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

Il Nlrglnia M
poan time which others have wisely improved, and that
the channels open and opening to western commerce,
will probably render il difficult 70 attract to her At
annc ports the trade which ought 10 take tina; direction
than would have been experienced by earlier excrons
These reflections certainly entitled TO serious
sderation and very naturally suggest the prudence and
propnety of increasing the inducements by which that
trade may be invited into the ealth, and the
pensc OF the lines required for its accommodation divided
with others.
Fortunately for the future hopes prospects of vir-
gna the opportunity doing presented in the pro-
position TO incorporate coinpony for the formation Of
ran road from the Potomac To some connecting point the
central line of her proposed Improvement and with pow
err 10 construct the endindependen of orconoin
~ with, the improvements by the State
This looks TO the improvement OF the same line
from the base of the Allegheny to the Ohio river for
the common purposes OF the trade destined TO each end Of
the Bay and TO The construction of the work by the pro-
posed company should Virginia decline the formation of
that part OF it on state account.
Leaving the Richmond route at Coyington, the
Potomac line would probably proceed by the Porters run
route TO the Buffalo Gap in the North mounain-lrom
thence passing through Staunton would either take
the direction of the principal valley towns and unite AT
Winchester with the rail road about TO be from
that place HarperS ferry; divcrgng the right in
the neighborhood of Saunton, pass TO Port Republic
and from thence pursue the general of the Shena
doah river 10 the Potomac
The relative merits of those arc understood to be
now under course oil examination and comparison, but
neither believed will present any serious obstacles
the formation OF ra-road OF easy angles and enlarged
curvatures.
Independent OF the distant trade which this line must
command die fertile valley of the Shenandoah must add
greatly to its transportation in its various agricultural pro-
ducts and extensive manufactures of iron.
This enterprise founded in belief that a charter Sc
curing TO those who shall adventure their funds, rate of
tolls that shall yield clear profit of eight per cent for the
rst twenty years, computing from the time the capital is
advanced, and six per cent forever thereafter would
once command the necessary amount Of investment 10 Sc
cure with two6h Of the stock taken bv the Stat) the
rapid, permanent and advantageous execution of the en-.
tire work. The rate Of interest in Europe at this time
believed not 10 exceed from to per cent? the North
ern States investments are made in well secured public
stock, at rates which do not yield the holders more than
tour and half or five per cent? little doubt ought, there
FORE to exist of the ready disposition of the stock of com.
pany deriving credit and confidence from the participation
oil the State under charter containing pledge of the
GovcSmcnt, from time 10 time, regulate the tolls
as TO produce the ncincome proposed the Stockholders
In the present angushng and depressed state of our
agriculture, manufactures and commerce, the expcnd-
ure which the work must occasion, would alone intro
duce animation into those important branches of industry
throughout the commonwealth The future effects which
such work must exercise in opening new sources Of
wealth home with markets abroad cannot be pre-
ciscy nieasured but advantages of such lines of nercom
nuncaton IN other states and countries fully show their
astonishing value.
lfa lingering socitudc should be felt for the enjoyment
by Virginia alone of that part of the trade of the West
which she might have commanded let it be reco
cccd that while she has paused others have been doing
that, while she has dolibcrated her commerce. navga
on her capital and her people, have passed other cmc
and have added TO the strength and of other
states leaving her markets decidedly inferior TO those
presented in other quarters that alone She can offer but
inadequate inducements to the trade of the est seek an
outlet through her ports That in contest with the
Northern States for the OF the interior and the
corresponding rcurn foreign trade array of induce
ments must be presented equivalent if not superior to
those which have carried the the Union he
yond Mason and Dixon's line and thatis only nv nre
sentng the whole Chesapeake Bay, with the combined
capital and commercial conncXion of its ports that
commerce be induced TO abandon lis present direction
TO any very considerable extent Trade is coy in taking
lines and manests strong adherence old channels
but when induced by adequate motives take new drec
TONS the increasing flow ism proportion to the choice
ports and markets placed before it, and although Lynch
burg Richmond and Norfolk might very large
portion Of the Western into Virginia. vet COM
bined with the Inducements which Baltimore w ashing
ton, Alexandria and Georgetown would also Sresen and
offering equal facilities OF approach those cities with the
Virginia towns the Chesapeake Bay ctnno fail of enter
ing into successful rivalry with the Mississippi the
ST. Lawrence-the Hudson and the Delaware. II the
result OF but narrow and contracted views regard Bal
more as the rival OF the James River towns Nature and
art have equally conspircd in giving rivals much
potent who prolng by neighborhood jealouses and
family dsscnsions will enjoy the commerce of the Union,
without concentrated and powerful effort is made in ia
vor of the great Chesapeake interest.
The outlet by the Gulf of Mexico with all its hazards
life and property continue be one Of the great
arteries of American The Ohio canal instead
of conducting the trade of the Lakes Virginia Dor
de "a would be the executing the proposed works
Is otherwise destined pour rich streams of trade into the
ST. Lawrence and the Hudson. From Cleveland the in.
tcrcouTse is certain, cheap and uniform by the New York
canal 10 the great emporium of that State From the
point soop navigation in through the
Wciland canal and the vessel which takes in the
cargo at the mouth of the Cuyahoga, delivers it at the
lower extremity OF Lake Ontario; and the completion of the
Ridcau canal the construction of better adapted 10
commercial purposes along the margin and the extent
the rapids OF the ST. Lawrence, only
der Montreal the principal market of the products of
important part of the United States With the Instructions
existing at the rapids learn that wheat is taken
from Cleveland TO Montreal Tor cents less per bshe than
Is paid for transporting it from the point Roches-
ter; and by the public journals informed that flour
in the month OF June last commanded six dollars barrel
in this Northern market, when the New York and New
Orleans prices current quoted at : 50n the first and
ST % in the latter city.
The rich and enerprsing city of Philadelphia second
cd by the liberal and patriotic efforts of Pennsylvania is
giving the most elevated character and diversified Xten
to the commerce of the Delaware.
These the great and real rivals of Virginia, of Ma
ryland and of the great Southern interests. 1t 10 those
ports ana harbou that Southern navigation has passed
until Virginia has scarcely shaops transport her oys
terS-tIeTe is found that commerce which Virginia has
lost and which renders her tributary to the North
the alarming eXcntwhich has been disclosed Ii is there
that the energy enterprise and industry of the new States
whose maturity has been fastened by the depreciation of
Virginia lands, and dimnution of Virginia populations
strongly felt in the daily increase OF interior
These the rivals whose efforts should emulate
in the combined eXertons of Maryland, Virginia and of
all the Southern States give the trade of the Chesa
pcake the elevated and commanding character of which
il peculiarly susceptible, and which would bring COM
and wealth TO all the cities, towns, and harbous
washed 10y its tide and 10 the interior with which they are
connected.
These results neither imaginary or remote if eff
Cicnt adopted this winter for the
trade Of the Great Valley of the West into the centre of
Virginia. with dvcrgng lines Offering equal facilities It's
Transmission 10 Hampton Roads and PaapSco BAY: par
ticuarly when is rccollcctcd that uncomfortable OK
tension of the Southwestern enterprise beyond Patons-
burg may unite il with the Potomac rail-ro and give
TO that important region also choice OF markets.
greatly increased upon the line which is appa-
rcnty about 10 be formed in that direction.
The rapid change which would be produced in the va