Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-12-07


and - per cent forever Afterwards. In
OF which, the price again Sioo has since In.
creased 10 $5o", and will no doubt 20 beyond that as
the period approaches when the dividend shall be at ,s
highest point
BIO same act Of the Legislature. by which this bar
gain WAS concluded for the purshase Of the charter Of
The james River Company when ratified by the assent
Of tho Company. ,. directs" That Ia the event oil
the assent Of the said tonpsny a. aforesaid the lid
ompsny shall daring the present year. far their
funds herein alter provided for shall enable ;hen, and
without delay proceed TO the execution and steadily
perseve e. to The completion Of the following works. and
IN The following order that to sayFirst. reader
tho 0roat Kanawha from the great falls thereof 10 the
Ohio River. navigabe 1T oil seasons of the year. for
boats drawing three feet water according To The plan Of
inc innsipsi Engineer Ia his report the Roard oil
Public Works. made Ia Januory, 1921 Secondly. 10
Improve the navigation Of James river from tile. water
TO Peasants island by locks and uavieabe canals Of
srsnS al all seasons OF the year, at least three feet
dcpth oil water IRON tide water 10 said island and
to navigate conveniently. boats carrying one thousand
bushels OF COAL at all points below the highest point
"eh eoai iasns ON James river are known and above
such coal lands BY canal, less than thirty feet
wide atop, and twenty iect wide M bottom having net
less than three feet depth of at oil seasons oil IN
year, In every part thereof according 10 the repor Of
the Principal Engineer end make safe md convenen,
communications from the river such point or points as
VIII atiori ample accommodation to the coal hoie Third
W 10 make the best road pracicablc at an expense Of
100000 from the mouth Of punlsps creek, to the
great falls of the Great Kanawha river Sc Fourhly
to make navigabie canals and LOCKS from plessan is
land 10 Duniap's creek And filthy To make safe and
| convenient COMMUNICATIONS from the river at such
points as will afford accommodation TO the trade On the
! river" Sessions Acts, p 40 and Al.
he order In which the different sections were 20 be
executed leaves doubt the objects and calculs
tons of the Legislatures FIRST to accommodate the salt
trade OH kanawhs, which was calculated would rro
ducc 10 the Company in tolls $50 900 per annum And
next the coal trade, which il calculated would pro-
duee $4,000 per snnuin. With these resources no
doubt was entertained that the whole improvemen mt
would be elected by the impulse which these fruitful
sources, OF revenue would afford with the aid which
might he looked for from the imposition Of further lis
which would be justified by the facilities 10 the
trade IA the improvement should progress up the river
But theJames river fearing that the
expectations might be disappointed and the people they
represented might be burthened with additional tolls be-
lore they derived any benefit from the improve Mt
| exacted pledge which given In the follow ing
section inserted ut the motion of Charles Yam ey Esq
OF Bucklng ham:
Sect. sth. And the General Assembly hereby
pledge themselves. that as the works aforesaid on the
James aud Jacksons river and in the valleys Of these
rivers shall progress and shall contribute reduce the
expense oil transportation, up and down the said rivers
or canals below the average price on up-
the said rivers they have been for the three wears
last past they VIII authorize the said company
ceive tolls thereon In convenient sections amount
necessary, with their other specified in this
act (ss applicable TO the paymen, OF interest on money
borrowed by then) for the payment of the interest OF
| money expended In such work: Provided, Tha, such
additional tolls shanot exceed third Of the saving
In transportation up and down the said rivers which
VIII accrue thereby 10 those who the said improve
mens taxing the average price OF transportation fol-
three years last past as the basis of their estimates
sect 9th. And be il enacted that fourteen Commits.
soners be appointed residing in the counties bordering
on the James river, and Jacksons river for the pur.
pose oil acertaning the average pi of transportation
oil tho various commodities liable to tolls, according
the terms oil the charter OF the James River Company
and all other commodities up and down the said rivers
Tor three years last pas that to say, Daniel Warwick
OF the city of Richmond. Sc. &c."
/ Notwithstanding this solemn pledge In 1925 the Io-
gisature, after making all the enactiuents which have
been cited, without striking one stroke towards
the iinproyeme nj Of tho navigation from MaIden's Al
| htsta a..
whole tobacco district laid lao per upon the toll
on tobacco, over and above that which, under their VIC
lated charter, they had any authority to demand. In
sead Of annung the charter, ss they about Dc
Ia the hands OF individuals for performing those du
ties without which they could not legally that
authority, the power OF the Legislature is endowed 10
wrest from the hands of industry portion OF s iabour
without any equivalent. The honest hard working
planter, alter telling for the support of his family is
made TO yield up share of the fruits of his labour
without any senhlsnce of benefit For, after encoun.
tering all the difficulties which the natural stream op-
poses 10 bis progress, between Lynchburg and Mai
dene Adventure with four hogshesds of tobacco which
ahe can carry in dry he is told that he
not so to Richmond without paying 40 per cent upon
,ne to'i allowed under the charter, viz: s. Cd upon
Is Cd. He asks why' have only used the nstura
stream which God gave me. The only answer is the
Government has bought the charter. and you have
appeal.
The 10th section OF the act, distinctly ackno wedg
the charter. as the authority under which the Legisla
ture claims the right of collecting tolls and continue c.
its operation under the same James River COMPANY
Holding "ds an agent in trust, for the btseGt of tn
Commonwealth" Aud as il to leave doubt OF IN,
understanding OF the tenure by which IL holds limit
the poiat to which IL Is 10 keep the bed of the river
for navigation 10 CToDs ferry And why? why not I,
Dunaps creek, the head of the contemplated improve
menn Because the act Of 1885, section g. declares ha
Crows ferry, at the mouth OF LooReys creek shall be
/ forever token, and deemed be the highest place
practicable within the aiming Of the above recited
Thus limiting their abour the terms OF the charter
But IL has been alleged preext for this violent out
rage upon rights that the pie upon James rive
asked for the improvement Of the navigation and mus
pay for the Of the Legislature In order TO les
the truth OF this allegation, allow back 10 the
year 1917, when this grand scheme of forming bond
union between the east an the west first conceiyeS
by the great men oil country.
In that year resolution adopted, appointing
Commissioners To view the route OF this contemplated
Improvement; the preamble TO which runs thus
Whereas II II mater of great Importance, not on
ly to the good people Of ,4 Common ealth, but 10 OIL
brethren OF she Western States that better, and more
direct communication with the Atlantic, should be
Thrrrf,re, resolved Sc" Here we see the origipa
design dTncdy announced. Commissioners were then
appo'n'"d fsr the purposes mentioned the Resolution
In 1872, John MARSHALL, James Breckenridge, WIN
j. Lewis, James Mcdowell, William Caruiher., an,
Andrew Alexander Goa mssioners, made their r. por,
fton which we beg leave TO TRANSCRIPTS few ex,racis
"Jbese advantage would probably be extended by
improving the DaviE alton OF the Greeubfier also.
Z" y ould New River be rendered safe and asy
channel OF communication, between the Ohio and
commercial to~ james River the SUBJECT will az
sune more important aspect, and the adv anita se NAV
be etiDated larger scale. Not only will that part
OF our own Sts'e which lies on the anawba and Of
the Ohio receive their supplies and much OF their pro.
duce through james River, but an Immense tract ol
fertile country. great pdr' OF The States oil Kentucky
and Ohio, will ino' prob iby give their commerce The
direction All that part OF the ate of Ken,uf XIV
"a h..a eli -