Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1834-11-13
COMMUNICATIONS.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT.
ne Edifo's ~ The Virgiaian.

our State w the james and kdaawha River Com
pany. That improvement, if done right, win be Of
great benefit to MS who live near the river as well
as to many who live at a distance and will he
prop to our declining country, and profitable
STOCK TO the Company-But If commenced wroo,
VIII prove great disadvantage 10 them and TO
US, especially lfthey rcconmence oanalling on our
river banks Experience has taught US that Mat
Is not the best plan for, what we have already
done IN that way, hasproved Of grca, disadvantage
TO all parties-the expense great and called for
extra toll, which had To increase more than
double what il was before and il takes day Ion.
ger to make trip yet IT does not pay the ma
kefs very well for the WORK, nor aid the boatmsn IN
performing his ldbors, nor make the way more safe
but more dangerous and difficult,
what benefit Is the Canal 10 any person T.
None al all For, in addition to what have named,
IFS being very often out of order by breaking and
freezing, delays and losses occur that you know us
much about as do. II is certain that this piece
OF Canal is of great disadvantage To US. IL ii had
cost nothing, we ought not 10 desire it, You may
say, II we had Canal oil the way from Rich
mond TO Lynchburg, and So on up the river il
would answer US a better purpose. | am not SO
sure OF that. If we could keep it in order which
't'ink We could not do the additional toll that
must be LAID on to make the stoc. valuable would
" HtoTe tHhH we no" nave 10 pay Dot1
frelsh, and toll | think Canal on the bank of a
nver IN country like ,lnjudiccus in this that
the banks are steep, and the little streams from
the hills come down after n hard rain SO very
eldy, til they would break it in some places, and
fill II up in others. To stop prevent il, is I'M
possible. Besides, thousand other causes which
We know nothing about now, would occur TO break
the Cana-and if broken in one place all is useless
until moaded. And what is worse than all you
have TO RUN The river To make the Canal IL II was
nol for that, would no NY peace-But for the
Canal 10 be frozen up, and the river ruined SO that
we could not use II, would rum US You know
what our situation mi yht be: Having large sums
to pay through Bank or otherwise, and produce
hand TO pay with, und to spare, If we could get
to market in time, we might meet our engagements,
and prospcr-but ifthe Canal should break and the
RIVER be oogged with DAMS we should fail, and
great would be the failure, perhaps of many at
imc. For, Canal in the situation this nigh be
IN, nigh take all the summer to repair II, and be
al the winter frozen up aud the river useless be-
Ing ruined with the many dams that would be
made to throw water into the Canal We mlglh
De co npellcd TO commence the old wuggouing bu
siacs, asain--lor a Canal is never exen,pt from
reakng or being out of order and whel i! is be-
ing mendcd business would have to stop entirely
until It was put IL order again. We could not re-
to the river because 1t would be ruined by the
dams. need not tell you the difficulty d making
the canal and putting il in order for use--lhe long
time and great expense that is known 10 great
many. But perhaps the half has not been told nor
never will be, until the work is done, and made 10
stand the test. Then we shall find 10 sorrow
that we have done wrong. The Legislature found
,ha, Out, and were not wlllin, to bind The State IN
such scheme, but left it to individuals. II they
Che Company choose to do it, they may, and lake
the responsibility" upon themselves
might say more but this subject has been so
m ch before the public, tha; it is unnecessary at
this time Now, ifthere were lakes, or another RI
YER tina, canal would bring into ours, il would be
well enough You may think | am opposed to i'm
proving our country am not, bull am opposed TO
destroying il.
Twill tell you what, think is III. best plan for
US TO adopt, ard that speedily. We have plenty o!
funds already subscribed for the puipose-Com-
ncnce here at the "Horsc Fond" at Lynchburg, AID
every other fall the river,i you choose TO deep
en- and widen the suoes to 3 feet IN depth, and 80
feet in wdth TO be done in the following manner,
VIZ: Break the force Of the water al The head OF
Iit1e above the fall with materials suitable for that
purpose and commence excavatng or deepening
The fall unit, it is feet in depta from the eddy a
bove to the eddy below, throwing The rock on the
bank of this sluice on eithar side, 10 prevent the
water from running in while you are al work and
W hen this is done, raise your NUMBERS ir}m above,
cod let water in the sluicc, when that part will he
eady for use, an never need further repar-con-
time down, removing all dangerous rocks or obsia-
cles in the way until you TO the next fall,and
then do kewise, until all is complete, which WI
he very soon done at cheap rate, and VIII never
&c. out OF order for the rent running through IL
will keep II open constantly BY sinking me sluce
ia the falls, they will DC nearly on grade WIN the
cddics and make ono nice genty bearing s'uire oil
water all long the river. The fall VIII be about
80 inches TO the mile, and al the ratio OF SIX mi''S
an hour-so very essential 10 carrying down me
large amount of produce and materials, which
would then be worth carrying from great DIS
lance, and be afforded very cheap, IN our towns,
and prove very profitable 10 the owners OF
farms This sluice would never freeze up,
because it would be always brisk yet move so
gently that il sht be easily asoendcd-'or, by
lowering the falls it will put the eddes IN motion
By the deepcned sluice, all would partake OF the
same speed, and that would be gentle and safe, ano
deep and dc enough to admit steamboats, TO ma
yiea,e it as much as they please. For IN the deep
eddes, they could pass each oher, II the siuices III
the falls were not wide enough for that purpose.
As this plan of improvement would take but
small sum TO put 1t in operation, the balance sub
scribed if the Company chose, might bf rn oA' ~
railroads to extend fiom certain places into me
country. This plan of improvement ~ou'd meet
the appreciation Of SO large prororIionoi our c'''
zens that many who have not subscribed wou'o
speedily do it; and, what Is SO much desired 'he
river would he good and free tor every oody, as
well as the fish, which is no small consideration,
You may think deepening the river at the tails ana
shadows difficult; but it will be nothing IN compor