Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-10-09

ley, which with the tributary streams Of
the Ohio alone, contains about 400 900
square miles,
Frointhe foregoing remarks and ex-
tracts, twill appear, that The obstacles
which have hitherto been considered in
superable, toa canal navigation across
The mountains, have been entirely reno
we'd. trust there 10 spirit, enterprise,
anc capital sufficient, in that portion OF
the country which will be benefited by
work.
The nszteuesiion tat presents itself
Is--ihe policy Of continuing this canal
from the Ohio river 70 Tue lakes. as one
regular connected channel az corr
merce. During the present summer
Judge Tappans chairman ofthe Ohio ca,
nal Commissioners, gentleman of sci.
enec and c'aasiderable- experience La.
explored tie route heretofore mention
ed IN this communication, and found
'naf no difficulties oppose the nselves TO
the execution Of such a work. Thu
country is level and the water sbupaant
Fa4r
The public may expect an interestiho ~.
port from this geatIefnap. NJ tls ~,
session oil the ohio legislature, on this.
subject The, distance between the
ONO kivef and Lake Erie, at The near
sstponit ofapproxima.ion inthis direction
does not exceed 80 miles. tits Therefore
evident, that canal can be made with
great ease, and at a moderate exnense.
have before examined the e.atise no..
s'tson and distance Of Newly ork. Balti.
more and Washington, from the four
nor'hwesteri lakes, by which a diner-
ence CT distance was found, in favor az
the two latter cities, Of three hundred
miles sufficient in my estimation 10 turn
a great portion Of the trade, il not ali Of
Il, In that direction. Thi. question ear.
~ occupied the mind of the great Wash
iDg'on, andfrom his publications coneer-
ning y, u appears that he confidently an
tscipafed that the period would arrive
when me commerce of the lakes would
take this course TO the ocean. His man
nscript calculations make a difference
between the route from Detroit to A.
le5ansr'a, and that +, New York, OF 400
miles. ...a
The great advantages and bsne Cts re-
sulting from the accomplishments of such
a work, must be obvious 10 every one.
II would furnish an outlet 10 the rich
agricultural productions Of the vest
Every article reared by the labor Of the
farnser would receive an additional VAL
ne of40 or50 per cent The produce
OF the rich and extensive mines of lead
and copper on the borders of the northern .
lakes, so necessary in ship buildings,
and IN carrying ON the operations Of war
woe1d noat In the same direction, and
ma market In the centre of the I'm
ion. The furs and peliiies, taken onthe
great lakes, and the upper Mississippi,
would find their nearest Atlantic market
onthis route--while the productions Of
ioFsign commerce, waited to our shores
from all parts of the world, would, in re-
turn, with great facility, cheapness, and
expedition, be distributed through this
vast interior
have presented this subject to nv
eoenirymen, with the hope that 1t will
receive candid and disnsssionate dis
cussi''n II Is my intention, in a future
number, TO make an estimate of the
whole distance az canal. and a calcula-
tlon OF the expense Of making it, toge..
Their with the prize Of freight per hun
dred, from tie lakes, and from the Ohio
river to Washington and Baltimore.