Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-01-07
internal Improvement.

hhecNRaA HhlHHOsCMlShe'
LEwIsBURG ConeIuied.)
To the good People Of the Commonwealth of Trginia
II the Government shall advance the James river i'm
provement high up Pattonsburg, the diminished
distance and expense be encountered by the company
will be obvious and important while the Increased trade
that will be secured the Government line between Pat
tonsburg and Lynchburg, WILL and ought 10 form, very
strong additional nduccmen for the immediate execution
OF that part of the great central work. the commencement
OF which Virginia cannot longer delay without surron-
deng the future hopes and prospects of hcrcizens That
the influence, which choice of the Bufors Gap route
over that by Paonsburg must exercise This we'll
ms the James river improvement may be fully appreciated
the following exract given from the letter of c. Croze
last
CATER the first survey and examination of the country
between Lynchburg and Bufod Cap the broken character
OF which impressed me strongly with the many diculc:
In the way of the location aud construction of useful
raroad should have hcsatcd TO have given the pre-
ference the route by Patonsburg had considered only
the terms ofthc rcquiion under which acted which di-
reced me "to ascertain the eligible 4 rail-
road IRON Lynchburgto New river But aware that this
public undertaking, but ono TO be conducted by
private company, for whose benefit the survey
tended and that this company would probably wish for
Independent route which along James river they might
find difficulty in eGectng, | concluded thai. in ac-
oordance with the probable views of the company would
bscxpedent search through the conntry between Lynch
burg and Buords Gap. AG)cr most complete eXamna.
lave been successful III tracing out route, which
deem practicable though attended with considerable diff
cllties and which, for part Of the distance will require
great skill in the location and much expense in the
ion.
Sui, PattonSburg, deserves, though
what longest the earnest consideration of the Company
whose decision conceive, may be materially influenced
by the system of improvement the State adopt along
the James river above Lynchburg For II II should be
rail road it would be incumbent upon the company to de-
termine whether To place themselves in competition
effect a connection with it. A comparative view of the
respective merits Of the routes, appears TO me, there
fore, an important element of the question.
The advantages OF the route by Pattonsburg are
ls Its embracing the commerce of Rockbridgc, Bote-
tourt and the upper part OF James River.
End It's crossing only one ridge between Salem and
interrupted descent for upwards of sixty miles, from the
the top of the ridge Lynchburg 10 miles of which
at an average Of very nearly Gl IL feet per mile
Whereas, between Lynchburg and Buford's Gap,
vera ascens in opposition TO the heaviest traffic must be
overcome which will produce irregulary in the app
cation of power which, unless the road be graduated at
considerable expcncc may raise the cost Of transportation
higher this than on the longer route by Patonsburg
Sd. The cost Of graduation from the ridge, down James
river Lynchburc, would be the same for any power
that may be chosen or any amount of trade that may
on it.
Whereas, through the uneven country between Lynch
burg and Cap the character and efficiency of the
power, and consequently the of transportation, will
be materially affected by the graduation which, itself
evidently be regulated by the amount of traffic the road
that the whole aggregate saved the transportation
may be fair for the additional expenditure in the
graduation Thus location adapted to the present trade
might rot suit its future eXgencies No consideration
this Road would embarrass the location along James river
Against the by Pattonsburg may be urged the
part of private company its being dependent upon
perhaps conflicting with, the improvement contemplated
by the State James river And also its being proba
bly, IL longer, although the oil travelling,
of transportation might be less than
route, f graduated upon economical scale"
The adoption OF the just and enlarged views of the prin
opa engineer, may be of very great Importance in thu
future connection Of the commercial of which
Virginia may be the theatre, and ought therefore
to be cngTacd permanent feature Of the
south western connection.
In approaching the great question Of connecting thu
eastern and western waters Of Virginia by navigabc
nos and railways, from Richmond TO the Ohio, the enqu
ry presents itself to the policy and expcdcncy of
sructng less expensive lines of nercommunicaton. The
Of suices The James and jackson rivers we'll
on New river and the Kanawha, has had its advocates
AMI in the report ofan important committee during the
winter, appropriation Of fifty thousand dollars
commended, 70 be laid ont in this species of work tn
bed Of New river. No event be fatal to Virgins
than the expenditure of large attempts To- i'm
prove the CATION Of her rivers without producing cor
responding benefits, and service be vauab,
TO her people than the disabusing of the public mind
relation to this and another mode proposed for the improve
ment OF the beds Of her rivers Where the purposes
view merely the amelioraion Of the difficulties cxpe
cnced in the first stages Of society in conveying the pei
Try To market at the close of the autumn hunt in float
ing the first products OF agriculture to aplace Of exchange
upon lajhed together suceS may be rcsortcd Il
with apparent advantage; but society becomes adj
vanccd, when the considerations OF despatch, safety an
economy, exercise their full influence succs evident
~ worse than useless
This kind OF improvement has frequently suggest
ed itself where considerable reaches ponds Of navigab
water found bounded their lower end by beds
rock gravel, which the water flows i'm sholoyc
and more accelerated streams orpases precpousy dowr
to the bason pond below; and in every instance Of ar
attempt to improve The navigation OF such streams b,
suicng il has been found that deepening the chaonc
through the rocks gravel has rendered the new sluce
but slightly superior 10 depth TO the natural channels
while the partial removal Of the dam generally ruin,
greater length Of navigation above by e7scnng the dept
OIL wafer there than Improves IN the passage Of The
pids.
The Grea, Kanawha ryer however, fafni5hcg cyiienc
in itself conclusive Of thc ily Of the best directed ef
forts TO improve 10 navigation BY ,uiccq In the bed Of M
stream The sceon attempted 10 BE- improved js ninety
four miles; extending from tho 0rtlt Falls 10 0e Ohio
with descent n this distance q LOG feet and fracaon
The volume Of water, INC Renie current and The peculiar
formation OF The obsrucio,s particularly rccsrrnohdet
10 no opinion IS hc Engineer flyo-ble 70 he .u4
Fe'' G. 20 .Sp' Oh h5 t'J. oi; ..'- ~ c1p5T g..