Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-02-02


full, that the James and kanawha route need ever
fear an overwhelming competition from either, or
both OF those twoiroutes: especially when we con-
slider that both of them liable 10 be frozen up
months in the year longer than James river; and
that both would pass, either through, the
margin of the British Canadian dominions; and,
therefore be liable to invasion aud impeachment, in
time Of British, or Canadian war.
9Th The expense OF transportation from Alex
andria, d. T.. la Point Pleasant, via the proposed |
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and Ohio river, can
not be precisely ascertaised, until after that canal
he called into existence; suffice it 10 say, for the
present, tbs; the James ard Kanawla route being !
much the shortest way OF the two, from the tide
water to Point Pleasant, need not fear very much
competition from that qusrter We might enlarged
upon this part oil the subject and say, that the Che
sapeake and Ohio Canal, icing the longest will
DC much the most cNpensiveta make: that The LIST
section OF 10 mics above Geurge,own aad a sec
I ,ion of more than 80 miles between We,iernport,
AMI he forks Of Yeohogany river, viii be largely
more dilhcult 10 make, THAI any sections ot equal
length on tbc.James River Canal. We might say
that the !ockage on that canal, would b. $50 feet
Il memory serves me, from Georgetown TO the suui-
nit level. and more than nine hundred feet thence
10 Pittsburg: whereas The whole locssse on James
rlver, is but SO feet. Lockase very cXpen-
sive item in caaalling, and the tolls that ca:a
would necessarily be higher than on James river
speak on this part Of the subject from degree
ui personal knowledge; having assisted TO survey
both those Canals. Bat will not discourage
that noble cnirprze: am convinced OF its practi.
edhiliiy and utility. Let them both go Oh, and
prosper! There arc capital prizes enough, in the
wheel OF ''ihe grca, no.iw es,ern lottery" TO pay
Tor both those works. Mississippi mast draw one
1T ,hese--Jalnes and Hanawha may draw another
Let Potomac and YeohosanY draw u third-whle
meritorous Hudson draws fourth.
9th. II would easily admit ofdeInon siration that
: the same might be done Virginia, that has been
done, and daily praciiced in Pennsy lvsnia, New
York, and elsewhere. Let us therefore assume tire
rational conrlu-ion; that transportation could be
effected the James river canal for the sa,r price
that it daily is done for, on similar canals OF New
ors and Pennsylvania viz. ton Weight, is
! conveyed one mile, for cent: wide ". Y
Canal Commissioners Report, 1920, '23, pa and
HAT carriage can be effected on the james and Kan
awha Turnpike Tor the same price that il costs ou
similar roads In Maryland, Pennsy lvaiia, New
Jersey, &C. viz: one ton is cnnvc, cd mile for
twenty cents. And that carriage will cost no more
on haha%lia river than Ohio rive Ell; because the
same steamboats, and other vessels Can navigate
both, when the improvements completed, viz
! ABOUT one cent per ton per mile descending; and
three cents per Ton per mile ascending. On these
principles The conveyance of ton. from tide wa
ter on James river, TO Point Pleasant, would be-
from Richmond 10 CoyinSton. by canal, > II miles
al cent 81 ~
Thence by road to Kanawha Fdlls, 90
! miles, al 20 cents IS
Thence by Kanawha rivc:, O.. miles
| descending, al cent 81
! w have :llewn in Nos. 8 and l. that
{ two dollars, viz: double the pre-
! sent toll ON each toa ofihe descend
F. Ing trade on James river alone
would amount, on the completion
Ct the works, to more thsn the IN
tcPes; on the 80, 500 900 necessary
! 10 complete the works &c we
| will therefore, all, for toll on the
| whole liue, per ton 2
! Total Gs23 IL
This leads US TO The following important recapi,-
uiation OF the expense OF conveying a ton weight
from the Atlantic board 10 Point Pleasant. as
! the commercial centre OF the Ohio Valley, viz:
ist From New Orleans, via aiississp-
! pi and Ohio rivers sI5
2d. From Ballimo- e, via Wheeling and
Ohio river 50
3l. From Philadelphia, via Pi,tsbur,
/ and Ohio river 1913
18th. From lew York, via the Western
Canal aud Lake Erie: And from
| Quebec, via the ST. Law, ence and
! the Lakes, &c. unknown
! 9th. Frois A.lxandria D. C. via tie
J Chesapeake and Ohio canal, and
| Ohio rlyer-unhuown, but proba-
BY not less than some Of ihe above
, 9th From Hichm:ond, via the James
| and Kanawha route, oniy % &,
! SIniaus-contenpate this comDarison:
! you'd no; this comparative cheapncs. of trans
poiiation and shortness of distance see No 81 in
favor OF the James and Kanawha route rive !, I.
decided preference over all the others from the
Atlantic 10 Ono. ct vice versa? " ould it not draw
into this route, the importing trade at least OF The
ISL Znd and 81 routes above named: to say nothing
OF the others: and thus throw into oar Golfer. tic
above mentioned 81 $780, 00 per annurn, from the
Isl; Sl,296,0OD from the I'd; and SO 600 0Go
from The Sd; or at least great proportion of each
oil them! Sums which would amount 10 The on
ormous aggregate OF 1916, 900 per annum,
Il But iurlher-the above mentioned 30 DD0 to,s
per anhunl, imported Oh tie Isl route; IS 900 ton.
on The II; and $4,000 tons Oh the 3D. o,niftino
I the otheTs--il transported as above. a, o,Io
! S23 J per ton, the James and KanayvLa ron,e
would amount to only 81 1925 $50; which deduct
cd iIom the above Sj,736 900, would exlibit an
aggregate saving OF $500, 02O per annuru. ,,oon
me Importing transportation alone, of the Ohin
: Faiiey' III consequence OF the adoption of This
route IN preference TO the aforesaid tbreet Al
tils q" al includes dollars per ton as toll (see
NO. ~ which toll, upon the aggregate of ~ ono
TONS aforesaid, would afford an annual rever,,o IS
SIo6,OO0; which added to the { 50, 900 q, moro
which wc have shewn see No. ~ is susce,,i,,Io
OF being deduced from the intrinsic resources ~ ,h
James and kanawha rivers, at tile above rate of
'o: and that, too, after reducing the cost Of dos
cendihS transportation from or 10 cents ia onI,
II cents per ton per mile: and of ASCENDING ron,
Yeyance, from IL OF I6 cents, 10 only cents NO,
4 ton per mile: (see Nos. 3 and A. saw. thee
TWO sums would exhibit annual revenue In the
state, Of 1886 ,00O more! And this. bv tho
oye' says nothing Of the exporting tonnage of ,bo