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

date tbOsoughfare fof the greatest
Commerce OF the union. baltimore beibg
already established and possessing en-
'erprize and capital, will have it in her
power for many years if not forever TO
ENJOY the larger share cfthe new Great
Ell fountains OF wealt., nothing will be
wanting to ensure tins. but to add a
short link to this great internal trace
by canal from Bladensburg or the
head oil the Eastern Branch of Potomac.
TO the Patapsco at Eikridge: the dis
tancc between these two points in a
strait line cannot exceed l3 miles. and
the route Off canal would not praha
bly, be more than % miles The eic
vation on this route above the tide is
not great, and the upper part of the
Patapsco, and other important streams
might, there is reason 10 believe. fur
nlsh the supply Of water required for
the light level; if this is the case, and
there is little doubt 1T, the cost ofthis
work would not he great. Or if IL
should accord more with the wishes
and interest of the Baltimoreans, TO
branch the canal at higher point on
the Potomac, let provision be made
for trying the practicabillty of branch
from the foot of the Catoctan noun
tain, or any point below it, to Bali
more.
Probable profits ofthis Canal.
Iakin, the average tonnage of the
boats, which have passed through the
locks, in the year 1919, 1920 and
1921, from the official document flrn
lshed by the Potomac Company, it is
li,ol5 tons each year supposing ten
barrels of flour equal to a ton, and
computing the whole product in flour,
the amount which has descended the
river each year, is a quantity of pro
duce equal to lis, 900 barrels of flour.
II such is the quantity transported
on the river, in its present imperfect
state OF navigation, it is not extrava
giant to suppose that four barrels OF
Hour are now carried by land for one
which is transported by water. and
which, when the canal is completed,
will seek that cheeper conveyance. -
This would make an additional
mount of four hundred and seventy
two thousand barrels. The inhabi
tants ofthe counties of Hardy, Pendlr
ton, and a large part of Hampshire,
in Virginia and of considerable
portion of Allegany in Maryland, and
Bedford in Pennsylvania, are exclu
s'vely devoted to grazing, if the facili
ties OF transportation were afforded
them by a canal, they would eiihe,
slaughter their cattle at home and
send down the beef and pork, or
would turn their attention to the more
profitable pursuits of agricnltur e.
From these counties we may then
fairly calculate upon the addition OF
two hundred thousand barrels. The
establishment of canal will. without
doubt, draw commerce from the coun-
ties of Franklin, Pennsylvania, and
Shenandoah, Rockingham, and a
large part of Augusta, in Virginia, for
which we NAV confidently add two
hundred and fifty thousand barrels
From respectable authority we learn,
that IN the year 1921, 100000 barrels
of -four were made in the four south
western counties of Pennsylvania, all
of which would seek market by way
of the national road and contemplated
canal ;ladd TO this loo. 900 barrels from
the state of Ohio, and the counties OF
Ohio, Brooke Preston, Harrison, Sc
in Virginia, and the aggregate is
/ 600 600 barrels f; the toll as now es
tablished on the Potomac is 20 cents
per barrel for the longer distance, and
IL cents for the shortest; the medium
may then be stated at Is cents the
tolls then upon 100000, would a
mount to the sum of 240, 900 dollars !,
the estimate cost OF the canal is
1878, 1854 dollars upon which the
sum of 100000 dollars gives Is per
cent. per annum profit, and an excess
sufficient for annual expenses.
In this calculation, the tolls on The
ascending commerce, consisting of
plaster Of paris, salt, fish in barrels,
and foreign merchandise, required for
the interior, is not enumerated. They,
it is supposed, will amount to third
of the sum of the descending toll -
Nor is any allowance made for the
tolls on the new articles " hich will
be added to the descending trade, viz
coal. lime. lumber. Indian corn, &c