Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1828-05-21

In fhe course of the debate on the Ches-
anoake and Ohio canal bill, MIR. HUT
man put a variety of queries to Mr.. Mer-
GER as chairman of the committee OF
roads and canals, calculated to elicit
statement of facts in relation to the proba
bile expenditure of the canal--the time OF
IFS completion-the resources Of the com
napv--and the benefit likely to result TO
the qeneral government from the proposed
subscrtDtion-and also. what benefit the
United States had derived from the sub
scriptions it had heretofore made to similar
companies.
MIR. Mercer replied, at some length,
TO the several points Of this inquiry Sup
posing the present. bill to succeed, the com
nanv would then have had subscribed to
its stock S3.600,000-the canal was dl-
yided into three sectons-the Eastern.
middle. and Western:-the Eastern sec
ton were IS6 miles in length; the middle
-. and the Western 12l; making the to
tal length of the canal 3l2 miles. If the
canal should be made of the same dimen
sions with the grand canal of New York,
the total cost of the Eastern section would
be 53,60O,O00; or, with the allowance
for the usual contingencies, about 4OJO'
600 dollars. If it were made torty-elghi
feet wide. the cost would be increased by
about 100000, and if, as was most de.
sirable, and, upon the whole, most eco
nomical. il should be made sixty feet IN
width, and five feet deep, the cost would
be S4.500.000. He then stated the sub
scriptions of stock by the several corpora
tons of Washington, Georgetown, and
Alexandria, amounting in all, to one mil
ION and half He stated the undoubted
ability of these corporations to comply
with thcw engagements, and besides, th.t
ability would be vastly increased by the
very effect Of the enterprise, In reducn.
the price of one the prime necessarIes o.
life. the article of fuel, in such a name.
rs to produce a nett saving OF one hun
bred and twelve thousand dollars in tn
annual consumption of that article. Coal
of the very best quality could be furnished
in this city, as soon as the first section OF
this canal should be completed, at Il II
cents per bushel. lie then adyerted to
the provisional subscription on the part oil
the state of Maryland, of half million Of
dollars, to take effect when S2,0JO,OOJ
should be subscribed fIom other sources.
lie then proceeded to make a few remarks
with regard to the number and amount OF
prytte subscriptions, the highly respect
able character of lhe subscribers general
W, and their ability to pay the SUMS which
they had subscribed. When the canal
had reached Cumberland, it would prove
itself to be a very profitable enterprise,
and there would be no difficulty 10 obtain
inc further funds. either in this country
or in Europe. Its total cost. from George
town to Pittsburgh, would probably a.
mount to about ten millions. The stock o
the English canal was profitable IN high
degree: that of one Of them having ad-
vanced from G100 to GiO0 per share
The greater portion Of their profits were
derived from the carrying Of fuel As to
the benefits to be derived from the can
al. the profits of the stock would be shar-
ed by the government in proportion to It's
subscription, while the benefits Of a COM
mercial and q political kind would ult.-
mately reach every part of the Union.
Mr.. NJ. adyerted to the subject OF rail
roads. which had been set up by some
gentleman as rival to the cause Of the
present canal and a reason for their opPo
sition to it, He proiessed the most sincere
desire for their success. allowed them a.
be superior to canals where light and swift
transportation was required, but insisted
on the vast superiority of canals, IN point
of cheapuess, for the conveyance Of hea
w commodities. Under the present form
of this bill, the constitutional question
could not lcgitmately come up, and he
hoped no attempt would be made to discuss
it. lie adverted to the proprietary right
of the government in 1850 lots within
this city; that being the case. the govern
ment and people ought to unite in forward
7 ing a measure which promised very great
" to augment the value Of all real estate
IN the District.
Mobile, .4prA, PA negro man, at the
very advanced age, Of 100 years, belong
ing to TO the estate ofthe late VIM. Mitch
ell had been missing since the month o.
/ December last. On Friday. he was found
suspended by a rope from the limb of d
small tree, in a little cluster near this city.
where, tits evident he had voluntarily pur
a period to his existence. It's a remark
able fact, stated by the coroner, that The
skin was entirely whole, and the subiec