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

that report. you would add visit %
the twenty miles Of the Chessp ne axe
and Ohio canal, now in operation, YOU
would be able to determine on the ex-
pedieney OF that enlargement Of its di-
mansions, 10 which al sur stockhold.
ers have SO far acquirsced, that no
voice has been raised against il 10 any
OF our meetings. and no essayiat has
made complaint oft through the press.
Woo wili 6nd, on experiment. the
narrow passes Of . canal operating O.
gainst the movement Of bost, - q hill
OF come elevation against the ascent
of . carriage along an ordinary rosd /,
and the extensive sheets Of water,
some Of them exceeding hsndred feet
in breadth, on the Chesapeske end Ohio
cana, you will plainly discern facilitate
its navigatioa. n . level plane the
motion Of csrruge over its surface.
IL 10 not, iherefore, a. i'm portant ques-
ton To you whether . canal Of mar
row dimensions be sufficient Ia trans
pert your produce 20 AZ ia IL, TO IS.
certain the degree Of that resistance
which . laden BEAT Of any given di-
mansions, would encounter ON such q
canal, compared with the resistance
which the same boat. propelled With
the same velocity, would encounter on
q canal Of greater, or less dimep sions.
In choosing from these dimensions,
you would, Of course, have reference
to the relative cost Of the various ca
mails submitted to your selection aud
TO the probable amount Of the trade
you could expect, as well AZ Of the
fonds you could command for the con-
struction Of your various works.
Such q canal as have recommend
eel to you would, I should presume,
not exceed in cost $4,000 q mile
and IL its aqueducts have wooden
trunks, and its locks be constructed Of
wood and stone, its cost " ould be con
s'derably lessened. As you have no
competition 10 encounter from rival
enterprises, you should we'll weigh all
the considerations which plead IN ia
vor Of the use Of q material, Of which
you have, NJ hand, and, from ysnr mar
rable mountains, will ever have such
abundant and cheap supplies, Of the
verv best quality.
Your third query admits Of a more
precise reply. Our charter does not
allow us to charge more than two cents
per ton per mile. a. toll. FOR che use of
our canal and in the use Of the Lrh,. b
canal aid river navigation, for a con.id-
cradle period, a canal Of the breadth Of
ours and the depth Of Eve feet. its We
~ intelligent superintendent Mr.
White, tells Us that only 70 os one
cent per ton per mile has been found
Z" be the cost Of transportation, apart
from the toll. Putting this down.
however, at ! 8 Of q cent more. or one
cent per ton, per mile, which is q high
allowance for the deeper and confinu-
ed canal, along the Potomac. and three
cents per ton, per mile, or $50 cents
per ton. for The sixty miles, will be tic
cost OF Carriage between Harpers Fer
ry, and the cities u Genrge;pwn ami
Washington. An addition 20 this ct
81 cents for the use Of the nine miles
ut canal, about to be constructed be-
tween Georgetown and Alexandris.
viii add third market to the choice
OF the peoplc-o your valley. on de-
secnding TO the tide If tic Potomac.
within the District Of Columbia.
Bot although two cents per ton per
mile. - the utmost limit, 20 which the
toll, OF the Chesapeake aud Ohio Ch
nal can DO extended, IT does not fol
low thai every commodity will be-
charged with ,he same amount OF toll
Sueh 10 not the practice OF the New
York canals, from whieh this iimita-
ton wss copied into our charter
Plaster Of Paris, line, -four. grain OF
every description. aud many othee
bulky commodities, are charged will.
less than tie average toll. while, By
tate regulation Of the legislature OF
New-York, merchandise, ascending
the canal, 10 reqoired 20 pay as musE.
as } cents per ton per mile.
IN the Charter OF the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal Compsny, there Is .
mother limit, whieh, after some time,
will, ! have little dOabt, reduce THIS
toll. IL Is the limit Of profit. applied
20 shis canal In initatiOa Of the psin
eiples laid down 10 che system Of IN
tefnal Improvement Of Virginia.
A ten Of llOur in New York, 10 com
paied 20 BIZ ten barrels. Yoor asuv
wiii. thsrsfore, descend FROM the
moaih II the Shenandoah 70 Geosge.
town or Wsshingten, ~ q cost noe
sxeeediag - cents barrel; and. to
Alezsodris, Gor less than shrse esnts
nere, 81 ab0at twenty cents . barrel.
4th. Year fousth query has been
answered IN my reply 10 yOur third.
Two esais make the highest toll per
ten per mile that can BE charged
either nuna oaceudiaR ar desee1dinR