Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-06-02
Tuesday Eremisss, May 81.

a
possible, universal attendance. Differing perhaps in
minor ints, to and NODES the transcendent
Importance to this city, of improving her communca
ton with distant parts of the country admitted with
out an exception. 1T do nothing else, 1t
Is OF the utmost consequence brethren
OF the West that understand and their interests
that our convictions firm and Deep zeal ami
mated and determned-that will act, and act eff
GENTLY. contrary impression has gone FORTH to the
serious injury Of the prospects of Richmond, to the
reproach of her patriotism and enterprise Let
that unjust impression and show that the apathy
of the past the effect of sinister and
oftho want of proper understanding OF our interests
spirit them and that those
shall take the lead in enterprise the unriva
led advantages of situation have stronger motives
than any others for exertng 1t.
" We mos, respectfully ask the attention of the
citizens of Richmond-psrtcularly those who pro-
pose unite IN the meeting this evening at o'clock
10 the communication of d. and the subject which
il treas. The advantages OF bringing ships OF bur-
den I'D ~ the City, instead Of ther stopping at CT
" Point and Warwick, are too manifest to be de-
MED To the merchant, TO the CITY, to navigation,
to the agricultural interests; to the whole commu-
nity interested in the prosperity of Richmond: I'M
nediasely con.cquentiay, the advantage would be
certain, immediate aud considerable. 1t is not
matter of speculation; it Is not OF those schemes
whose benefits perhaps exist no where but in the i'm
ne,uatlon Of the projectors its advantages inevi-
table. The meeting this evening is favorable &C
castuu for bringing 1t bef're the pub ic and we
hope will not be neglected TO the Citizens in the
lower end of the town, would particularly ap-
pal, and press this subject upon them, as all
Eurnent for their attending at the Cspto:
It is generally forgo.t ten we believe, that the RI
vcr be!nw Richmond was surveyed by Mr. Is .ldwin
IS years ago His report upon the part f. om Rock
ksis to Warwick. follows the communication "1
B. and will be reao with interest. The map alluded
to is in our possession and may be seen.
To THE EDrroRs WHO.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT.
Gentlemen: Don't let the title of this communica-
ton alarm you; neither going to propose tunnel
the Allegheny, to construct railroad of hun
dred miles, all desire is, through the medium of your
paper call the attention of the public and particularly
of the citizens of this place, to improvement
once practicable in ITSELF certain in its results, and
which 1 verify believe may be accomplished at
pense trihine when compared with the great ad-
vantapes it would confer the agricultural and
merciaI interests of this section of the State. aludc
to the improvement of the navigation of James River
brlo, the falls with the view of opening ship channel
In this CITY When reflect the great inconvenience
and expense attendant the foreign shipment of
duce the present imperfect state of the navigation
I am only astonshed, that among the various schemes
of internal Improvement submitted to public consdera
ton this should have been long neglected.; that the
citizens of this place should have done nothing to give
direction to- or carry into effect an enterprise OF such
vast importance to their interests lis this apathy for
ever to continued Can we remain passVey indifferent
all that going around us In this as wen as other
States without single effort to improve the natural ad
yantapes we possess, while the various springs that
supply great commercial mart either fast drying
up or being diverted into other channels! 1t is true,
our Common Hall some 1S months ago determined to
do something and desparng presume, of all aid from
the State Legislature, appointed committee to cores
pond with the General Government the subject; but
f,o all can learn their labours began and ended with
writing letter the President of the United States,
and receiving polite answer in return. Should our
ty Legislature again turn their attention to the matter
it might perhaps we'll provide for the payment of
those they delegate employ. None ought to know,
better than Themselves the effect of this taLsman pay
/ am told the experiment in their own case works
1,euelv WE'LL that the members Of the Hall are now
punctual in their attendance and the Bench well filled
Our CITY representative whose industry and attention
to his duty deserve the thanks of his constituents,
brought this subject to the notice Of the Legislature
who on the 18th April adopted the following resolution:
"Resoved, blythe General Assembly, That the Board
of Public Works be, and they hereby authorized and
required to cause the Principal Engineer, and the En-
gneer to be associated with him in making certain
yeys under the act, entitled can act for providing the
means for ascertainng the best means OF uniting the
Eastern and Western waters" passed the Ith day of
April 1881, explore and survey James River from
Rockets to BurwelPs Bay, and ascertain the best
means of removing the various bars and distractions
in the navigation Of the river between those points,
together with an estimate of the probable cost thereof
and report thereon to the next Legislature"
trust this business will now be taken up In good
earnest and that the abours of those gentlemen may
lead to some beneficial result Hitherto reports, made
on parts of this contemplated survey, have been
looked IF not totally neglected; and even now much
fear from the various duties assigned the Engineer
(half of which it is not in the power of man to &C
compsh within the season. that another and another
year may be allowed to pass, before any thing efectua
done.
Let US then for the present be satisfied with part
and let the Citizens of Richmond either of themselves
or through the Common Hall, make beginning Let
an engineer jsay the intelligent gentleman employ
cd on the water works. be at engaged to
the river from Rockets to Warwick and estimate the
expense agreeable to the third plan submitted by Mr.
Baldwin in his report TO the Beard of Public Works in
March, 1918, a copy Of which you have herewith Yes
sels drawing fifteen feet water can now come to War
wick and consider this report conclusive that they
may with great facility be brought the whole distance
Herewith you have copy of the map Of the channel
Of the river from Rockets Warwick as laid down by
Mr. B., and to this, we'll as the report, would call
the particular attention Of your readers II s true this
survey made many years back, and changes may
since have taken place in the channel, but none,
hu nby conceive, that affect the general result
This improvement consider Of much greater lmPor
lance now than formerly. The introduction Of steam
boats to tow vessels and down the river, has gwen us
facilities did before possess The great dhcuty
of navigating square-rgged vessel through channel
80 crooked and narrow that above Bermuda Hun
dred, would, had there been sufficient depth Of
water, have deferred many from coming up, with
the aid Of steamer, the distance may be passed in