Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1826-06-15

the diminished expense of living, prcdu-l
ced by opening an easy communication
in the finest markets in the world, and
to the most abundant mines Of the first
rate cOal-placing this city, for all the
purpose of trade and intercourse, with
in distance of Pittsburg not more than
equal to forty-fVe miles of transporta-
ton by land
s. Its advantages 10 the Sale and value
Of the Public Lands IN the West.-it is
believed that notbingis better calculated
tn induce and facilitate the sale and set
tlement of the public lands, than open
ing to them those facilities of commit
nication by which they can convey to
the best markets the products Of the soil:
for, without the means of arriving at
market, there can exist no motive TO
stimulate industry or exertioE. TO show
the effects of roads and canals on
the public lands, Of which the United
States own more than Eve hundred mil
lions of acres undisposed of in the West,
the Committee beg leave to introduce
the following extract OF letter from
the celebrated Robert Fulton to Ar.
Galatn, inI80e, on this branch of tie
subject:
Sin all cases. he says, 'where canals shall
pass through the lands of the United States,
ard open a cheap communication 10 good
market, such lands will rise in value tor twenty
miles on each side of the canal. The farmer
who viii reside twenty miles from the Canal
can in one day carry load OF produce to ITS
borders; and were tie lands go miles from one
OF our seaport towns, his barrel OF hour, la
weight 200 lbs could Je Carried that distance
for so cents, the price Which is now pad to
carry barIel 50 mics, on the Lancaster turn
pike consequently as relates to che4pness OF
carriage, and easv access 10 market, the new
lands which lie 800 miles from the seapJris
would be OF equal value With lands .: equal ter
iilry which are 50 miles from the scapof1s
But, not to insist on Their beng OF 50 great {"
value until population is as great, 1t IS evident
that they must rise in value IN three or four
fold degree, eyeey Gneal nile OF c~nsi would
accommodate 25, 600 scFess The lands SOLD by
the United States. IN 1876 averaged about Two
dollars an acre, and certainly every acre accom-
modated with a canal would produce SIX ool-
lars Thus, only.tWenty miles OF canal. each
year. running through national lands, raise the
value of 5l2 900 acres at least four dollars an
acre, giving 81 $4,000 20 the Treasury, a
sun sufficient t, make $50 niles of canal -
Had an Indiy idual such property, and funds
to construct canal to its centre, he certainly
would do it for his own interest. ihe naton
has the property, and the nation possesses am
pie funds for such undertaking."
9th. Its Advantage in reference to Cur
yta,y.-The Committee have already re-
ferred to the exhausting and injurious
effects of annually Withdrawing from
active and profitable circulation, iitteen
millions of dollars year, and applying
it to the discharge of the National Debt
as. proposed by the committee OF ways
and means, and have suggested the pro-
priety of combining the payment of the
National Debt, to ten millions OF dollars
year, according to the existing sink
ing Fund, and applying the surplus five
millions of dollars to Internal Improve
men,-: which would be as much as could
be economically and judiciously expen-
ded, at the commencement OF the sys-
tenn. 1t would be sufficient to afford
employment. and give skill and expert
ence to our Engineers, by the time the
National Debt is extingulshed in 1888;
and the annual surplus applicable to
these objects, increasedto 100000
1t would also be returning, in the
meantime, portion of the money,
(drawn from the people by taxation) to
sustain and carry on The several branch
es of Agricultural and Manufacturing
industry, at the same time equalzing, in
some degree, at least the expenditure of
public money: for, it is fact worthy
of grave consideration, and susceptible
OF the clearest proof, that of the twenty
odd millions which are collected annual
ly, alike from every portion of the coun-
try, there is not expended by the govern
ment, in the urhole Of the interior aud
srestern States, as much annually, as has
been expended on the seacoast, in the
building and equipping ofa single shjpH
or half as much as has been expended IN
the erection Of a SINGLE ToRTIFIcATioNH
This consideration, in the Judgment of
the committee, strengthens the claims
of the interior and the West, to a parti-
cipation in the common means of the
countrv, to which they contribute their
full proportion.
10th. It's advantages N reference to the
diffusion Of Lnotelsdgs and intelligence.
Nothing, perhaps, IN country SO extern
sye as ours, tends more in the rapid
dissemination and diffusion acknowledge
and intelligence, among the People
L. Ia