Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-12-16

The same obstacles present themselves in all their
force, 10 the contemplated canal communication be-
tween the James and Jacksons river and the Kanawl,a
and indeed 10 any place which has for its object 10 in
vc the trade of the Ohio the Alleghany Noun
tain by canal where lis elevation is SO great to
OF the Atlantic ports. For humbly conceive that no
canal navigation can afford a conveyance by this routc
that VIII bear comparison with that which nature has
provided Tor it Some of the original advocates how
ever, seeing the accomplishment Of TINS obiec, hopeless
will probably attempt To progress above Rlaiien's Ad
venture, step by STEP in the hope of ultimate in
the whole whilst Others will be disposed 10 m as far as
they up the river without looking TO L,, western
trade as an Interior object.
This subject has been amply discussed in the Vir.
gina Legislature as well as III private circles all over
the state, that fear will be irI.onc to read ANY thing
winch can DC SAID about H. As IT not yet disposed Of
however, viii beg lea"e TO offer my imperfect views
rs to the mos, prominent of the numerous objections
which ! conceive IT liable tn.
In the first place. Ii only furnish accommoda
ton TO the trade on the north side Of the river except
ii the feeders where the trade from tie south side can
come IN with the water. The difficulty and inconyeni
ence OF crossing wide stream and passing throuph
The sands on The opposite side load boat with the
produce OF ihe county viii more than counte lance
any advantage winch the Improvement of the nayira
ton could coIt!er, whilst the shipper will bc burboneI
with The same cXpCncc of tolls he derived all the
benefit And this Inconvenience will be the more sem
sb!y felt III any lule returns of merchandise because
the bosnan will not be induced bv the trlincr e;clt
he would be entitled to- 10 incur the necessary DELAY
hose circumstances will cause unceasinr ,arnorrs
o 'hoSe who must pay their proportion of cops:ruc
ing ana keeping IN repair, work which will be worse
Tn - useless to them Ii may Dc said perhaps thai late
raj canals INTO the river will supply this defect Whilst
these would add very much To the exDence since loc
with one 1T! would IN be sufficient III will rcourc
two or ttree) they would be alwa.s liable to ill up
SINCE lhcy must lie eXcavatcd deep enough float the
boat into the river at low water and even whom the
large boat might be let down into the river j; cod no,
navigate IL.
2GIy The further go up the river the greater IS
The expence ct construction, the poorer the country
and consequently the less the profit from The Tolls
his circumstance operates with peculiar force because
The greater the distance the produce merchandise has
TO travel the more toll 1t will give towards the expeuce
oil making the canal and keeping il in repair.
3dly The river, SO far the canal has progressed
ana Tor great distance above has little fall that il IS
impossible 10 place out of the reach of freshes mar
cnlary since 1T is undenabe fact that the lateral
streams cannot be depended on supply it, and course
inc water must be obtained principally from the river
BY erecting dams cross II. Ii follows then that he
canal must jrsSei considerable distance before e
comparative elevation with the bed of the river will M,
If out the reach ofdanger. And these dams too III
occasion more mischief 10 the lands above them than
generally appr"heDded from an observation made nv
tie Commissioned of the James and Jackson's river IN
December 1921, 'z. When the river below the dam
opposite to Ambcfs farm, ID II feet above COM
mon tide II was IL feet Immediately above the dam and
! ?! leet at Wickham's bridge on Tuckahoc Creek
level th the water At the upper end of TucLahoe Is
iand mere 1t communicates with the river about fire
miles from The dam. This accliyty above the dam IS
probably much greater than was anticlaed and off re
sd illustration OF tie injury which may in some places
be done to the lands and crops above item
but let be supposed that the tributary streamg would
supply hc waller necessary 10 navigate the canal or
that feeder taken from the river would sustain the
navigation much farther than has been allowed tbcn
the communication from the south side Womb mo On
mGc' the more completely cut of, since the ony con
necon is at the feeders. And here let il be
at cV N II were not necessary go to The river for
water the canal must OF necessity be located te fooi
OF the hill wherever is abrupt because IFS breadth
could not be excavatcd into steep hill unless the hin
could be taken away above, till it should have proper
SLOPE
4thy. In addition 10 the injury which may be done
TO Tue lands above the dams, is il worthy of con-
sidcratlon, that from 100 to 80 feet of a finest low
grounds on the river should be destroyed by the line of
the canal and the balance insulated and no access to
II lett except by bridges VIII be very numerous
or great inconvenience result to the fnmers and M
time OF treshes loss OF stock or crops for the ,vnnt of
access TO them2
The land Immediately below the canal bank will in
many places bematerialy injured by the ecpnr Of the
water through III and in case of breaches in HE bank
the damage may be very serious. The culverts which
arc introduced to carry the streams under the canal
after giving them all the breadth and elevation which
the ieFel VIII allow, will sometimes get choaked and
sometimes prove insufficient carry of The floods which
! C.
ton OF the crop the flats above All these injuries
or losses must be paid for by the commonwealth or
great injustice done 10 the farmers
5!hly The appalling expense of the work. which can
be better judged of by comparison with that which is
done, allowing for the increasing difficulties and conse
quent expense as we ascend than by any estimate which
can be made.
Upon this subject great calculations arc made of d
intuition IN the cost of the work when we become bet.
Ter acquainted with it, But let it be recolcctcd that
The most important parts of it have been executed by
siul artists taken from the cana.s in New York and
other parts Of the United States, and it is stated by the
Commissioner that there is instance Of inordinate
profits. and that the average profit on the whole would
not exceed 1--WE per cent upon the actual cost
Gihly The expense ofkcepng in repair, two or three
hundred pair Of lock gates including guard lock gates
great number of food gates and wcirs upwards
Oh three hundred miles Of fencing allowing fence only
on one side; gates the canal to connect the fen
ices II the project succeeds; three four hundred farm
bridges, road bridges and tow bridges lock keepers
houses, pavements repairing and gravellin tow paths
ana number of items too tedious TO be mentioued the
clearing out the sand gravel and soil which will come
down from the sides Of the canal and the washing of
the adjacent lands. This item has grown 10 fearful