Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-02-12

from tne upper country, WIN
could take nothing of the kind to market.
IL, however, IL ia apprehcndcd that the Engineer
may be mistaken in his estimates farther cnqu-
ry may be had Legislation, on SUBJECT oil TINS
kind, which is to prseede and produce certain C.
vents, a. well the proceedings OF private Com
panies i'll such CAGES, must be founded on eStm'utes
Of expense and probable advantages: The law
can't be preceded by the events intended to be
produced by the course OF Legislation, SO as 10 place
the Legislature on grounds oil absolute ceftun,S
beforehand So soon as estimates, which can De
relied on, are made, the work mus. be abandoned
or proceeded in accordingly; II the estimates are
not satisfactory either J0r ar against, no schcne
of undoubted Importance ought to De abandoned
Until further enquiry Is MADE. =,
If il be said that the former estimates Tor the
James River improv emeut were too low, anu that
the work do-e has not produced the advantages
expected-it will be discovered, II enquired into,
that so far as regards the estimates, the contracts
were generally for the different kinds oil labor, at
prices equal, and often below the estimates OF the
Engineers: The mistake arose IRON the circuin-
stance that the Engineers, who had, IN one season.
TO examine the ground from Richmond TO the u
hio could not locate any portion oil the csna' 50 as
10 make an actual estimate oil the quantity, qiali-
" or kind OF work that was 10 be done so that, IN
this respcct the estimates were understood TO be
merely conectural: And as TO the improvements
made not paving the interest, no one ever expect
ed or could expect, they would do so, until tle
work was done, or had advanced considerable
distance up the River.
The improvements now estimated thougn, WIN
the exception of few short canals consist oil dams
and Locks the sites of which, 1 understands nave
been carefully examined in the course oil TWO
wears investigation and with nearly as much ac-
curacy as would be necessary 10 enable the EnSi-
neer or Commissioner TO offer each parcel TO con-
tractors for execution But say it may, neverthc-
less be too low and that it will cost more; still t'Ie
profits are estimated principally on the present.
Tonnage and, of course, the probable Increased
use of the river may be set against TINS possible
error in calculation. - .
If indeed the tonnage and use of the river is ne
yer TO increase, although, even then, the improve
ments ought to be made in order TO realize the mo-
ney heretofore advanced, yet the object would be
of minor consequence, and we might specuiate'
whether il were best to sit down with the pre-
sent loss, or try to prevent it.
But to say that the and pront5 oil the river
would be no more than double what they now are,
is moderation, in conjecture, believed to be lar
within what will be realized, and that,pcrhaps. be-
fore the work is entirely done. 1t may, therefore,
with great safety, be relied on as enough TO cover
any error in calculation.
So much for the repeal OF the restriction, and
permitting the Baltimore railroad to come directly
IL, conflict with the James River improvements.
How stands the law though, if the act OF the last
Session is not repealed, .as TO the improvement OF
the Potomac and its branches
If the railroad company should derive those
great advantages which must be calculated on to
Justify great and hazardous an enterprise, sure
ed on also, by the Potomac and Ohio Company as
The result OF their undertakings.
Ii / wished to defeat that scheme would ask no
better than to set on foot this railroad be-
fore that Company is formed Will the State of
Virginia be willing 10 advance her funds in aid OF
that work. with conflicting railroad striking the
Ohio as low down the mouth of the Little Ka-
nawha? Will individuals embark their funds I'M
der the possible consequences of such compet-
ton? If the State must ever yield up the James
fhe,n re nj tn tha
had doubled the value of their Stock; can she be
expected to embark, against such competition, in
the improvement Of the Potomac, whose fortune
has been the reverse of those of the James River?
The Potomac interest will certainly require eve
ry advantage it can secure to ITSELF in order to
coed in that important Improvement. We ought
surely then to come TO the conclusion, that this
Western connerioa. 6y means either Of the Po-
toDiac or James RiB>r, and, indeed any con,
1lete improvement OF those Rivers to the Jnoun-
tGiRs, are TO be forever abandoned, and deemed
salDorthy Of further attention, before any thing
which may have the effect of putting an end 10
them, is sanctioned.
God forbid that the present General Assembly,
should be prepared for such an abandonment Ii
il not then the act of the last Session ought
be repealed, and some time, at least, given to the
people on those great water courses to determine
whether they are willing TO saw that those ma
jestic rivers have been made in van and shall
continue to flow in vain rs to them: presenting a
monument to all time, of the fckleness and short
Sighted,iess of Virginia policy
If, after mature reflection, they, and the other
good people Of the State come to that conclusion
then, indeed, will the enterpising citizens Of Bal
Simore be we'll entitled to the byttTight OF Virp-
mans, and ought to possess it.
They ought not to ask it though, and much less
ought the good people of this Commonwealth to be
deprived of this their most vdhtnbfe birth-yigHt
in one days reflection, during the hurry and CON
fusion Of a Legislative adjournment
But if the Les,s'.iure determine " sbandon the
work, the part of the State Justice to the Com
monwealth and her citizens would at least re-
quire, that offer should be insIe and time given
to see whether private Company could not be
raised, who would agree 70 stani in the shoes of
the State, take all her responsibilities and all her
privileges gained by the compromise with the Old
Company;-Take her rights too, in the Road and
Kanawha River, and agree 10 make perfect ma
vigaton, by locks and dams or otherwise 10 Coyine-
ton, and aso good steamboat navigation for tow
boats, from the falls to the mouth of the Kanavha:
with the privilege also Of perfectng the connexion,
either by railroad or otherwise, if they should
think proper to do Ii is believed that offers Lsss
liberal, and privileges less exclusive than are Sc
cured to the railroad Company, would very soon
produce Company in the State that would 90 on
with these works.
and certainly, if railroad from Baltimore to the
Great Kanawha would yield profit, there could
be no doubt Of the superior advantages of su CHI a
Company.
This would relieve the State from her present
burthens on account of this work; but to enable
her TO make such an offer to her own citizens she
ought equally to put down foreign competition.
But why would the Legislature scout, as admit
they ought to do, the idea Of making such pro-
position to own citizens for the benefit of orr
own State, and yet foster and encourage a com