Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1838-01-11

his arrangement would improve the corps
and offer 10 private companies experience,
responsibility and economy.
The Principal Engine should 10 ex of
hcio consulting engineer in all Companies in
which the State has an interest, and tu them
IL should be made his duty TO give all The adj. |
vice and aid in his power No subscription |
should nc made TO the capital stock OF any |
company by the Board of Public Works un.
I'll Ice location and plan OF the work # not
made undev their immediate direction. shall
have received their appreciation: and ,nure-
over, the instruments should be raid only
when the work progresses, according 10 the
original plan, and be withheld in case Of un.
authorised departures.
The Principal Engineer ought 10 keen his
oihce IN the place assigned him by the Board,
wherein all the plans, maps, and documents
relative To internal tmpr0v ements, should be
duly arranged, numbered and recorded in
register with corresponding numbers Such
documents TO be exhibited, upon application,
10 all civil aud judicial officers and the di,
reciors OF companies. Aud he ought further
20 he required 10 obtain and record detailed
plans Of oil the public works within theState
and 10 make an annual report on their con.
dition and progress
Great losses must be sustained unless Ike
Board of Public Works are required To ex-
erclse more efficient control ov er the works
10 which II is made 10 subscribe. The char.
ters are generally framed with sufficient pre-.
caution, but as soon as the substitution of
the State is obtained, the companies from
love OF power or the interests Of iudiv iluals,
petty considerations relating Ia farms mis-
taken views OF economy, or the improper in
nuence of contractors, are often induced 10
disregard the advice and experience of the
engineers: the locations and plans are chan
ged, the work injured, and the error discov-
ered when too late 10 he remsdied The
diihculties can only be Obviated by the Board
OF Public Works being authorised To exer,
else proper control over the improvements.
individuals with circumscrihed interests and
views, are not aware thai the undertaking.
they have at heart, may he defeated hy a
more successful line or another mode OF i'm.
provemeni, nor are they competent Judges of
the true economy and fitness ola work. They
form their opinions from imperfect data.
while the Board and its engineers proceed up
on more expanded views
In the present state Of things great caution
should he observed in projecting roads lest
'ney De auected by the superior advantages
OF ha'i Roads. M any, however, are absolute
iy necessary 10 the public convenience. and
r. iE n
would yield an income sullicieat 10 jus,iU in>
divIduals in pesting their funds ia the stock
when they do make such Investments "a
soon as II is discovered that the stock is mn
protliaole, the read is not kept in repair. and
the traveller IS compelled 10 pay for passing
over Inc worst road in the country. Asma
ny VI tnese roads may be vastly useful In the
Puoi'c, ana yel the stock very Improbable
TO The stakeholder. ought not The Stale alone
to lake charge OF them, exercise over them
the entire control, and construct Them 10 suit
the public convenience?
Or this class Of Improvements. some have
oeen made, some are constructing. and 9th.
ers are needed. Among those cons,ructiny
may be mentioned, the North Western
Turnpike, which already giving life 10 that
portion OF the country. Or those made, the
hanawha Turnpike has greatly benefited
The section i: traverses. The road from
olauhten 10 Parkersburg, needs aid. A
turnpike down the Shenandoah Valley. is
saiu 10 he desired by the population, in pre-
ieresce to railroad. And from Lynch
burg 10 the Tennessee line, one is much
needed, unless rail road is soon determined
upon. On this subject il is proper here TO
state, that unless the General Assembly
should consider rail road on the iine of sui.
hcIent public importance TO Justify its con,
siruction at the expense of the Stale, then in
accordance with the wishes ola large portIsn
OF Inc people IN The counties through which
Inc road would pass, | would recommend the
immediate construction OF d well graded Nc |
Auamlsed road. Such an Improvement
would not be all that could he desired. /, |
would not enable the owners ofleaJ salt and
iron works, and the proprietors of the rich
and ineXhaustble banks Of gyusum in tina,
region, TO send the products of their differen,
estates 10 distant market; but il would for
the present, and for many years TO come. an.
swer The purposes of the farmer. and wound
Dring through Virginia considerable nor
lion Oh The western travel which now from
Inc madness OF our roads in that direction
avoids The State altogether. The State oil
tennessee, have every reason to believe,
would extend into the interior of that State
what ever description OF Improvement we
may construct in this.
There are weighty reasons for desiring TO |
see The James River Canal, and the line of
ran road through The State from the District I
OF Columbia TO the North Carolina line.
completed as soon as possible II is, in the
hrst place, true economy 10 press these large
works with all possible energy. IL will
secondly, enable the State sooner to deriyel
profit from her expenditures And lastly AS
soon as The work is finished, we will have a
practical illustration in our own State of the
advantages and disadvantages Of each kind OF
Improvement.
The Richmond and Petersburg Rail Road
company am informed, will fud great diff
ncul'y ~ prosecuting their work, unless the
o'a'e should consent 10 advance them the
balance NJ the subscription 10 ther stock. a.
mounting to about eighty six thousand dol.
lars, authorised 10 be made hv The ri Of .