Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-12-22

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commended for the purpose Of avoiding The river and
come xion with the cana altogether will not contem
plate the effect Of such scheme upon great State
"ork Tor 1t would amount to no less Than entire loss
Oh me southwestern trade--a very limb Topped OH.
IL Is difficult to reconcile such proposton with an
o'G,,aFoenl attachment for the State
we cannot sympahize in the patriotic anxiety Of d" 4
S!lzeh lest the immediate execution Of the wc!k II
connected with the canal miuh he nreycncd he ,hr in
adequacy OF Inc coMpanys means 10 carry it into effect
!hat won!d pay well, IL rdi,;rd on Il. sides and &c
uo"' ""' ti' o. lhtf'na'r 'crlt of tn" scheme would
rec"In'rnd to the attention. 9f capitalists ybrIErr COM
bincd with the canal not ard it would rcrui,, some
thing more than the fact, [fitwc fctl that The work
might te constructed 'i;niI: cheaper" much recr
from abrupt curvalurcs aGd rairs shorter than IN the
valley Of the river: TO change opinion ina, subject
Yet the promises OF such advantages held ont in
this Paragra must and onI t To carry certain we nhl
and 1t Is therefore proper to investigate their claims upon
our cTeduity.
The peculiar formation of the country between Rich
m"nd AID Lynchbug, along tie ridge proposed as the
site of the road, is we'll known. The first pat Of The
route peculiarly level; plain trG rrsed for
about thirteen miles by the Chesterfield Railroad and
aerward by the Stagrroad through i'owatan and Cum
brrand, would oler kabe facilities for tie
construction Of the work; AID persons whose oScrGa
tlons have not rendered tcG familiar with the Of
the difficulties in Tic execution Of the grading upon such
aorIIaton would appear to present no obstacle And,
compared with the western end CT the line, the
try within forty fifty miles Of yrchburg, it's, indeed
exceedingly favorable. But when regarded alone, or in
conncxlon with the ground occupied y other works of
similar nature, hesitate to say that the difficult
~ incident To tile ionn"m Of an uni!rrIa surface which
here presents itself, has been rarely surpassed.
The valleys by which the plain inlcrscced deep,
and the cscapcment of their banks abrupt And the Oh
sructinns Of this cilnracrr well others of differ
ent nature increase in an increasing ratio up to the
very point Of its termination.
This is not conjecture We haye-wllat on such
subjects IS infinitely important than any theory
presiptirs evidence can bc-we have practical test
Of lis truth. ,.-.--
'hrR aro Ma host RI t,o
sruc!cd in very favorable circumstances and under the
immediate superintendent Of gentleman Of great skill
and expcrrncc-one of the abcst engineers Of Virginia
lis well known 10 have cost The cnoTnous Of near
~ fourteen thousand dollars n!c: and that for single
track and ira wooden supcrSructurc And it IS noo-
rious, too that although experienced eye the coln
try appears to &c perfectly level the ornat N Was such
to induce the distinguished gentleman to recommend
three ncIimcd planes distance Of only thirteen miles
So deceptive appearances, necessary The aid q
scientific exams nations in detecting those points which
admit The adoption Of ingenious eXpedicn:s
What, them should expect 20 be the cost the steep
OF the grades, the number of stationary engines
on the upper end Of the work, where the country is
broken aud rolling and the height OF the dividing ridge
sufficient to enable the observer 10 look down upon
the hills between Lyncburg and the Blue Ridge
II adapted under similar circumstances they will be
without number.
But We are also promised line ''much frecr from
abrupt curvaurcs, than if constructed in the valley of
the river.
Had this remark come finm AT experienced or pro-
frssicual man, and been addressed 10 public ignorant
OF The nature Of the ground, and the effect Of It's
tour upon the location ct rall-rcod it might have hccn
cnttcd to lcspeCt-but rlnana.IIg from who
evidently obtained his information from tine map. his
ccsrt: and offered to u community familiar with The roll
ing hills upon the upper route and the deep gorgcs cut
by thu rapid streams flowing through them, aud The
time informed Of The true character Of The valley
Of James River, it is not little ludicrous
Why, the hills upon the ridge clustered and inter-
locked in that would put 10 The rack the inge
al. g 81,
tain practical route, while the difficulty Of avoiding
that would be utterly lncdm:asb!e nsuper
able.
We have been informed by professional ,ner, that there
situations that involve great expense, both III
the construction OF the work and the maintenance of the
power where elevation is 10 be attained BY g:a.
dun,;n effected The ACTIVITY If steep and broken m
sides; and the difficulties tn BE- encountered on that Por
ton OF the line, extreme cases Of This dcscrp-
ton On the other hand, tile valley o! the river pre-
sents no such mpcdincn.S. The low grounds arc
wide and level aud frequently extend many miles
without the most tfl!ng interruption. They are
almcsl uniformly elevated above the reach Of the
rcscts, and preserve inclination parallel with that
Of surface Of the We have repeatedly pass
cd over the whole Of the valley between Richmond and
Lvnc!iburm, and have yet discovered " the alb
| rupt cuIvatnrcs which form serious npCGiincn
to high vcoclcs rail-roads. The changes III the
direction Of the Uf the river certainly hume
rouS; hut they nevertheless gradcul. and effect
| cd by swamp &c several miles There a few
exceptions this rule, where the points Of nilcXion
tic bend approach cXccc!in near TO each other,
the al the ape: somewhat abrupt; out hrS
We have always regarded ancng tic ivorabi
textures Of c route; for the SUBMITS between the point
Of nearest approach being moderately elevated the lin
by bcnu carried across the intervening dS" may fire.
Gncny save several miles distance in The space Of few
| hundred wards.
This dimnution Of distance is an important, conidcra
ton for railroad may be made TO cut oil more .Ea tai
the principal bends III The river! while The broken groun
upon the dividing ridge, Together with the steep ascent
to he overcome must require SO siiunls line 10 pas
refund the spurs ofthc hills. diminish The abrupncss
their activities that 1t cannot be doubted that the rive
line will be many miles shorter than any praclcahe Gira
route that could he selected between the same points,
And moreover the gentle grades upon it y i'll enable th'
power to work always with lis maximum effect. and a
an increased velocity, Which will again be equivalent
another and very important saving IN distance.
Add 10 these facts the advantages VIC derive from the
cycnncss Of the ground: the uniformity OF the lncNha
ton the comparatively tritlng ccs OF graduating the
way in the valley. aud the facilities Offered tor the
intersection OF lateral branches, and what lninccncn
remain. 10 lis 10 dcPar; from II
We do not propose to go within four miles OF Farm
vile: but we 90 near enough to do for that interest wa
it proposed do for itself; take up the road when
they design making Cartcrsvlc and carry 1t on 10
/ Richmond and connect it with the great line to lie Norli
and South and passing By Scottsvi!c we double the
motives for executing the line from Stantoh 10 li place
and another opening foT tic produce OF 'tochhs
ham, Augusta and the fertile counties adjacent 10 uem
The fears entertained by a Cizcn, with regard tr
other and rival improvements: which arc about to be
undertaken and may be suspended by the accomplish
men, Of this project ere, doubtless real; but that Po
ton of his views will be equally well answered, "hethe
tho line which shall prevail ne that by the river or tic
one among the bills, may waive, 10! me plcsen, w
| discussion of that point. DEDfOleO.
MARRIAGES.
Married. on Thursday ua- by the Rev. MI hrcnS r
nss Dunsan to Mis- IlGfir, Bnrnr boil, Of cntico county
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