Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-02-11

required bv the Western States | wish To correct
the statement OF expenses in several particulars from,
an actual knowledge Of them rs they now exist IN the
routp from Philadelphia 20 PittSburr aud the James
Ei,cr ana k"nh1wa. VIZ You STATE tho cost of
Freight and Isurauc" from Puilq dolphin and n. Yorl
on the average of goods, ct sc. pr. 1908, cts
Cost of frs Git from Richmond ~ Covington, 40 -
From Coyimgton to the Fails OF Kcnhawo, rs
Probable expense ofreceving and forward }
ims at ,hs different nes p Tanb., say Eio- IS
Allow 10. contingent expenses, 90 g
Making total of 81 rs cts.
per 0eib from New York or Philadelphia to steam
boat navigation ut the Falls of kcnhawa. The trans
portaion from Coyingtou TO the Falls of Kenha va,
eau readily be done for soc. per iOCih and perhaps
much less as the Wagons would load back with salt,
for the supply Of the country lying between those two
places which could be turnis ted to that district of
country at u cheaper rate than the imported salt, and
would therefore produce material saving 10 :he
planters and farmers, who %oul! draw their supplies
from that source.
The sums allowed for receiving and forwarding,
and for contingent expenses, much above the
actual amount which would be required 1t may
therefore he safely stated that the whole tr0nSpora
ton from Philadelphia New York to the Falls Of
henhawa, including Insurance To Richmond would
got exceed s. to 81 81 par lO0lb. i'll the present
dtcut and unimproved state of the navigation of the
James and Kenhawa; and we may fairly expect, thai
the expenses can be materially reduced when the
hoeraI system OF improvement now con emplaed on
that route is completed; and in which many OF the
Western States arc deeply Interested.
by the P!ttsburg route, you have stated the wag-
gonage from Philadelphia TO that place, at s. Gal
per iUolb as I'll" average cost, which is correct; bur
You have omitted the charges of receiving and for
wartlng the goods from that place, and also occa-
sona storage, when the river is too low to admit of
navigation will therefore make the moderate al
lowance o! l2t per 0Olb for those charges making
the whole expenses from Philadelphia TO Pittsburg
So 75c per lOCb; to which, in order to make ia ir
comparison between the two routes, some addition
should be made fer the transportation from Ptsburg
TO the confluence Of the keuhawa distance OF atout
500 miles; out even omI'tin- that item entirely.
there Is diferance at present Of 1T least 1856 per
iUo!o between the two routes. The transports ation
by way of Ptsburg, in $50, ssatcd at rs OOG OOOlb.
whIch believe correct, and by Wheeling the guam
iity Is probably greater owing to The superior facility
OF transportation from that point But .!le nay,-
ion OF the Ohio could not be safely counted on
from either place, for than seven or egh, months
in the year, owing TO low wafer at one period I'M
ice ut another, the James River and krniaya rouie
would have a decided advantage, from its more
southern position, AMI connecting WI h the Ohio at
Pon below the junction of several of its large trb-
ulary streams, from which circumstance, it might he
safely expected to ocr uninterrupted cc:anunca-
ton with the western States for eleven months in
the year-while the route through the New York
Canal, (throdgh which large of gods for
the western States is tralspCrted is rarely open mare
than six months in the year. 1t therefore evident
that the amount of Transportation, by the Virginia
route (when completed would increase to an immense
extent, and produce proporiionQte addition TO the
fund for internal Improvement | have made the u
bOve remarks, as the result of my observation
and experience, under the hope. that some one more
familiar with the subject, would undertake to supply
what | may have omitted. and correct any lteIn.
which may have stated under or over the actual
charges as they now exist. y VIRGINIAN.