Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-04-05

ty we'll established, Dy eXpci imentS maze III Eu-
rope and America, that the same animal power,
applied to the Canal will transport three times as
much as when applied to the Rail Road; that is
where the Rail Road, with one horse, will trans
port 100 barrels of flour, the Canal, with the same
horse, will transport 800. Shall it be asked how
is this possible, seeing that the Rail Road Com
pany made grand display the other day, and
are spreading the news of it far and wide. OF one
horse CARRYING 200 barrels of Hour?-This is con-.
sidered wonderful, passing strange; and the news
papers are flying about to tell it to the citizens all
alive with interest In the mean time, not man
in Loudoun takes the slightest notice Of the Canal
or its performance. a fact or two may not be
amiss. n citizen met boat on the Canal the
other day. draun by a lille poney, quite at ITS
ease, containing 255 barrels of flour, and another
drawn BY all ordinary horse, with like ease con-
tanning $50 barrels. These poor boats, with the
poneys glide on to their destination, silent and
unohserved; when rail road car, with every pos
slble advantage, drawn by a fine horse, and car
ry,ng 200 barrels of flour, is followed by gaping
multitudes-enters Baltimore amidst songs OF
triumph, and the people, good souls, on the line
of the Canal, catch the fever, and echo the note
of the song. Such is man. Nothing at home,
nothing his own, nothing natural, nothing easy,
nothing obviously useful, will content him. He
signs for change; he stands on tIp-toe, and tries
to see atar; he yearns after the new, and the mar
yellous. How true il is eve are wonderfully
made!" Not doubt can be entertained but that
either Of the horses which relieved each other in
the transportation of the flour. Is miles on the
Rail Road, would draw 400 barrels along the Ca
nal for thirty miles. 1t is stated in the memoir
al presented to the last Congress. by the Presi-
dent and Directors of the Canal Company, that
Baron higgins, the Dutch Minister, informed
them he had seen one stout horse drawing ship
of several hundred tons burden, along the Canal
from the Holder to Amsterdam. What can men
want? What will satisfy them? A poncy car
rying whole crop to market. with as much ease
as he would take srist to mill, will not do for
them. We surely want machinery to carry our
farms about the country, and TO transport the
earth. at odd times, on visits to the moon. 1t is
clear, then, the Canal is the easier and cheaper
mode of transportation.
Let us see which suits the farming interest best.
1t is an adage as old as commerce itself, that
competition is the life of trade. Yet, whoever
uses the Rail Road will observe there is
it bm one carrier and that IS The Company. The
British East India Company is not greater mon
Opolv. The Rail Road Company has no more
competition on the Rail Road than death has in
doing his work. The farmers repair to the depot
with their produce, and tie agent of the company
receives it for transportation, with no limit upon
his cupiditv. except the maximum OF the legal Ia
riff or his own generosity. Imagine but one great
mill or store in the county of Loudoun, how would
its customers fare? Not so with the canal: eve
nv man that chooses may knock up cheap boat
of his own; or several ighbours may join in one:
and, moving gently and socially down the broad
and tranquil surface of the water, sell their pro-
duce and marketing, whether flour, pork, corn,
hay, vegetables, fruit, butter, fowls, eggs, or
any thing else; buy plaster, fish, groceries. &c.
sc. for themselves, neighbours, and come quiet
ly hUme.
Those who do not choose TO 90 themselves, or to
take an interest in boats, can avail themselves of
any public boat they. may prefer; of these there
will be dozens. Here is the life of trade; the very
genius of Accommodations the guarantee of cheap
ness; the comfort of business This will be our
resource, and reliance, when fantasy and within
shall have passed away; and sober reason resum-
ed the empire OF our minds.
do not mean to underrate Rail Roads; but to
invite my fellow citizens to set Just and dis
eliminating value upon those great natural chan
nels of trade, from which they seem so unaccount-
ably distracted Rail Roads in their places
Along the margins of noble rivers, and for agri-
cultural purposes, they are inferior to Canals
LfSdHs lnCf diC ChpShSi'C, auu tcIuhc hCdNJ
capital Ii is computed that toletaby good sin
gle tread iron railway, from the Ashby's Turn
pike to the Point Of ,ocks. would cost half a
million of dollarst-To my mind it is quite clear
that not more than from 80 to 90 square miles of
territory would embark IN building the road; sa
IS. This is equal to $1,000 acres. Five hundred
thousand dollars to be raised upon $1,000 acres
would be tax of 80 so per acre! Are these
farmers prepared to pay dollar an acre?-Why, |
.hen, in the place Of rational attainabe objects,
pursue such shadows? This canal, which prom-
ses much to the hitherto neglected and fine coun-
try, bordering on the Potomac, has been long
suspended by the pertnacieus refusal of the Chan
cellor of Maryland to decide the injunction, which
1t the instance of the Rail Road Company, he has
imposed on the Canal Company The injunc-
ion power is great prerogatlve, promptly lent
% the citizen, in every case where he exhibits
,olor of right; but, by all wise and faithful courts
terminated. Chancellor Bland encount-
RS fearful responsibility in the unprecedented
lelay Of this great injunction. mean not, gratu-
tously, to dsparage him. The high functionary
# sister state justly claims our comfy; and ju-
cal decorum bids us tread lightly on this ground.