Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-02-19


90, mar would seem unnecessary to argue they
should not in the Sigh oct degree afford any
20 me commencement Of them at this time. Among
the iabourers aud surernten who prosecuted the
construction Of he James River can there was
scTceiy single III an who well versed in The sub
Jee orhad anylxperieDcs whatever about il. The elm.
pol meht oi to conduct any wor
always sure to end in def a.. The james River Gu.
nal was an-.ti Z: /, was Conducted by
aud II tailed. At hat time too, The sources Of uor,na
ton were not numerous. There had then be.n M
great sch me Perfected, so a. to prove its utility Now
the cas-. Is ferent experienced practical Enginesrs
whose talents ara calculations may be relied upon. car
be procured Great schemes have been perfected. rd
my undouoseh prcoi OF their prae,icatii,y utility &
ue SO that now the State would in the d. rk but upor
the unerring lights OF practical experience The JAIME,
fNf Improvement has not been conducted to an exten
unhi the Improvement through the whole Iioe be CON.
P'eed IL does not afford any facility TO tran por-
duon' or lessen Its cost aud could therefore afford
TAR test OF it's value The cond Difficult arises from
the Jeaousies which have arisen from local causes
In vaiius parts OF the State there are various realms
c'PS1is Vi navigation, which create all imaginary coll
,''ion ol interest," aud with IL collision Of feeling, which
nas hhtr'o much retarded the success!ul prosecution
oi any great scheme OF improve ment II should be
fee"iecod that Ia not essential TO the prosperity Of
tny one OF these Interests that the others should be
depressed Tue prosperity OF one will not only not de-
press the Others but may contribute to the bene6 OF
the whole. This is literally true to the James and
Roanoke rivers; for each chanue will empty itself in
great measure at No folk, as common reservoir
from which wealth and prosperity would Cow throu gh
out the country BY Ut ion and concert Of action the
| mProv ment OF the who State ard with ii an increase
OF wealth. prospect ty, and happiness, eau be ell, CT
ed: by discofd aud division, desolation aud ruin will
| ensue
III it be proper to commence a system of internal
Improvement, committee would stron sly rero,,
mend the present as a nost suspicious period The
means are as ample and may be procured ON more mod.
era'e terms now than at any period of history; and
there is reasonable probability that they can al anv
future time, be had on better terms than the
Your committee satisfied that the ne cussary funds
can be had on loan, at four per cent. interest
IL Virginia shall embark in scheme Of improvements
Is important TO its uai success that il should be such
an one as would in lie progress, exhibit such utility a.
to command public conf ience The failure of The for
MIR attempt should warn the LegsIa ure to be cauti.
Gus IN every movement which makes upon this sub
jet. N, scheme can be successfully conducted by
the Legislature, unless tie people 20 heartily with j.
they wilino do this, unless their condolences secur
ID. This cannot be done in any other way ih,n bv
prac'ica demonstrations. The former failure destoy.
ed public confidence; ard, 10 prosecute auc her sch-me
successfully, il must b. restored.
Ia making appropriations for public inn OVEN. nts
your committee would earnestly recommend that such
schemes only be adoPted will, in all human proba
ohy, produce eurh revenue ut Last, as will redee m
the Interest on The 'nn appropriated Any improve.
meni which will not DO this is unworthy public patron
sge And when this rule is cb.erved, the result of
every improvement will be satisfactory to the public
niad increase It's CO, ti.nce, aud nv gorae is exer
lions. To this rule til ere may be ptoos but
it il sound as general principle.
Among the various improvements which have be en- |
troughtto the consideration OF your committee that
which demant5 the hrst and most important conside-
ration o! the l.. gsatur-, is the Improvement of lanes
and The connection OF the r0 aud western waters
The James river rises in the Allegheny mountains aud
may BE- msde Davigsbie 10 distance above Covipy-
ton in Aeghauy county. l, win Is i,s eours. through
h- heart CT he Stat and through very fertile conn
try, to The Chesapeake Bay IL is the natural channeI
OF portaton, all the country throu,b ,ybi, h
II rune, end affords the neares, point of with
the western waters The tract of country t,rsush
which and Tor which it il the natura channel
is the largest uac, OF Virginia, compared with those
Which rely upon o'hsr channels OF ation Tor
their irads. The increaSe OF wealth aud population
AID tho iDpToyt ment in agTiculture render IL desra
BILE and that increased aci,is, should be- a
Ordei, by the Improvement OF the navlg alton of the
stream. The obstacles, the dangers, and tbs price
Of transportation, this river, i;ute great bar
rer to the advance men' OF agriculture in the county
waiers, and to prev nj the cultivation of many arti
cle, which Ulj be valuable for purposes Of
il they could be carried into mai at bile pri.
ce' reference o late report Of the Second Au
dit0r made in response to solution of the House
Df1egates shrws that thu tolls the james River ca
nal were, fer tbs year 1876 SAL 1877 ST. and for the
year 1880 $623i7 65, chewing an Increase of 500
$40 H. THIS increase gradual and exhibits the
act that the james river ira e has been and is rapii
ly increasing 1t doubted whether the trade oi
1880, would have leen equal to that OF 1929 owing
TO the opening OF the Roanoke navg alton as il was ex
peeted that ih-re would be division of part of the
James river trade down that river. But the expecta.
ta'icD was not realized and the James RIVER trade co.,
tnued to increase, Rotw that dive sion Tho
reaeons are therefore strong, why increased facilities
should be given tn trade, improving under the oneJous
hnrdrnI and difficulties with which il is onpresssd
The cond Au'rorS report exhibits the strange fact
that notwithstanding Tie compla against The jam
river Improvement, and the pfodig Atty wi which il
was conducted, IL is rejee ming the interest On the
money tofowrd 10 cone ruct 1t, and promises shortly,
from is increase OF trade, not only 10 redeem the in
t-res, but also part of the principal Abd that the
product OF the Improvements soug be made on the
JaHes and kaniwha rivers, will be equal 10 the re-
demPon OF the interest Oh the expenditure in con-
suucttn, and hnaly produce supu+ 10 be applied 10
the rxngni'hment OF the principal ard create vi i.
natey source OF revenue Ia The ate, is manifest
tom the report Of the Principal Engineer Of 1928 and
your committee during the present session: For the
details oi which, your committee beg leave to refer TO
that report
Taefe have been three modes Of improyor ut ecom-
mended on James river, TO wit: by slnces locks and
dams, and continuation 81 the ~, sebt canal The
siuice navigation not to be iavoured from any
quarter, and would obaby Doi Afford at all seascns
sufficient depth Cf water for vessels Of heavier tonp,s
than the batteaux with Which the river now nsvgat-
ed; which, II is thought, will be inadequate to the de-
man's Of the Increased trade OF e river with con.
etttd line OF Improvement to lie highest source of ma
viEatoD. The estimate how OF the ros ofinproye
DeDt y s!uces, has been made by the PRINCIPAL Epgi-
o'er in his report of 1928 and your committee from
the best sources OF inform alton ia IN n power believe
IL to be accurate The Engineer charged with that du.
ty, has made estimate Of the cost Of the continue
ton OF the canal, and of The lock and dam sysiem from
MaideDs Adventure TO Lyncbburg. He estimates the
cost Of canal $40 00O and OF the locks aud dams
at $780, and alter long course Of reasoning upon
the comparative advantages aud Disadvantages of each
recomu1 euds the latter. The Board Of Public Woks
have also examined IN estimates of the Engineer
and regard them 10 be That boIy after te-
dous session, and long report IN he sui Of inter-