Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-03-24

opponents of this measure from every part Of the Hall,
though it were species OF axiom That the estimate
is based on facts purely legitimate, and that It's "9hua
tons firmly fixed in TRUTH the abotve efforts ot our
opponents mpugn and destroy them, afford me hgh'
eat evidence That all the Antagonist items when are
entitled TO be considered offsets or charges upon he
Internal improvement fund are falry ana properly SUI
ted is not denied but pretended that The estimate OF
the profits upon the works in process of execution and
upon those contemplated, is extraVagant dehli men,
said Mr. P, wiser and more experienced lhah our Ghg
neers who generally presumed 10 De pest acquainted
with these matters and wiser and more astue tnh lat
numerous and intelligent class Of the community who
have vested their money In many Of lhese schemes
after close scrutiny into the chances OF reimbursement
have come 10 the conclusion that they are all visionary
sp.cuations and doomed to dsappoint and ruin those
who engage in Them 1t is true, said MIR. p, as has
been said by the Anti.mprovement gentlemen, that
considerable reliance placed upon The anticipated pro-
fits from the James River improvement And this esll,
f.N,c being conectural, he knew OF no better moae OF
the truth than by consulting those who
hu ne epbaked their fortunes in il, aud whose interests
have led them TO examine il narrowly The testimony
of all then he said, would than sustain The mum
BILE eslimaIe-lf said MIR. P, the nuuret wisdom OF
Marshall in The East and the COOL calculating Praciico
good sense Of Breckenridge in the West and tie com
6ned intelligence Of the most enlightened portion OF the
State after long, and anxious, and thorough ihVesu
cation of the utility and poductiveness OF 'hs WORK
could cheerfully embark all their available means in IT,
and aopea in all The sincerity Of burning patriotism,
TO their fellow citizens 10 unite IN It's construction
think we may safely rest with this Assembly The very
humble estimate which we have placed upon lis prodnc
tiyeness upon this authority, in opposition TO the round
and unsus,ained assertions of the gentlemen from Prince
Edward and Aalax.-Mr. 2. said that he should there
fore claim with confidence thut the calculation Ut The
profits from this work, Which had been used in the imam
cal estimate, and which confessedly SO far below
the estimates Of persons emnenty qualified should
be received until stronger argument than The emp
ty deuuncialons of enemy the bold assertions OF
inc perience were offered
II, ii,oro Of
revenue relied upon the contemplated improvements,
and these but for very limited amount and tor short
period He said, that the gentleman from halifax, IN
combating this OF revenue instead oil dlssecng
and sitting and exposing the extravaganza oil the very
moderate and guarded estimate which we presented,
launched forth into denunclaory attack upon the re-
port of The Principal Engineer in which the estimates
were more than times higher than we eaImed and
having in the blindness OF his zeal Imagined that ne
had utterly demolished the Eng neers report he very
gravely and most logically concluded, that our estimate
by consequence shared the fate. He said That not
feeling disposed to admit paraogsm so palPable, he
felt authorized by the failure oil the gentleman to object
specifically 10 the dividend claimed by the friends OF the
report in constituting it into admission of lis correct
ness But this he said unnecessary 10 those, SAID
Mr. p who familiar with the trade and travel OF that
section of The State which will be accommodated by the
South. western road and with the powerful au1arIes
which it will receive when extended Knoxville not
ONLY the moderation of estimate will he mani
fest the much derdcd and apparently extrnvagan cal
caalion Of our Chief Engineer will be found upon
animation 10 be entirely within the bounds n probability
Fortunately said Mr. P, were not driven upon The
anciful specuations Of its ardent friends for the main
enance Of our opinions In the year 1881, convention
was held 10 the town nf Abingdon, composed of Dele
gates from the city Of Richmond, and all the in,ermedi
ate country to Knoxville in Tennessee, who, after
fully collang all the facts necessary in enabling them
to determine whether the tonnage and travel Of this route
would justify the expense of railroad decided most
confidently in its favor From the report Of their pro-
u L.. 49, 81,
transported by wagons amounted to 1887 imports, and
G0352 exports, making an aggregate OF 6I,6f9 tons
calculating The imports at cents per mile, and the ex
ports at cents it gave nearly FIVE hundred thousand
dollars They then deducted third from this amount
10 cover the error in the calculation from snme of the
EXPORTS and large portion Of the imports being dstri
buted along the line instead Of being carried the whole
wey through This left for imports SG4 79S for exports
S267 1863, making an aggregate OF 332 76l, which, tax
ing the cost OF The railroad from New river TO Knoxville
at So Ing 900, would produce dividend OF upwards OF
10 per the cost of that part OF the road from New
river Knoxville per cent. on 81 AUS 600,
the total Of constructing railroad from Lynciburg
To Knoxville In this calculation, the tolls accrung up
on that portion Of the line between New River and
Lynchhurg, and which would unqueslionably be the
most productive, excluded. Nevertheless, SAID MT
r., the Convention had hesitation in saying upon
the very nesgre information which they possessed TINT
this section would yield least ~ per cent TO the stock
holders in the then condition Of The trade of The country
And this too il will be observed without relying upon
profit be derived from Inc transportation pas
sengprs which Of itself, have doubt 10 justly con.
sidered by Chief Eng as the mostrauable source
of revenue-Mr p said lhn in addition to the facts
ELECTED by this Convention there was most important
New River, in The wear 1886 From this it appeared,
that between thirty -four and thirty five thousand ira
vcllers crossed a, that single point during the year
These, said MI p together with those VINO crossed at
the fords and ferries above and below wona
probably swell the estimate between 40 and 50 0O0
This travel he said the ordinary charge OF SIX cents
per mile, would give income OF So76OOO, OF between
IL and 20 per cent the whole cost OF construction
Thus showing the ability of this improvement TO sus
tain itself by derae toll upon the travel and conse
queEty removing the necessity OF heavy lnPosts upon
the agricultural and mineral products of the country
But said Mr. Peyton when you recollect that the mo-
ment YOU construct this work, and thus remove the
mountain barriers which separate this country from
market you at once awaken The Industry aud stimulate
the energies of s nhabtans and that you develop the
varied and nexhaustihle mineral and agricultural re-
sources of Of the airest and most saubrIous Pnr
tons IF the State. reginn where lead, SALT gypsum,
coal iron and an xuberan fertility of soil have been la
wished with almost prnigal profuson-it is impossible
said he conceive the width and depth OF the stream
enriched from all these prolific sources. which will pour
it's golden food upon commercial marts, exciting
their enterprise, and renvigoa,ing their languishing
commensurate only this, said Mr.. Peyton, but when
the shall have been extended to Knoxville short
distance beyond Southwestern border 1t will con-
snte the focus of improvements radiang 10 the At
lanc on the one side the Ohio on the other and the
Gulph Of Mexico the third embracing within lis
influence two.thirds Of the Confedcracy and drawing
within lis vortex, by the attraction Of its being The
nearest natural and direct route To the East, the
largest commerce ever enjoyed by railroad and
amount Of travel beyond the anlicpaons of the most
sanguine and credulous. But, said MIR P, will not
fatigue myself waste the time Of the House, in prov
ing The value and producveness ola work. against which
no, single plausible argument has been offered The
ingenious gentleman from Halifax himself finding that
closer scrutiny into estimate of the profits from the
James river and Kanawha Improvements and the South
road, wa, more likely TO prejudice than promote
his cause seemed to yield the point, and, sinking the
dust of the Old Dominion from his feet, he embarked
upon the railroads and canals of The great States of Penn
sylvania and New York. quest OF facts to support bis
theory There, said Mr. p. eutrenchng himself behind
r,n,nnr oF rpnorts and mnnsnu rihmet ca IN cnln.