Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-03-29

however much the purposes oil their ex limitations may
nave been adverse TO the wishes aud sentiments oil
'rlioia. survey and location of g. route OF Ca
maj, from both the Roanoke and the james River wss
MADE In 1877, in pursuance OF an order of the Wer
department and the report of Captain M'Neii, un
der whom the surveys were had 'rnshes ,a,i.faeto
ry view OF the prec liability OF uniting each by Ca
nal, with the waters Of the Obj. The Re- conuoisan-
Gee Of the Eogincers en- Dyed by th- Baltimore aud
Ohio Rail Road Company, show the facilities Of con-
ection by Rail Way.
But what the present inducements 10 such an
improvement, and where the pledges that the
Comnronwesl would be remuDera,ed Tor The necessary
expendiureI Without looking beyond the lnit, OF our
own state, and with other end in view than to deve
ope our own resources. and to open chauue Tor the
productions OF our own so |. fur Missed with album
doht reason TO perfect this intercourse II is unnces
sary TO speak Of the character, productions OF that
portion OF the Commonwealth lying between the Blue
Ridge and the falls OF rivers tbose of The Grea,
Valley between the Blue Ridge and .he Allegheny.
The country stretching westward from the ALI ghany
to the Ohio, although mountainous il Oersperssd with
the riche valleys; and lis agricultural resources when
n'igorated by a proper sys EN- OF improv ement, VIII
De found 10 supply large surplus Tor expectation.
The mountains themselves; clothed with verdure 10
their summi,s are susceptible Of being converted int
extensive grazing and cattle farms. No part oi the ba
btable globe Is better suited TO the growing OF Sheep
ard the day Is not DISTANT when Western Virginia viii
furnish no small portion OF the wool necessary in the
manufacture Of American cloths. Nor is IL cbimer
cal to anticipate the period when the culture OF the
vine ard the olive, shall become part OF the husban-
dry OF that country. The climate of a large portion
oil ~, more ccngeDdl 10 their growth tnan that
the Pyrenees; aud, by actual experience, the soil l..
admirably adaped TO the perfection of the hrst
Tie mineral treasures OF tbatpar o. the state, are
unsurpassed In any country IL Is true, we have no
gold mines 10 bat Of To our bieIhren further south,
hes been given the pleasure and the pain, OF seeking
the yellow dirt" But 10 the more certain, pnrma-
nent and may add, the useful articles Of iron
lead, SALT gypsum and fossil coal, nature has been Pc
culiarly bounuul to US. Upper Virginia has the
teridI for furnishing this whole continent with iro1.
The lead mines upon New River, are unused, because
OF the want Of access to them. During the last war,
necessity brought them into action aud they were adj
vantsgeousy employed. In the county which have
the honor TO repre- SENT Manufactured annually one
million bushels of salt, qusny only limited by the
demands OF the markets. With proper outlets,
and sufficient markets for its dispoa, that amount could
be enlarged TO almost any given extent; the brine from
which IL is made, is, apparently, exhausilsss No
diminu,on in the supply, deterioration in quality,
has been noticed since its earliest discovery. The
multiplication OF wells produces no effect upon The gs-
neral quantity. Coal for its evapora;ion 10 found In
every hill and rayne. As the population OF the ives.
tern states continue TO increase the salt operations oil
the Kanawha Valley, must be enlarged in relative
ratio; AMI why hould not Virginia, large portion
OF her citizens be supplied with this eesen.! article
from her manutactores.-At present, my consd.n
ents permitted to furnish the adj icTn-
counties which lie east OF In oher countries noun
tans you'd be unneed, aud rivers drained, TO open
communication with mines valuable those OF the
Kanawha; but TO large share OF the people Of Ygi
MIA, il is even unknoUn tina, we possess, within our
own territory, the meaus of manufacturing annually,
was consumed by the whole population of the United
States, during the year 1926.
But, in contemplating the value Of this come cion,
and in examining the sources OF commercial wealth
which il will open, Virginia Statesman should no,
ound his views by the Ohio River. Ga ths contrary,
he is invited 10 look far beyond it, 10 the geal lakes OF
the morrill, and that immeuse valley wdiered by the
" father OF rivers"
When the veneratsd Washington proposed this i'm
provemen, il was TO secure the trade OF haHdul OF
ers, scattered over al almost unbroksn wilderness
EnVlt hfrh nnN INF
the iarest portion OF this Republic, ond which will
WELD its destnies, mostly in the possession OF its
original owners A lew adventurous pioneers had made
good their .o,tng in what then the north western
territory; but with some small eptons, their settle
ments formed mere spots in an endless forest How
changed IL the presented in that prosper
Gus region! country fresh and uncultivaied, as it
came from the hands of its Creator, has heen carved
ont into sovereign salcs, and they admitted equals
into this great faNy Of naons The ordinary progress
OF national growth End prosperity, is the work Of time,
and maturity susuay attained only in the lapse OF
But the rapliiy with which the western states have
increased in population, has set at defiance the calcu
laons OF philosophy, aud their present condition
rather the work Of enchaDtment than sober example
OF political improvement. The state OF Ohio has
ly doubled her numbers in The last ten years and
presents population of 937 679. Ohsr states ada.
cent to her, have progressed in an equa ratio. Tnat
whole country possesses soil unrivalled in fertility
ADD abounds in all The OF individual aud
,ionai prosperity The present extent OF its
may be estimated in part, by the owth of the cities
anu Towns WOlch HtNe sprung up "Hnin the last lew
years. Pittsburg, justly ,erued the " Birmingham of
America" together with is euvons, has population
OF more than $4,000 Wheeling heretofore an incon.
siderable village, through the Influence of the manu-
featuring industry and capital employed there, ia
swelling into importance, and threatens by the CEN
Of l84e to eclipse in numbers least The houors Of
the metropolis. Cincinnati, the great emporium OF
the west, short time since the ste OF frontier fort
s now the seventh city in the Union, and presents a
population of 26 ,5l3 All the busting activity tie
wealth aud en,erprize, taste and 6nemeDt OF great
city, are row to be found where, short time ago
here was nothing bet solitary outposs, check the
invaons OF hostile SAVAGE. IL il unnecessary mem
ton Louisville, ST. Louis, N ashve, and IT, xingtoD,
each speaking monument Of The healthy aud tbIiy.
log condition OF the country in which they are situated
There Is another evidence of the present amount
and value OF the commerce OF that country. ] re-.
Gently received from friend in Cincinnati, state
ment exhibiting the number OF steamboats, now en-
ploye3 upon the western waters, and the amount Of
their tounsge. II will scarcely be credred by those
accustomed TO " the steady habits" OF Eastern Yirg
nia, that there are engaged in The trade of that
country, more than hundred and fifty seame l.,
carrying in the whole, upw ards of twenty thousand
tone. Steam, which seems desiiued 10 revo 'uuon zs
the world, has no where produced more striking re
suits than in the western states Previous TO It's ia.
PRODUCTION upon the rivers OF that country 10 from
Pttsburg TO New Oteans, aud batk, was tedious an
dangerous voyage Of four month; IL is now pero led
In fifteen or twsny dAys. Upon the Mississippi and
the Ohio, with their tributaries, piercing thirds Of
the whoe Union, this siuponjoUs nj is DOW carry.
ing on AZ inland commerce unparalleled in the bsory
OF the world.
But let ask you 20 liz, for moment, that W !.
which separates the present from IN iHture and oJk.
me, what IL then 10 be The cooditOl Of that county
rad . tent AT tta uIp