Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-07-29
DOMESTIC.

lie pointed out the probability, that a complete
improvement OF all our water cours 5, together
with those OF the Susquehanna, and OH the sea
board OF North Carolina would create a large
Emporium at Nar!olk. especially ifthere should
be a conneXion with the Ohio, either thro' the
Potomac, the James River, Roanoke or the
whole oil them. lie enforced this idea by the CON
slant practice OF merchants meeting their ct,sto-
mers at the nearest and most central point Thai
so soon as orio!k became place OF transit or for
the deposit OF goods destined to any part of that
WIDE range oil country, it would become that CEN
trail point, and would be place for the ernn,ov-
ment and exerton OF capital to great extent
lie then took more minute view OF our river.
and the counties through which they pass in their
orders beginning at the North Rest-viz: The.
West Fork OF the Monongahc,a passinr tbro,rh
me counties OF Harrison s. Monongal,a; the East
FORK, or Cheat river, passing through the grain
counties and others; the main Potomac binding on
the counties OF Hardy and Hampshire: the South
oFancn oil fotomac, beginning a; Pendleton, and
passing through the last mentioned coun'ies by
Moor.isld aud Romney; the Shenandoah. p,ssing
through Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Fred.
eric, aud Jefferson.
lie then enumerated the counties below the
Ridge which are wa;ered by the main Potomac,
the Rappahannock and its branches, and the Yorl,
and its branches
lie insisted that the James River and its branch
es, passing through the centre of the State. and
taken IN connexion with the New River The Green
brier, the Gauley, the Great Kanawha, the little
eo'nPrehonded, in point of territory and wealth
perhaps one third OF the Commonwealth, indepen-
IDENTIFY oil the population and trade Of our sister
states bordering on the Ohio and interested in its
trade.
That Brunswick and the counties below on the
southeast extremity Of the State, were filed with
waters already navigable, such as could he ca
SLY made SO; whilst the Roanoke and its branches
presented similar facilities to the counties above
until it interlocks with the New River, which in
It's turn interiockS with the Holstein, thus present
ing further union between the Roanoke and
Tennessee.
On closing this view of the subject, Mr. c. called
on the members of the convention to cast their ewes
over the map OF the State and see where they
could ind spot where any inhabitants would be
at greater distance than days journey from a
stream capable of being made nayigable, and how
many would be either Immediately Oh or quite con-
venient to such navigation
He then lamenied that such facilities by Great
ing so many interests, should parayzc the whole
aud put US III worse situation, than we would be-
ii we had not one tenth part Of those ADJ antages
He thsn drew the attention OF the convention to |
the James River, and the prejudice which exists |
against it,aS having hitherto engrossed, has been
too great share OF the public patronage;
and to remove this, he presented view Of the ex-
peniitures on that river, independent of the new
made since the compromise wi. h |
the company, in the year 1920, by which the State
became possessed of that River These views he |
Predicated on statements furnished him by the I'd
Auditor.
According TO these it would seen, that the James
River Company was incorporated about the year
l7oi.-Ihat the shares originally taken by the |
State, including those presented to Gen. Washing
ton,sS by him to the Washington College,
AMOUNTED to $50 at $500 per share. $4,000
That she has since acquired, ihro' tho
Treasurer for the Board Of public works,
and Literary fund, SIS, 400
LII all o32 shares, costing SlG6,i00
That up to 1920, when the compromise
took place, this stock had brought into the
Treasury, in dividends, siO0,a62
hat since that time it had paid rot on
~ IL per cent on the 532 shares-being
S2i per share annually, sI62, O44
But had paid all incidental expenses OH
The River, and had yielded in Surplus tolls 500 20
1881 ,907
In addition to which, the shares which
originally cost $500, were now worth
$500; which was gain of $500 ps, share .sI59, goo
Making clear gain, alter restoring the
original cost. Of $54f, 5O7
This result ne contrasted with the ex-
penses on the Potomac, and other public
works, taken tioIn the same authority
Thus:
The Potomac Company began cotem-
poraneousIy with the James River;
The original shares taken by the State,
including those given to General Wash
ington, cost So, 323 |
The whole of this, with all its interest
has unfortunately been entirely lost.
That in the North, and North Western
sections of the State, where the most
Turnpike Roads have beeen made, the
sum Of about S107656 !
has been expended; $780, 900 moro than
was originally laid OH. on the James Riv-
err, and $50 900 more than the State now
owns in that stock. though she is the prin-
cipsI oy. ofit--That none Of these roads
have yielded any thing to speak Of, except
the Little River Turnpike, and that so
little not TO be worthy to enter into this
estimate.
That in 1891, size took in the Dismal
Swamp Canal stool, 10 tie amount of Sl7,50O |
And in 1900, 1890 |
Aud IN 1918, $500 !
In 81 ss2 900 |
And in 1871, ia the Roanoke, 10000
Amounting in the aggregate, say 20 S4I3,SS9I
none Of which has hitherto been produce
i've.
Al, this exclusive Of other Turnpike Roads and /
the appropriations Of he taxes OF various counties
from time to time, applied e. roads, and which i'll
an account could be collected, would Independently
Of the loss Of interest, tie equal 70 ihe gain By te
janes River.
This contrast lie made, not with view q rois-
ing prejudice against those wSks, the Sock-ho |
crs IN which sufficiently unfortunate in the |
loss OF their capital. the postponement Of their
gains; tut to show that the James River was