Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-12-07
N0MEMS1IG.
From the Lynehburs virginian.
Ly'I'ER.N.dL i.EPRO VE.NE.hr1,.

/
eeive the report Il committee appointed BY rmer
meeting to tsks Into coueieratoh the subj OF he
on smeieu, iis9 OF opening rosds from the town OF
LShchturg 10 difsrert oo,s in the adjacent country
and also the report c on the eubj ct OF the
os' r'%nabie mcclure ut improving the navigation OF
James River; A,b0n .hc Dunisi, (Mayor) took the
chair and -. II. Ediey was apo al ID Secretary
I'm ~. Rires, E'q. tom Tie committee on the
O. Roads, .ubn,iiled teror, which read ,
ahu on motion oil ME-. > Clay,or adopted, con-
1ohn g. ybeen. Esq from a., con,uit,ee on the
suo CT OF The James River Improvement submitted a
report which wac read, ADD the motion adopt the
second resolution considerable Discussion took place
/" which hIessrs. Cralle aud C,aytnr 'o,k part
% tkng the question, "shaH the preamble and
resolutions te Glpffd - AZ was carried IN an, .lI
live by large mai aIiiy.
Q" motion OF Samuel ClaytOr. Esq. /, wa: resolved
That the chatham take time IL up the blanks for
me several members OF committees mentioned in saiJ
report
On ion Of ]. G. Meem, resolved, that the pream-
oe ana resolutions be printed in the newspapers pub
lisbed At LynehburS. Richmoud, Charlottesville Fin.
CASTLE Cofrieston, (kanawhe) aud Wyths c. House.
ALBION MCDANIEL, Chairman.
d. X EDLEY, Secretary.
Report IF the River Committee
inc COMMITTEE appointed TO enquire into the expe-
6ieney OF eff cung Steamboat Navigation James
kyrr from Lynchburg TO Richmond. together with the
probable cost OF the work, ak leave TO
REPORT:
That in the discharge OF the duty assigned them
,ney nave opened correspondence with Mr.. David
Steamboat navigation the Ale ghany River; and Mr.
Ihos Blanchard, of Spring Geld Mass. the builder Of
me boat used on that stream. The letters of those gen
uemen communicating description OF their boat and
the results Of their experiment herewith subined
Your committee have also been favored nv rentle-
man OF h- place. with the perusal OF private letter
from distinguished engineer OF ano'her State upon
the subject OF the James River mprovemsnt--and OF. .
rom another gentleman Of high standing commnnica,-
my some valuable Information in relation to The Schuy-
s'h Na'igalon From an examination OF these dOcu
nts, the several reports have made to the
a'ure, aud TO the Board OF Public Work." upop The
improvement Of James River and from ver bal ipforma
lion obtained from other INTELLIGENT indiy
amongst them the talented and scientific engineer Of
mis- STATED your committee have arrived at the concu
sion that would he practicable 10 navigate the James
River with steamboats, OF the description used ON ih
Allegheny in its present stae-or az most with such
Improvements OF the present suiccs could be made
AZ ncons'deIabe expense at least during the bigh
wat:r oil a winter and srIing. Whether such nayi.
gauon would answer tie purpose this eetng has in
view presents different, and in the opinion your
committee much more important, question.
The exports constitute at least three fourhe Of the
whoe tonnage 90 James river. The principal article.
Of exFor, are tobacco aud flour. The latter of these
arhries iHnst OF necessity be carried market in the
latter pa, oil the GUNNER and in the autumn or Jo.e
the PROFIT OF the early market which gives to The Rich
mond Hour such decided adv entsges in South Amsrc,
and in the Northern markets OF our osyn country TIL.
same observation will apply TO the lager aud more
valuable part o The tobacco crop 1t being fact we'll
known TO all engaged in that trade tina, compsratve
y small proportion OF il il ready Tor expectation earlier
thar June or July. These remarks TO considerable
extnt Apply also 10 Imports much the larger portion
a them being made III the months of September and
October, when the river is usually at its lowest state
his statement oil facts make it appare your COM
mittee that any improvement that wouI8 no, give ne
good navigation at all of the year would be OF
lnconsiierable advantage to Lynchburg or the upper
James river country.
With these views your committee have tound /, ne =
ces'ary whether any and il any, wha. kind of improve
mcnt would eHec this object. After the be :, cnnsids
ration your comni'tee have been able to bestow unon
this important question, they have come 10 the concu
sion that the pan OF locks and dams from M alden,
Adventure 10 Lynchburg, as recommended by Mr.
Crozet in his able and satisfactory reno,,s 10 Tho
n in ar,l
ton sHd estimate of which your committee refer 10
those reports herewith subniisd) il the onv plan that
Ponl'es mis- reeuit Whether some alteration nigh,
not be made In that Pan by substituting an improved
sluce navigation for locks and dams at some Of The
less difficult points, committee will not undertake
to say Should the work, however be undertaken
con mi'tee would consider this question well worthy
the confederation Of those to whom its MANAGE
ment may he committed.
Having arrived at Ibis point in tn ir Ibor, tbe n.x
object Of e'qnry with your committee was whether
the tonnage upon the river could afjr1 to paw such
ols az would tiy incurring The of such work!
by reference TO Mr.. CrOz~ts Report, O2b) An Rem
board Pub Wks page 253 it will be seen that The cos,
oil the improvement from Lynchburg 10 Maide,,s "A.
venture is estimated at 1864 40. lie estimates (psge
25O that the tolls ought produce 64 DO or nearly
~ Per cent per annuo TO pay the interest the capital
eSpe nded and the OF repairs and
WITH view to ascertain how far The Tonnage ofLynch-
burg alone would towards paving this sum you,
committee have obtained ON The warehouse hooks
Hour IN pacori miilers and merchants of Lynchburg
estimates Of the actual Ct tonnage to and from
Lyn chturg within the last twelve months The total
thus ascertsned Is 50, OIL las lbs or 1884 58s 10
tons, oil which about three lOurihs were Skinned dawn
The river to Rohnond aud the other one fouri, lin from
thence. Making allowance for the n,ed dc.
preston OF trade and commerce Of every descripon
during the past year, your committee would feel iusd
hed IN estimating the average amount at 20 900 tons
or about IL per ceut than the actual amount bus
ascertaiDed Tor last But, appe toe san
guine, your committee will rate il the even amount
OF $4,000 tons. Your committee estimate the average
cost OF transportation in the present state Of the nnv
ga'i1D at 30 cents per IO0bs Sc ~ per ton sxeln
five OF the toll now paid the canal below Maiden'
Adventure. by references 10 Mr.. Crozeps Report of
1876, UOb An Rep p'ge 400 il will be zen that he
estimates the cost OF haDsporation from IyncLbug TO
Richmond, by steamboats,, upon the improved navya.
ton, al 81 60 per ion. For the cake of even numhsrs
AMI TO make some allowance for in calculation
(ahough he considers his estimate full sh) yout c. IN
Mite will set this down at 81 ~ per ton, which TOO
taken from So ~ The present rate leaves deduction
OF 50 per to in cost OF Transportation Surprising no
increase in The trade OF Lyncbburg be produced by
this impfoyeuep, the following would be the result Of
Ibis reduction, viz:
$3 30 in tolls would produce in 10 0Oa Ton. s63 600
or within $l0l0 OF tho estimated income, necessary
| TO justly the work.
$780, deducted from the cost of transportation would
upon $4,000 tons produce clear annual saw NJ 10 the
trade Of Lynchburg Of 1927 900
Sill leaving 10 the State her present rate Of toll 10
compensate her for the money expended upon lbe low
81 ciion Of the canal IT, then, there were DO other
trade but that OF LyDobburg TO be aft cted by Ills i'm
Provenen il would seem TO your committee that they
have shown that. with view the dividends to
be derived from II alone. II might prudeny he undtT
iaken But, by reference 10 ihe Report Of 1925 (pge
253) II will be that the wbos amount OF produce
tnd merchandise paying tolls on the lower canal In
1897, (exclusve If coa) 40 500 tons. 125
per cent than the tonnage Ct Lyochbnrs, as es