Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-01-30

a
| ever the estimate is made, be found com.
paratiyely much greater than on lower
levels, vet will fall short of what an in
experienced public have heretofore inn
aeined. But on the other hand who
will undertake to snumerate the adyan-
tage and growing profits on the trade Of
the only canal, which is practicable be-
tween The waters of the Ohio and the
Chesapeake. 1t is Only necessary to see
the uneaualed location of this central
route; the length of the barrier OF noun
tains which it wsuld sever; the bound
less region of the ncrth western states
and territories, and the extent literally
unparalleled on the globe of the already
connected inland navigation by means
of the great lakes and Colossal rivers to
be united with the Potomac, and TO con-
slider the greater distance and expense
of getting to and from other markets on
our seaboard, to be entirely satisfied
that in a country increasing in popuia-
ton, wealth and the knowledge OF pc
litical economy like ours, that the OBJ
ject to be attained in pecuniary point
of view alone, is beyond calculation;
and it affords the most simple guarantee
for the interest and capital that may be
invested to complete it, whatever may
be the amount OF such investment and
cannot fail moreover to be a vast and
always increasing source OF revenue
hereafter, either to the states through
which it will pass, or to the United
States, whichever may undertake it.
The paramount and prinordial claim of
this route to public attention is evinced
by the location of the national road, and
also of the seat Of government, and no
less so by the early date of the charter
of the Potomac company. Immediately
after the peace establishing independence.
This last circumstance shews it to have
been the very first object of this nature,
which engrossed the attention of Virgin
ia and Maryland, when we had scarcely
drawn the first breath of emancipation.
The manuscript calculations of our
Washington, who was the father of this
company shew that in his mind the
western trade and the improvement of
the Potomac, were always intimately
connected, Ee makes the difference
between the route from Detroit on Lake
Erie by way OF Fort Pitt, now Pitts
burg, and Fort Cumberland, TO Alexan-
dria, and that to New York. in distance
400 miles, or upwards of 500 miles to
tide water in favor of the former.s This
grand speculation of this great man OF
drawing the commerce of the lakes and
the northwestern territories to Alex
andria, requires only the union of the
waters Of the Ohio and Potomac. In or
der to be realized; g. with daily increas-
ing experience and full sense OF the
rapid advance in the value of the great
prize, it cannot fail ere long to be begun
and completed. 1t is supposed that
when the nature OF voyage from the
states north OF Ohio to New. Orleans or
to New-I ork, is contrasted with voy-
age to Washington on Potomac, on the
supposition of the navigation being per-
fected across the mountains, that in
many respects the advantages will be so
considerable in favor of Washington,
that it will liz most instances be prefer
red; this preference over New Orleans,
will arise from the down stream navl-
cation of the rivers emptying into the
! Ohio; in the gentle current OF the Ohio,
compared with the rapid stream of the
Mississippi. taking into view the time,
labor and expense OF returning as well
as going to market on each route and
the effect of the climate of New Orleans
in damaging flour and bacon, and all
vegetable and animal productions, and
its dangerous influence on more north
ern constitutions. as also the very great
difficulty and length of time it requires
for ships to get up from sea to that city.
Over New-York, the advantages will
consist in the shorter distance and the
necessity of navigating the lakes in
vessels Of different construction from
those used in rivers and on canals re-
curing a charge of hands, havigators,
and the repeated removal of cargo from
one kind to the other, while the owner
of boat will be able to 60 and come all
the way to Washington in most instan.
ces with crew of his own neighborhood;
add to these reasons the circumstances
Of the New York canal being closed,
one month longer by ice every year,
! than a canal on Potomac, and the superb
ority of this route will be manifesto
! Manuscript calculation of General Washing
ton, From Detroit by the route through Fort
Pitt and Fort Cumberland
To Alexandria 607
Richmond $40
Philadelphia 741