The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-12-07


&C., aud winch While II lasts, operates as a moth
on the hud SCI apart fsf the hrnc6crn utlect
o state Improvement, In violation of tl.e priaci-
pie IN whicn that fund vas created, aud 10 the
great grievance OF other pc tons oi thr STATE.
y h.i cNpcdieut thens Is lett bar that the sr.icnc
uf imp ueciucut shugld be Contaminated: aud
thai At should be achieved ~ suth . ,eaie Is TO
pay the interest on the loats contracted tor its
completion. aud Ia atpid reasonable prospect
of reimbursement Ut the pfmcinaioi those losns}
That tbs. euIhc the result should the impro,c>
ncnt ~ locks and dams be rrSolted to- and
steam uc successfully introduced Is fully demon
straltd by the abb Report OF ,hc prmcipn Engi.
ncer shall find IN, Al ology in the nnportancc
OF thu subject tor urging still further consi,lcra.
tions, growing natural, out oin
Ia all undertaking ,calints Tor the pxpen ia
nre OF large SUNS 81 money, aud looking To
reimbursement from thu profits OF the work
when Completed, rapidIty of execution is es-
senilally important. The expenditure Is al
ded 10 hy drlay. anl IT becomes augmented
by the payment OF interest, aud the loss al
profit. The shortest possible tune, then,
should ue taken for the completion of ihr
work When commenced, IL should hn prose
cnted with uutrlng energy. To its couple.
lion. This Is the dictate OF sound ECONOMY
But, in order to ensure ECONOMY in IL eKecn.
ton, 10 We'll rs permanencN, the work should
be performed under the direction aud
confront ot The Principal Engineer All
subordinate agents should be bound implIci-
~ by his Instructions lhns. no would be
made, to proper extent the responsible
hend. And perfect security would he pro.
vidcd against all false estimates Rut, il,
ON the contrary, subordinate agents are
! ) he permitted at pleasure 10 cnntroul the
views q! tho Engineer II his opinions are
! 10 be respected by them, or disregarded nj
| pleasure, Then he IS relieved from all rrspnn-
sihility, aud bound by no estimate Hts NJ
/ fee, IN short, Notwithstanding its grent ntil
/ ity, IN the other view becomes almost useless.
! Let me not be understood rs implying Il cen.
/ sure eiher upon the Engineer, or my Other
/ ohcer ol the government by these remarks
/ My sole motive IL making lhen is, 10 bring
! abort u pfoprr responsibility, aud 10 afford
a check over thu pubhe expenditures aud
! lest, might 10y possibility he mi,intrrpreted
! | will axe upon me here to say , that | re-
gard Virginia IA having IN the person of her
! Principal Engneer, gentleman oil the most
unqnosionahr talent, one, who uniies 10
! diligence III the dI-Chaigr Ot the duties OF hi,
station. an ardent devotion 10 the public IN
/ teresls and To an extensive theoretical
knowledge, sound practical views.
In presenting 10 you the reHsons, which
have he'd NE 10 urge upon you the improve.
ment, forthwith. OF the James and jackson 5
river, rs tar rs Cpviugfon, | have mol over
/ booked other considerations OF high moment.
The improyementot the .main river would he
! the sure precursor to the Improvement al ITS
numerous tributaries, watering, US they
| do, * ens'ge and fertile district. II would
! lead IN time also, 10 the union # the
head waters oi the Shenandoah with
/ these OF the North river one OF those
! tributaries, whose near approach would
seem 10 promise 10 the efforts of man,
an easy conquest over nature, while the eN.
! ecuiun oi The work, attended rs ii would
be with the perfect Improvement 81 the Shru,
! Andoah, would furnish n bond ui union be.
tween the Pulomark and the James, and nj
! ford ta the farmer the choice OF two valuable
! markets Tor the pl odncts OF his industry. IN
! addition Ia this, II j. NOW generally supposed
! that the connection ot the eastern and wes-
tern waters Is entirely practicable bit that
! 10 order 10 effect the unlOu, Il viii be nece',
| sary 10 incur aheNpendlture 80 large TINT no
| thing short Of full assurance OF success would
! Justify the undertaking Tins improvement
as recommended, viii serve IN a measure, tu
| degelop the benefits al that great work, in
1 fnrtherancc OF which great object the extern
SION of the Eanhswa road To tue month OF
the Guayandotto or Big Sandy might he con
sidcred as auxiliary, by bringing into morr
| familiar intercourse with Us, the citizen oi
! the bordering states, II will necessarily avn
/ ken the attention of several OF thr western
! States To the subject, IL even ittouudto bebe
| yond the resources OF one stale, which | do
| not believe, may, in the lullness oi time, b,
accomplished by an union nj States. Thus
would a band of connection be furnished IL
all that il might embrace, and the work eli
tected in II legitimate mode by compact be
tween severed sta ties, without vIrlatiug the
constitutional rights OF either. Whether this
scheme, or that other which hns been the
subject of such minute examination with
the Engineer corps of the United States, and
proposes connecting the waters Of the Poto-
mack with those of the Ohio, shatl aiteriuIl ex-
aminotian, be preferred, remains yet 10 be de-
cided. Or, whether a. still preferable route
may not be ascnftained TO exist between the
waters OF New River and those of the Jack
son, or the Roanoke, are questions OF deep in
tcrest. A thorough exploration of these
different sections by one so well qualified as
the Engineer OF the State, TO arrive nj col
rect aud satisfactory conclusions, would seem
to he strongly called for.
II viii not escape the attention of the
the territory of the State lying beyond the
Allegheny, aud embracing great eKtent ot
rich aud fertile soil, remains to a certain
degree, in state ct nature, aud Iabours an
der disadvantages of the most deplorahir
character. The wants of tbat country are
limited aud Few, aud may he satisfied at small
expense. Il requires thst.one, or at the most,
two roads should be opened for tn e conye-
nience OF travelling. One oil those roads is
now in progress, aud has been marked off ia
part by the Engineers NJ the Stale during the
past season, II leads from some point on
the Ohio river in Tyler county through the
intermediate counties, 10 stanton; and
lorns permanent link ofconneCiion between
the extreme West & the Capital oilhe State
while the other taking All opposite direction
might have lis Southern extremity located nj
The mouth of the Little kanawha aud its Nor
thern at Winchester. Other paris of the
State undeniably require the attentive regard
ot the Legislature and, no doubt, will, in
due time, receive their foil share of the public
patronage. have the more particularly had
reference to The ColuI.v living beVOUd the