Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-01-11

Nett revenue on the new improvements. a. before.
| SSrss Lock. and Dams. Rail Rood
| = $z,3J $l36T70 20 SS0.SO2
which, compared with the above annual de6eieney,
shsw thai, with a canal or railroad, tho revenue
would ssiii DO under the yearly exPsncss, by
But with locks and damn, would exceed Il BY
| 0l5 10
In conclusion, therefore, the canal or RAILROAD
would approximate nearly amount Of revenue
equal to tho annual expenses and present deficiency
that with but iuconsiderable allowance for increa
oil trade, IN. may DO be considered not only
able as regards their own independent support, bu,
what Is stIl more Important, equal to relieving the
Fund Tor Internal Improvement IRON tho preeeot ruin
Gus yearly deficiency. OF the two however the rail.
road shews the greater approximation, ard would b.
preferable TO tbs canal, upon the further
mat considerable revenue would DO yielded by /,
% the travelling AM probably the ranpor'a,ion OF
ne mail upon It, Five dollars, Tor instance, being
charged between Lynchburg and Richmond, the rail-
road would claim preferences as to economy we'll
eonveniency, over even iourneyipg on horse back
ins consideration would make II at once more than
equal to the above deficiency.
ne most advantageous resuit 10 exhibited by the
,ock and dam Improvement, whish will only cows
'ne uenciency, but leave surplus Of $40 zoe, which
would, even on the present trade, authorize reduction
o. tho tolls to 81 so per ton between Lynchburg aud
Richmond, or else Il might DO applied to some other
useful purpose tho interest of the trade may dictate
IL would borrow more than million of dollar..
10 inc foregoing, thst may be added eonsiders-
w" W eome WeiEh', mat the revenue thai may be col
lec'ed on Ibis Improvement being S229, 500 upon the
present trade, would justify expenditure OF 81 295
ooo, which is three tunes the estimate Of m cost, and
shews Latitude in the expenditure, well calculated u
depti every hesitation fear the Of the
work.
Concerning tho section above the Blue Ridge rail.
road would approximate closer TO a lock aud dam m.
provement. anu woud crrtsiny be preferable to ca.
canal, both ds to cost. speed and convenience
Many OF The objections stated in my report Of
| 1925, relative to the whole line, are less iorci.
ole this ciOn. and others haye heen in n
great measure removed by the perfection TO which the
moving power has been brought. and other considera-
uons The late performances OF locomotive engines,
have greatly enhanced the advantages Of railways
though should not be deceived by the accounts of
the great speed they have been proved to be capable
OF ;hs being obtained evidently at a greater expense
oil power or dminuton OF weight transported is APP
Picable TO the most favorable transportation OF goods
and is Objectionable the OF prudence nor is
their ascent up certain inclined planes, criterion of
their usefulness in that respect what they do alone
they could not perform with load and il would not
require steep rise to make them inferior even TO
horses.
To return above the Blue Rire-Tbe tributaries are
not so large the river does rise high: mar
rover and consequently its crossings less
me bottoms are less distinct and valuable. The objection
arising from the character OF the trade along James ri
ver Is here OF much less weight than below the ridge
as but little can be expected along the river ITSELF but
most OF would in at fixed points from the later
al valleys, or over the mountains
The transportation and cost Of ron which constitu-
TED weighty objection in 1926 has been removed by
VIC es'aoHsnment since oil extensive works which
should oy all means be encouraged in preference TO
English manufactures, slight advance of cost
retaining thus the circulating medium in the country
and advancing its turing interests In addition
10 this, upon the plan successfully adopted on the Bal
umorc railroad, to lay the rails longitudinal blocks
Of stone, "a material very abundant above the Blue
Ridge) durability and economy NAV both he So.
cured.
Lastly the translation OF the freight into boats, which
must ultimately take place, constitute an OBJ
jecon when the ra-road is view ed in come xion with
he mr. ains
A to the cost OF the hTe. scales OF Improvement 1,
might compare as folows:-The two fret being obtain
ell from the reports, aud the latter computed from an
asequalntance with the ground though survey r
the purpose has ever been made.
csna a,o L a"e e"d Dsm Rail Track
witch should o,n rssPse isely produce
Cos. Of transportation tor tho whols distance (1s mIes
S osi 81 'N'" iy. 81 miles by the 'T1s9 per ton
Tolls of 81 per oa being allowed on the canal which
certainly low. considering the present diff Guilty OF
car sge hat ssction tbs tolls on the three improve
men'' might rate hus:
400 $40 $50
Each would require to pay the annual expense tons
$3.50 1926 22,4oo
This comparative view puts canal there out of the
auertion opportunities as to cost, tbs lock and dam
and the railroad Improvement very an equality
The ormer might produce water-Tens; but other con.
sderatUns would more than make up ths, and the di
Terence In the required tonnage in favor ofa Railroad
me revenue hat would he received from the trans
Portaon OF travellers and the mail, the probabls fur
Their reduction OF the cost OF carriage by locomotives
when more generally Introduced, would, after shor,
time, more than Ovefbaiance the apparen greater pro
duc'iveness Of The lock and dam Improvement
The railroad besides, would eDcourag, the iron
works I'm that quarter, connect itself readily with the
imroveme its over the mountains and over after
having attsioed the above standard OF trade every in
crease would add to the superiority tf the -way
Let us suppose, for instance 100 900 TONS il wosd be
On the river, over and above the requisite tonnage
81 o6o tons, which, at So 40. would bring 1907 BOB so
And on the rai-road, II 1900, which,
at 81 5O,a 3I9, 200 90
Besides ptopor,ionate probable increase OF travelling
As regards cost, it should not be forgotten that a
turnpike is call. for that secon the cost of which
win bridges might be $3B O4O 90
To which, adding the cost OF the locks
aud dams, 626 96O M
g, Inc whoie amount, S663,O00 90
Should he that which ought fairly set against the
cost OF the rail rodds, which would combine the nd
vantsges Of both.
la addition to all this, it may further be remarked
tn IT. in order to institute far comp rison il was
Pedient to place in conpeou the three modes of i'm
in their ultimate state Of Perfection but
while canal or river Improvement cannot be epiara
ed without considerst lie additional Expenditure rail
way on the eoutsary, inferior scale at first NAV