Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1831-03-17
our opinions upon the limited data within

I
impt the cost OF constructing the Chesa
peake and Ohio canal from Georgetown
to Cumberland. was estimated at about
! 100000. tits true other estimates have
since been made reducing the amount per
haps 10 about S., OO0, 900 But II is un
derstood. that SO far as the construction o
that work has been prosecuted, tho latter
estimate has been found To be " holly in.
adequate, aud am oi opinion that, unies,
the dimensions shall be contracted. o. the
work be made less permanent in its char
acter, the estimate FIRST mentioned vii
not be FAR from the amount which tina,
work will have actually cost should il be
completed To Cumberland. IL is conf
IDENTITY believed that the cost of the raj
road TO Cumberland, inclusive OF the ex
traordinsry expense Of that portion Of il
between Baltimore and ELECTS Mills. vii
not exceed s. 600, GOO
The estimate made by tho same Boart
Tor the entire canal from Georgetown 70
Pit'sburs. amounted to about $50 900 900
III IS Conceived. that the cost OF the raj
road would not he one half Of this amosnt
ard IT might noteXceed q third Of it, The
stupcndous reservoirs and Tunnel. ant
the numerous Locks which have been
W. EINNrING ILc
mountains on the middle division Of the
canal. would be dispensed With in case OF
rail road. and ib- con paraii,rl' insig
blhcant expense Of inclined planes and 81
tiOhaTy steam power, substituted.
IL IS believed that the expense Of con
suGctinS canal from Baltimore 10 the
Point Of Rocks. would be double wha,
the rail road between the same points will
! cost
The estimate reported by DR.. Howard
Tor canal from Georgetown. ID. {. TO
Baltimore, the length being Al; miles
amouut-d To about - 500. 900 IL isnoi
doubted but that the half Of this sum would
lie more than ample for a rail road
Upon the whole, infer. that over rough
and difficult grounds, vet such as have
been pronounced practicable for a canal,
the cost of the canal would be about from
81 10 100 per cent. more than that Of a
rail road-ihe former 10 he as spacious as
such work. may be- expected 10 bc made
on such grounds, and thc latter 70 have IA
double set Of iracks-and That on the
most favorable grounds which the coun.
Try affords for such works, the ratio of
expense may he expected 10 vary from
an equality 10 so per cent in favor Of rail
roads
Second Faciities If construction. The
answer TO this part Of the inquiry may be
considered a. almost included IN the pre-
ccding one. IL NAV, bswevcr. be added
that by reason Of the supply Of water he
cessary for canals. ih,ir number. exteut
and locality. will necessarily he much
more limited than rail ways. II rIay also
he recollcctcd. that Tie minimum d.schsr-
al ~ !. l.. n.
country advances in Agriculture and Manu-.
featuring iupro' cmonts
Rail road can hr constructed hdvania
geonsly over considerable variety of IN
ciInaiion ard character of surface imprac-
iIrablr i"r canul, ard thru branches can
he made 10 penetrate the slcns and dc
files # n'arr' inS where l1ckage would
be very great and IT,. supply of water & T
canal totally flicier'. bot vherr ex
tcrsIrr Iron sud oihrr VI uu'ac'.rii g 80
tahIIshnrcis u'rv D. lrratrd
Third Bencfis "a tie state rGH a,',.an.
fageS Ia he Citizens The bepvft. md ad
vantsgrs ho;h 70 tiie state AMI g. the riti
gems corp. ing u. IL i conceived. Will ~
greater from the rail road than from the
canal system.
The following observations are offered
- NiHF'' W h'hH ttflbibn
The capital iivcs., j IN . given line Of R.iI
Roads aud oi Canals, vii 40 40 case be gtcai.
er, ~ the first. ard ~ ~ ofien be only half oC.
what the latter - GulI require. whilst The spe, d
ON the former msy Toe foui tunes a. great -
ON the latter. The RESISTANCE from friction ~
equal through equal spaces. whatever may be
the velocity. The resistance 80 Auids oo.
easioned from body passing through them,
~ rather m1Te thsn ~ proportion 20 tic
squsres ui tie Velocifiss Of the body in mo-
ton, whether ~ be = boat OF . car, and as the
density Of water " 20 that 81 tie ar, as 500 is
20 J. therefore the resisance frpm water " ~
be 800 times greater than The resistance
hom The atmosphere, with an 9 lutl cioony
10 ~ not bkely therefore. that vclocitiss Oh
fall roads aill often be- 80 high. a. 70 Tequ'fc
calculation for atmospheric fcs,stsnce, ~ hist
the law by Inch ihe resistance Of lands 10
creases causes that RESISTANCE. 10 medium,
50 dense A. water, soon "a be 10 ce.Cii.bfo
vi'h any impeiling poSer which car be en-.
ployed
The force Of ihe vind and ~ steam has
been the most successful in pfopc ling srsstls
upon vstsr, bat the maximum seluc,fy en-.
der The most favorable cfcumsfsnces mot ~
CsDals, but ~ seas. bays aud large rivers, D.
not known 90 have exceeded 9 mile. r-r
hour. whilst on sPsilwa,. in thc present
ye' almost infant sistr, ~ thsg s'nj a. iu b.
r-nvemeni. MOTE 'han for times g. 81 trloc.
- - kuoWn 90 have been attained.
The inference theHi,fe b, cope .-iiy s.
Canals are i0clulrd, shat iycomot.nn orou
land ~ mesrs q Rail Hos.is vii tst- pisce
~iih quaifupls the ,sl7ci.y ihsp oso pas...
10y he attained upon vt,rf. is.f gaist'r.
o. nany one shcull say DC nsgfnes rnpfass.
mcu's vii YET be made in thr Conveyance
4 fIs %. . f. a
much greater tliai iIftiicf H.Ifosef rf-
ah yet be made ia thr conveyance upon
anl HE l4w 81 re- stance b. decisive 30
lis matte. sni beIng ls % S-tuic. 10
+ gIrsi aiwAys continue 20 trfraf@
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