respect than WAS cOn'
tedPlaied by the Engineers aud therefore,
that Notwithstanding tie rates ol the work
may be tile same. yet Use additional quautii Y
anu Kind 10 some respects, may account for the
Increased amount OF Inc gross sum. IL tnls
should iafn out to be tie case, aud the execm-
ton OF HE present contract should prove that
tie work may be done Tor the estimate OF the
Epgineers, and they should happen TO be
nieu Of sntefprizr, II may be COW enieDt ioT
the friend TO improvement TO take back his n
vermont that they will not undertake toe
work AZ their cwn estimates.
With due Difference TO the writer Of the Es.
say ia question, Thick u would have been al
well TO have - aIted for the information alln.
ded TO- hecause 1 think u of solag importance
srff a