Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1831-01-21
Ysrom The charlestown Free Press.

Gir. Editor-An article in the N'inches-
Ter Nirginian of the Sd December, propos-
ing the organization of q company ia CON
struct canal along the margin OF the She
nandoah, 'to intersect the Potomac at Ifar-
perS-Ferry," having failed TO arrest thc ut
tention of our citizens and the time which
has elapsed since its publication, having pre-
cluded all expectation of seeing the subject
presented to your readers by another and
more intelligent pea, am prompted to offer
my humble aid in iurtherauce ofthc scheme
The Importance Of the proposed canal to
vast number of cur citizens, Is g eat; the ia
cility which would thereby be afforded of
transporting flour and other produce is in
calcuable. The advantage Of the contem-
plated canal TO our country, may be es:imat-
ed by the following statement from the COM
munication above referred to.
''By enc Of the provisions Of the charter
OF the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Compa-
ny, [if recoilect rightly the company are
permitted to charge only ? cents per ton
per mile toll on all produce going to mar
ket. The distance from Harpers-Ferry TO
Georgetown, is sixty miles; and allowing 10
bh!s. of flour, 10 the ton, the toll on each
barrel would be about l23 cents; the freight,
l am confident, would not exceed IL I-2
cents matchmaking together p cents, as
the cost of transporting barrel of flour from
iIarpers-f Ferry to Georgetown. From Ber-
rvs Ferry TO Harpers-terry, the distance
is about 80 miles; aud at the same rate OF
charging, the expense Of taking barrel Of
flour to that place, would IL l-2 cents more,
say 40 cents from Berrys Ferry TO George
town. Now, the hauling of flour TO Alex
andria, over turnpike roads, has never, in
my neighborhood, been less than one dollar
per barrel. Thus you see, If we had ca
nal, we should save at least 60 cents on eve
ry barrel sent to market which would
make every bushcl of wheat worth twelve
cents more than it is now. Tor is this the
only advantage. We could then send our
flour to market whenever we pleased; and
all our other productions too-such as corn.
potatoes, and many other heavy and bulky
articles that will not now bear carriage.
Besides this, we should get our plaster
an! salt fifteen or twenty cents cheaper per
bushel, and these are heavy items with far
mers.
There are many gentlemen in this coun-
ty, as YOU well know, who seldom or never
make less than A000 bushels of wheat year;
all such would save $500 on each crop.
"
the same proportion.
'Arc farmers the only class Of persons who
would be benefited? Certainly not" &c.
From the above extract It is obvious that
the interest OF this county is not so great, nor
SO Immediately involved III the consumina-
ton Of this work. (eur facilities Cor trans
porting 10 market being somewhat greater
as the counties farther west; but the advan-
tages TO us will be proportionabiy equal, and
IN some respects superior. It would not on
" be beneficial in pecuniary view.-It
would tend also to bind and connect more
closely together the remote parts of our
widely extended state: TO multiply the facil-
tiles of communication between its differ
ent parts; TO diminish time. distance and ex-
pense, in the intercourse Of It's citizens with
each other; 10 beget and to pcrpetuate by
means Of such intercourse, feelings Of ami
ty, kindness and friendship, instead ofthose
sectional jeaIousios, local prejudices, and SCI
fish partiai.ties, which now exist, ana are
owing TO want of free and social inter
course; and generally to enhance the enjoy
mcnt and coHduce to the prosperity and
happiness Of the people of the state. 1t is
no Utopan scheme. The formation Of a
canal along the Shenandoah. was pr0nouHc-
ed by a distinguished engineer. not only
practicable, but also that it could be con
structed with less expense and more facility
than any similar location with which he " as
acquainted. 1t requires not the spirit Of
prophecy 70 iorete the greatness Of our
hapay Valley, when the Shenandoah canal
Shall completed from Stanton 20 Uarpers-
Ferrr. Cur little county viii then consti-
tutc the focus, through which our hitherto