Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1831-02-03

Of excellent limestone for the censtrue-
tior OF masonry, Of every description
hydraulic, Or " alter lime, has been
found and brought into use In its i'm.
mediate neighborhood, at moderate
cost, and 10 doubtless TO be obtained
at many places ON its banks. % il has
been already discovered ct lie mouth
noble forests arc standing on the ada
cent mountains and The river 10 81.
ready 20 FAR navigable, from Port Re.
public to Harpers. Ferry, as TO become
valuable assistant in bringing oil
those materials to the points at which
their use may be required, aud TO trans.
port, for the subsistence Of the labor.
ers employed on the canal, the provi-
sions with which your fertile valley,
nov the store-house of Virginia, every
where abosnds, the price Of which i
50 much chespened by the obstacles to
reaching . better market, which you
seek TO remove. You have, above all,
= population capable Of sustaining your
operations, by their persevering enter
prise, their habitual hardihood aud
their known fidelity to their engage
ments.
The practical science which you
need, you can readily procure from
the numerous schools which similar
public enterprises have OF late opened
in all the northern and middle states
east Of Virginia; whence skilfui engi.
neers, and experienced contractors al
30, will pour in upon you, in numbers
vastly exceeding your demand for their
services.
Such are among the facilities which
appear To me tn further the commence
ment and prosecution Of your work.
The accomplishment Of its porposc, IL
limited to Port Republic ut its upper
extreme, aud to an union with the
Chesapeake and Ohio canal nj the o.
ther, would extend from the tide wa.
ter Of the Potomac to within go miles
Of Stauntou, the geographical centre
Of Virginia, one continued canal.
That such q work would be profita.
BILE I'd ITS undertakers, ] have not a
doubt, from my know ledge Of the grea At
fertility Of the country through which
the canal would pass; its diversified
resources, mineral as well as agricul-
tural; and the character Of it, free, 50.
Der and Industrious population.
Under these circumstance, you in
quire Of me,
Let. What will be the cost, per mile,
Of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal,
from Georgetown to Har pers Ferryl
I'd. Whether q canal through your
valley, Of half its width, or less, would
not be sufficient for your produce
And il SO, what would be its cost per
mile
Sd. When the Chesapeake and Ohio
canal is completed as tar ss Harpers
Ferry, what will be the toll and freight
of ton of produce from that place to
Georgetown
4'h. Will back loads pay more than
those descending!
5th. Supposing that a canal along
the Shehanlosh will cost onc-third. OF
one half as much, as the Chesapeake
and Ohio canal below Harpers- Ferry.
ought not the toll and freight to be in
the same proportions
Ia reply 90 your first query, il is
proper to premise, that the cost Of the
part Of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal
to which il refers, has been augmented
by many causes which will not afiec,
The cost of one along your river.
Among them are, FIRST, high est.
mates Of damages, arising partly from
the absence VI just sense Of the value
Of the canal TO the owners Of the land
through which il passes, aud the vplgar
prejudice against all internal improve G.
inents which tend to raise the value Of
lands remote from market, "that tic y
injure the value Of those in the vicinity
by Cutting IL" Mere has sometimes
been allowed, by the juries Of Monteo
merry county, to the owner, usnaIiy
their neigLbor, foe the lsnd occupied
by the canal, than the whole tract d
which 1t was a part, with all its i'm
proSements, was worth, at fair Valaa
ton.
Next, ihe popular character Of III,
country through which the canal il
conducted. For many miles il passes
Of neeeasiiy, al0ng the foot IL pfecipi
tons eliza Of rocks, and entruaches, II
many places, on TIE bed ~ the river
without earth enough in the vicinity q
iesm IS enbankmehis, which has con
! sequently been transported, Tor efes
distances, Al very heavy cost. IN s,he
cases. the canal IS sustained, for seVe
j raj hsndred yards together, by verti
/ cal Or slope salls 0f Go feet elevation
IN order 90 avoid greater difficulties !
adhering 20 the bed Of the river. i
, al cases, works u solid masonry hav
. been Substituted fVs much cheaper, bu
: less durable s,suetnres Of wOud. TIA
! the line u navigation which tie cAns