Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-02-12
FROM tAe Mhtiessi B,tslEsases'
ROADS AND CANALS.

~ oaiu'hurc VIII not allow Us 10 De 6ltent.-
Not content with praising their own project
the editors Of the monumental city gravely aG.
wise Us to abandon our Canal aud beiake our
selves 10 their Rail Road! Now, we are per
feetlv willing to allow 10 their railroad UNDER
taking every merit but that Of superiority TO
our canal. For Us, they may ride; unresirain>
eddy, with whatever delight the ride inspires,
over the mile aud half Of the road ,ha, they
have completed We shall be glad aud proud
to see them scaling in good time, the lofty Al.
legany. Let them ride where they list, over
their own road, bu, let them not attemp, to ride
rough shud, over our older and more praclica!
plan OF A CANAL, as the channel Of communi
Gallon between the waters OF the Chesapeake
aud he Ohio We are net deferred, by the
formidable official aUthoriiy' which they have
paraded against US, from adding few other
considerations, TO establish the eligibility Of
canals for purposes Of ranspottioo. Adler
heads than the he ad ef the Patent Off e Ino Of
fence 20 him) and as able even as tina, Of his
superior in Office mo off-nce 10 him eiher)
have well considered the question Of the rela
tive merit OF canals andlrail roads. and deter
mine il differently fiom the worthy SuperiB>
! tendsn, of The Patent Office, because they de-
Rrmined it, not bv computation, but by prac-
,ice, Canals are facts, rail roads are theories
| and there lies all the difference. We have no
| IN will Whatever 20 the Baltimore rail road
Nay, we say success 10 it! but NO, al our ex.
| pense. Fair competition is all we ask OF Its
| friends But II they expect 10 get an appro-
| pria,ion from Congress, for their rail road,
whilst hey continue their plan Of embarra sine
the prosres. Of our canal 5v litigious conten,
ton, rhro or we greatly mis-, AXE their chances.
This we say in the way Of friendly mouiion.
| The Canal Company Itself, we suppose, SO far
| from opposing their application, would. in the
even, Of their Withdrawing their hostility to
the canal, desire TO see a helping hand extend
ed by Congress 10 the Baltimore rail DAD COM
pany.
| AS we cannot accep, the invitation Of our
| disin,sres,ed friends in Baltimore to turn our
| canal into a rail road-rhey are much more
likely We are sure, TO tu'n their rail road into
csnal-wr shall state, in our plain way, few
more of the obiec, ions TO The rail road system,
~ con,rss, with tha, Of canals.
| One important objection to rail roads, TO
| which we have not heretofore alluded. Is that
| they are opposed TO the habits OF Our country.
| They create a monopoly In transpor' a:ion.-
Farmers cannot own rail road wsgons-if The
rules of the company would allow il, they can
no, own them, because they ere too costly, and
require skill in the management which j,
would require a considerable apprenticeship
20 the art 10 attain.
I Rail roads create a monopoly IN the bust
ness OF uanspor alton. for ii mus, necessarily
be done almos, exclusively, by agents and com
mission merchants. Willis, on a canal the
farmer can use his own horses and hands TO
boat his produce to market, and there makes
his own sales and purchases. This makes
him acquainted with The cites. remove preju-
dicrs, aud connects by intercourse and lies oil
| friendship distant parts OF he country.
Canals an CARY live stock 10 market, and
food for lis support. Rail roads are very ineon-
yenient for such purpose, aud are not so used
Canals can carry fire wood, large timber for
shin building boards, plank scsnlling. &C.
Railroads cannot.
| Canal. can carry coal more advan'ogeouslv
than railroads. because at less cost OF 'rans.
orra,ion, aud always in time il in 'ime for
| winter.
Canals can carry, a, q greater advantage than
railroads ore and wrought Iron, aud all large,
i heavy and low priced articles. All the pro.
ducts Of agriculture can OF course be carried
with greater advantage on canals, and a con-
sideraiion Of grra, importancs) mature can Of
transported upon them great distances at com
para'i>ely light cost. What would os thougn'
of load OF hay coming down from Ohio on a
railroad, Rail ,roads are adaprd properly
only 10 den,ely populated manufacturing
country, where the articles 10 be transported
are of ille bulk and great value.
Railroads are in fac, purely aid 10 commerce
anu Manufactures. Canals ore the prob able
helpma,es Of Agriculture and the mines In
In. condition and circumstances OF our coon
try, it may br douLed whether Railroads are
even Of national ad, antage, as substitute io'
paved roads. Fur they sIe not adapted 'o
military purposes. They cannot "anspo'
troops with their bagg age, provisions and camI
lit appears from the following Correspondence t
which our attention has been politely called by on
editorial friends at Baltimore, that the superntende'
Of the Patent Office has officially certified, to the Brtls
cons,, at New York, that Rail Road, are decidedly
, preferable to Canals: oo
Sin: Having invented Wheel and Rail- ca'cuia'e'
to obyiste the essty of'evellng for rail ways ant
having no Intention .f obtaining patent,-havng sen
model to England BY the last packet beg lesv
10 present model Of my Wheel and Rail to the raen
| Gnr the benefit OF mos