Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-02-05

Iment is unnecessary 10 prove that no other speers o.
TRANSPORT could compete with such line iof 'e "eu''
products Of lhe interior. 49,, ,, n ,bs
II ,s only necessary TO trace upon the map VI '"e
c,ae in. coufsc of these rivers, 10 perceive NUMBER
e tributary lines both by land and by wafer afc1ay
| ';,,.,, - hereafter 10 be inrmed from within our
own limits aud from within Tie ini's o 'i'e "'J's
Stairs So 1, ,u,,s,
,. ,,bn,arv roads which unnecessary to specify
attention is al once attracted 10 the tw" railroads
CONNECTING the coal pits i'll ienrco win Tie Canal
near Tuck hoe aquedutt and the Alahpk nlowh elJ
TO the Rivanna navigation extending rom enaii"'u
VILE TO Colunbla--to The turnpike foad rom v
- Scot,sye, now united nj the former point 10 Tue
Stae Road TO Parkersburg-to the road leading rom
The Valley BIZ way Of the Eye river and Blue huge
,urnnke 10 the town of New Market at the mouth OIL
Tee riycr--o the North river Navigation terminating
~, e mass through the Blue iidge-to the valley road
lca,ng by the way Of S'aunton and Lexington 10 'h'
Town Of Buchanan-to the road from The Warm ana
liz, Sorinns down Jackson river 10 CorinEion-ano
10 the conpany's turnpike from the falls OF hanawha
TO Covinston ,uo-
..r;or roads our attention next attracted to the
lanes River and Black Heath, the Dnva and the lLtna
railroads. leading from the Cheslerhea ana lowhatah
Goa, mines and terminating the two former on the re-
nuen, waters ut Boshers dam, anu the iatter OIL Tue
I,mes river about nineteen miles above Richmond-to
tho road leading from Farmve TO Cartersrille-o the
other roads leading from the counties OF rrince fawafu
and Charlotte across the intermediate conhles 10 e
hr;d TO be erected James river above oatersSe
NJ ba road from Danyille 10 Lynchburg-to the road
from ABINGDON 10 Salem, branching thence to Lynch
huro and Buchanan-to the road from New river ny he
wny of Fncastle To the town Of northumberland 10 he
road from Union By tie way OF the Sweet springs 10 tue
town of Covington.
10 these NAV be added, at The Western termination
of The main trunk of this Improvement the road lead
;no from tho mouth of Greenbrer by the way oil Logan
| Courthouse 10 the Northwestern extremity OF the
State and the road from the same point up We" river
and in,e rsectng with the State road leading from 'e
month of East river 10 the Southwestern extremity OF
| The State
| In addition TO the existing lines which have been
enumerated we have already had evidences OF The ten
dency Of the improvement 10 Introduce new Tributary
lines, 10 improve those already existing, IN Tue re-
cent movements the Rvanna, on the willis $, ana
On the North rivers; III The late rfnc'f din9s al iie
Chrstiausb,Irn Cony enlion relative TO the Southwest
ern road and the sudden transfer Of The trade Of Inc
turnpike through the Valley 10 the coastng vessels
plynr between the Northern cities and The Eastern
end Of the line. These will soon be followed by IN.
movements on Craigs creek the Cuwpasture river,
and lhs Upper Jacksons and Grcenbrer rivers; and
these araln in due BY numerous other tributary
streams which are susceptible Of various degrees Of
Improvement, and numberess land routes in addl-
lion 10 those which have already been established
Upon the New River arm, 10 say nothing oil Inc
rous tributary streams heading opposite to, and capa
bic NV short pnragcs and perhaps by continuous wa
Ter llnes) of connection with the different head waters
of the Cnch and llolston Rivers, flowing in cores
pondlnp valleys towards the heart OF Tennessee. Inc
hoad waters Of New River itself in like manner approx
innate 10 the head waters Of the Carolina rivers, with
which by short porlages other valuable combinations
NAV hereafter he formed. Extensive land routes to all
parls Of the State of Tennessee, and probably 10 the
States further South, will add to the number OF tIbu-
J tarleS To tins Inc.
From Tie Western end Of the main trunk at the
mouth of Gfcenbr:er river, new road would doubtless
soon be constructed passing IN westerly direction, ana
reaching Eastern borders Of Kentucky, IN less than
one hundred miles, and opening to that portion OF That
State an avenue OF trade shorter and better than any
other whatsoever.
Passing to the kanawha arm, we see besides other
tributary streams which will doubtless be- hereafter
improved the ELK river already nav.aed at some sea-
sons of the year for upwards of60 mics, and capable
By very short porages OF being connected with Green
bricr river and the Little kanawla rivcr, which latter
stream is also capable Of being connected by very
short portage with the North fork Of the lonongahc!a
rver-the whole forming combination which Will no
doub, add greatly to the welfare Of that part Of the
State and hereafter to the tonnage Of this line.
But here our attention should be chiefly directed 10
the connection be formed through tins arm OF the
Improvement with the towns and mouths Of rivers on
the Northwestern frontier Of State well as with
the various border States and Territories along the
/
upon this Of the improvement, will embrace the
trade of the ourishng cities Of Wheeling and PITTS
burg as well as of the counties lying upon the Big
Sandy, Gnyandotte, Little kanawha and Monongahela
rivers when those streams shall be hereafter adequate
" improved; and thus overcome the barrier which Sc
parates those cities and counties from the Eastern po
ton of the State But taking still wider range, our
steamboats, will open active commercial intercourse
between Richmond and the cities Of Cincinnati, Louis
vile and ST. Louis Through The steamboat lines now
advancing up the Muskngnm the iiockhocking the
! Licking Kentucky and Green rivers, they will pene
tratc 10 the centre Of tile States Of Ohio and Kentucky
AT those Of the year when the water OF the
Ohio shall be more than five feet deep, the canal boats
OF the East, with mere change OF tactie power ut
the mouth Of Greenbrcr river, and without breaking
bulk will be lowed 10 all the points embraced in this wide
range of Western connection boats oil suitable
dimensions constructed as to carry the towing horses
on board upon reaching the mouths oil the Nortiwes
tern Canals Portsmouth Cincinnati, and other points
along the Ohio river, might resume horse power and
proceed throughout the vast line OF canal navigation
formed and forming in The States Of Ohio Indiana and
Illinois and returning with the produce OF those States
in place of their outward bound cargoes, would, with
like exchange Of tracte power, reach the Eastern Ter
minaon Of the line II is probable Also that the State
Of Ohio might find il practicable and advantageous 10
make branch canal connecting the Western termina-
ton of our line directly with the main line Of her canals,
so prevent any interruption ut the low stages OF
water in the Ohio river. Thus the whole Of the canals
the States oil ONO, lllInos,
INV contribution on the part of this State the capital
of those works. would be made 10 extend our line OF IN
land navina,on uninterrupted by trans.shipments or
poriages throughout the fertile and populo,s territories
ordered by the Southern shores Of the lakes and the
| Upper Mississippi river.
Let i, he ccollcctcd that for nearly six months of the
year no line of transport leading from those distant
rions to the Atlantic ports could compete with the Vr
ainia route inas,nuch the water line through the
lakes and the Northern canals would be blocked up
with ice and any line Of railroad communication tina;
might be- formed substitute, would be nnaroidably
subisc, the heavier charges which are Inseparable
from that species Of transportation.
Let il also be recollec,ed as stated in The fourth
annual report, p ,G0l) that, in addition TO the other
superior advantages possessed by the Virginia line IN
point of distance, mildncss Of climate and centrally
Of termination upon the Ohio river and the Atlantic
border lis trade will be protected in time Of war by The
cross lire n, the Rip Raps and Old Point Comfort and
whilst the Mississippi, the New York, and other routes
might be blockaded during such periods, this would