Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1831-05-23
TIE Vfs2ElNaAS.
,ySoHBUaG, NAY p, 1881.
JAMES RIVER.

n fHr
girsinia," and to The connection Of the srade
Tho Eastern and Western waters. But its
,,cal importance induces us TO recur to the
.,h;ect again, and 10 invite particular attention
provisions Its frsmers appear 10 have
..o,d...irous Of obtaining Surveys and esti-
..tss of every mode of improvement which
... likely TO be thought Of in ordr that the
.,stts of the different plans might be fairly
o,,,entrd {, public view, and that the friends
.f,bis leading improvement may be enablrd
=, rs,ufn 10 the charge AZ the next session.
s,msd AT all points. In reference to james
,i,., The law requires the Principai Engineer
If tbis Safe and such Assistant Engineer as
ne Esecn,ive may employ, to make,
ia An estimate of the probable cost Of cor.
,ioaioe the canal from NaiJrns Adsen,nre
~, prcseni termination) to Lynchhure
cad The probable cost Of improving tae 'iv-
81 by locks and dams between those point,
,Naiden's Adventure and Lynchhure):
3rd The probable cost OF Rnil road rom
RICHMOND TO Lynchburg-:
4lh. Similar examinations sad estimates (on
each of the above plans from Lynchbu,g to
Covinglon
The Law next requires ihedo 10 make an es-
,.nate ~,
9th The probable cost Of railroad or ca
raj bpi~een any OF the fouI rivers James. jack
son poauokp and New river:
OH. AMI the probable cost Of improving
New river by locks and dams. canal or rail
mad, lrom the point Of sach connecting rail
roai or canal.
II il certainly 10 he regretted that another
session OF Assembly must intervene" before
these works can he commenced. But the
friends of Improvement, having been defeated
in their eHnrts 10 start the work this spring,
have made. as IL appears TO us. lndcous prep
sra,ons Tor more vigorous aud, we HOPE, sue.
ees;fui exertions next winter. Aud The esii-
maze placed on the impoI tance OF this point
uynchburg and the country around ~ ~
,,s scheme Of inprov eneni, is not less cred
;,hle to the Intelligence OF the Legislature
,bsn gratifying to rs here. What pfrtext Will
or laid hold Of bv the cavaliers st every thing,
ia continue their opposition 10 measures 'm-
,.ri,us,y demanded by the vital Interests of
me whole State--af the East not less than The
West--se are at loss TO imagine.
Asreiaies To the mede of improving Jane
l.yer. The Principal Engineer has, III his re-.
ports OF 1926, 1928 aud again last winter,
favored the lock and dan systrm from Ma !
sens Adventure to Lynchbnrg. In his reply
Inst winter 10 sandry queries prepounied 10
him ny Mr. G ranh of Nelson, in beh;I Of The
Cummiilr Of Roads, he says
i lis asked " Whether "a railroad would he
snccessiul and a valuable substitute for the
rsylgailon of the iNtr, On It's whole lme, or III
PATTI
Answer. f" In part, rail 70 d NIGH, be
,tpe5iani only il the upper section, ~ cor
,.,i,n with the crossing OF the ADts ann bu'
"a, othtrwisp nor elsewhere. be. ansr heql' nj
ironslst,on OF goods should be avoided.
e. On the whole line. and pa ticuIarIy below
the Noun,,ins, stated III my report VI 1926
(,age 1872 my opinion that II would be la !
~ many ohi4 ct,ons both AS 10 20 IS an1 in
s.
be considered, the rails and the foundation
ue lotmer are pretty much the same, what
ever ,npy he the ma ure OF tae g ound passt d
o,o,. ,hey have oil late been OF Iainei much
cheane, tnau herelo t"re, hut The lat or is ire
ouen,ly by lar the most expensive. aud would,
lnins proye 50 along James river. For THE
uurposc Of avoiding great curves, and steep
scent. we must resort {" deep cuts aud en-
k.ukmenrs. And tw''a, would he .troniy Oh
; c,sJ ny the formation OF ,trigh lire>
cnnul5 necessarily cut, IN many places, tbroug Il
Che valuable James RIVER bottoms.
Chi. improvement ~ouih, thus, occasion
pyen sleater complaints, ahu piuroftpnafe
damages. lhana canal, which cd"be IDade TO
sind closer 10 tn hills. Again, whle Il ca nj
NAV receive some inronsdrsatfle streams, 'a'i
,rad requires that every tributary, however
,mtn. should be passed by a cnl,cIf, viaduct
or bridge; This must eviden'ly prove n s.
linus cause of expense CO a ipe IA n'ng ac' o''
So many OF those uiLnlarIes, mol only on hc-
count al The arches, bal hlso oi the nee. SHY OF
sustaining a snnieien eleS alton i"r The purpose
by frequent Embellishments.
mApaln, high Level would here, AZ III
ranal. b. necessary to keep the IN road abo'"
tho reach OF high floods ; hence heavy eA-
pcnse in ualing along he ellis and embanh-
mtnts al dtpiessions.
"rhe.e and uther de ais Of construction too
4 minute +, he enumerated, eau leave no uoho''
4 that on the lover section, a railway On Tue SUI
! pe-ior scale required niSng tue james river
would cos, ut least as much rs a canal.
As regards considerations oil conteniehcy,
tits ,iahl. 10 some OF the objections Of ca
nal with perhaps additional 'ofce.
"ln the first place, it ca" accommodate only
one side oi the RIVER, and that even less Iaan a
canal. which, at It's feeders Il least, has Com
municaiion open With the slrfam whereas
here frequrn, aud expensive bridges over tbs
river would be the only means 10 pldtt
the railway Oh par with the canal IN 'h''
respect.
.'ona. The division of the low grounds by The
line of Improvement would be more uniavo'a
BIZ 'hsn by u canal.