Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1831-06-09

in all this moan, throughout uc Otatc-ds
also, that of Constabtes; the former for screen,
the latter for tSco years The magistrates OF
the eounty have the electing power The
election takes place on the different court
day.-conseduently for Berkeley county.
viii he on Monday next The election Of
County Surveyors will take place at August
court next.
Canals AND RAIL ROADS, No. H.
Mr. EpiroR:-Tn our first No. we ques
toned the soundness Of the decision Of many
Ahabitants Of the Valley in Virginia, in IA
your of Rail Road, as the Great Improve
ment of this interesting section of our State.
In the present state Of public opinion in some
parts of the Valley, to suggest doubt oil
the superior claims to their attention, oil
Canal along the Shenandoah from Port he
public to Harpers Ferry. will be considered
stubborn, perhaps an ignorant adherence
to opinions. which the present state of facts
has exploded. 1t is TO facts we intend to ap-
neal, in support Of the superiority Of the
Claims Of Canal over those of Rail Road
through the Valley This superiority rests,
we think, on the result of candid and az
curate investigation Of facts.
There are probably existing in the minds
Of many, some obstacles to a willing and
impal tial research into the actual state of
facts now developed 10 different parts of our
country and in England and Scotland, in re
Iation to Rail Roads and Canals These oh
stacles have been raised by various pubea
tons of the Engineers of the Baltimore Rail
Road Company, and the frequent and yea
lous effocts Of the Baltimore Press; and by
the long and impolitic silence of the friends
Of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, in re
sa,d to that Work There is, indeed, an
Il De- L. g. L.
by the President and Directors; but it is We
zeal Of one paper, the National Intelligencer,
that we ever hear any thing of the Canal in
the Valley. The most discouraging accounts
are frequently widely spread and general.
believed in this part of Virginia respecting it,
which are not noticed and refuted in the pa
pers OF the Valley. We have repeatedly
heard it confidently stated, 'that ,clole miles
had given way" 'that nearly all the money
Of the Company had been already expended
and netting done beyond the Seneca" SC
We bave heard these representations made
very recently. II is quite reasonable 70 ex
pect, that the progress oftwo such w orks as
the Canal and Rail Road should be looked to
in this part Of the World as furnishing de
monstrated conclusions on the subject Of
Rail Roads and Canals in general-Belore
We discuss the general question Of these es-
says, it i. obviously expedient to rectiiy some
statements which have recently appeared in
the papers OF the Valley. The publication
which seems to have had most authority with
those in the Valley who have so confidently
decided in favour of Rail Roads, was Re
port made during the last winter to the Leg
islature of Maryland. by Mr. Knight, Eng,-
neer Of the Baltimore Rail Road COMPANY.
Let us, MIR. Editor, turn our attic ntion, in
the first place, TO this Report. We shall 90
so, not with view to contest the correct
ness Of his opinions about the superior al
vantages Of Rail Roads generally; nor to
question the accuracy of bis estimates and
calculations Of the cost of the construction
of the Baltimore Rai Road to the Ohio, but
to point out some material inaccuracies in re-
gard TO the estimates, &c of the construc-
ton of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal from
Georgetown to the same point. On the con
trast Of the estimated cost of the two works,
as exhibited by his Report, Mr.. Knight and
those who rely implicitly on it, place their
convictions upon this interesting subject
MIR. Knight by way of proving, that Rail
Roads We're less expensive in their construc
ton than Canals takes schet he states to be
the estimated cost Of the Baltimore Rail Road,
and Of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, the
one from Baltimore to the Ohio, and the O.
ther from Georgetown to the same point -
After stating the aggregate estimated cost of
each work for the same distance. he distri
butes the ,chole sum, over that distance By
the mile, and thus exhibits the conclusion,
that the Average cost of the Canal from
Georgetown to the Ohio, will be S7S 900 per
mile; and the average cost of the Rail Road
from Baltimore to The Ohio, will be SS8 900.
Now, this view of the subject is altogether
erroneous and unfair The aggrt gate esti-
mated cost which he assumed, for the Canal,
was the enormous estimate Of Gen. Bernard,
OF 90 millions and ahalf which estimate was
reduced more than one half by the practical
estimate made by Judge Roberts and other
gentlemen, who had been, and indeed. at
the very time, were actually Engaged IN max
alg Canals in Penns, lyania Gen. Bernard
was military French Engineer. unacquain-
ted with the price of labonr, materials and
provisions-Judge Roberts and his associates
were CirI Engineers practically acquainted
with every circumstance attending the con
struction of Canals in this country atprcsent
They reduced the estimate of Gen Bernard
from Harpers Ferry to Georgetown alone,
nine hundred thousand dollars; and 1t is a well
known fact which ha. been published more
than once, that the work has been done even
cheaper than they charged il in their esti
mate. Materials, provisions and labour have
been obtained at a less price, than Judge
Roberts had estimated While, therefore, this
Correction Of the conclusion of Mr.. Knight.
Rnnart - rouarJs tho canal oivas N I'm al