Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1825-04-07

he following Letter was addressed to the Pre-.
sldent Of the United States, by the Members
from The estern states and from Virginia,
whose names are signed thereto:
HOuss OF R-kfREsEsTArrvrs.
.uareh 2. 1925
Sin: The undersigned Members of
the ttnlse of Representatives, are a.
ware that numerous efforts are making
10 engage the atten ion of the Engineers
of the u. States for the survey OF vaIi-
GUS routes, for canals, across the great
chains Of mountains which separate the
Eastern and Western waters. They
are persuaded that, among these, there
Is not one better deserving the attention
OF the government OF the United States
than that ty which the Commonwealth
of Virginia is endeayouring TO connect
the James River, or its chief branch,
the Jackson, with the Great Kanawha,
and, by yea IS OF that river, with the
Ohio, at Point Pleasant. A Canal of
forty mhes in extent from the tide Of
the first nantd river, now connects the
city Of Richmond with the Coal Mines
of Chesterfield Goochland. and Pow
hatan, and is EXTENDED above them, in
its progress towards the case of the Al
leghany Mountain. 4 contract has al
go been made, aud funds provided for
canaiiing the Balcony Falls Of The river
far a distance of six miles. The turn
pike from the Great Falls Of the Kama
VIA 10 the Eastern base Of theAlie
ghany, a distance of ninety miles, has
been completed. & great improvements
made III tie navigation OF the kanawha,
one of the largest tributaries OF the Ohio.
Under these circumstances, il would
great accelerate the completion of
this link of connection of the Eastern
and Western Waters, if it should be as
cerlained to be practicable, to unite
them by navigable Canal, and it is
deerseo highly probable that this ION
neeicn could be elected by the use Of
the waters Of Greenbrier river, on the
western slope ofthe A~lleghany, and Sc
veral smaller streams, the branches Of
iaf Jackson River on the Eastern.
ihe undersigned beg leave, therefore,
to call your attention to this subject,
andto ask as early a survey as practical
bic, az the route for a Canal across the
~Alleghany, which they have felt it their
duty to subscribe. In aid of this appii.
cation, they further state, that, between
the city Of Richmond and the mouth of
the Great kanawha, the actual coEnec-
f1ur ku xsak.. -bs.J, ~.U .-l
would furnish, will not exceed four bun
dred and hft, mics. OF this, he Ka-
nawha, n Of the s'raigb'est and most
easily nayiga,ed branches Of The Ohio,
occupies II Eety mites, and the James
EiverI is already navigab!e for nearly
tno !undred more. The distance from
the mouth of the Scioto to the mouth of
the kanawha. is about eighty miles,
which, added 10 the four hundred and
fifty, makes the entire water line of
communication between the tide Of
James River and the Eastern extre mity
of the Canal contemplated TO be made,
and now begun, from the Lakes to the
Scioto. but $50 miles: thus bringing
the city of Richmond as near to Ports
mouth, on the river Ohio. as the city of
Pittsburg is, at this moment, pursuing
the winnings Of that river, and disre-
garding the superiority ofa Canal to the
river itself.
The undersi rned forbcar TO enlarge
upon the great Importance 0 fIhese facts
to the States of Virginia and Ohio, 70
the country on the Lakes, and, in gem
eral, to the union OF the East and West.
They confidently trust that these sug-
gestions will share with other similar
views Of the capacity of the United
states for internal improvement, the ia
vorable regard Of the General Govern
ment.
We are, sir, with great consideration,
your obediert servants.
f.. WhitHesey, C. r. Msrc.,.
1hos. X. Ross, HIM. Smith,
Root. Il. Letchs-, Thomas Newtos,
Duncan M~c.trthay, Samuel r. Viaton,
j. Stephenson, j. ". Campbell,
j. 5. Barbour, I'm. McLean,
Jas. johnson, Joseph Vancs,
j. Sloane, Ihomos MedraL,
j. c. Wright, David Trimbie,
End. Livingston, Francis Johnson,
DanP p. Cook, Z. p. Moore,
To his EYcellency
the PRESIDENT Of the u. States.
To this Letter the following answer
has been transmitted by the War De-
partment:
DEPARTMENT OF WAR,
March 10. 1925.