Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1845-05-12
ron THE vIRGiNIAN.
THE JAMES RIVER AND kANAWHA IN
PROVEMENT-NoA

tnON NO. q.
=, ,-.s advanced a motive for ABANDONING Tho MA,
n, ,a rad between Covlngton and the kanaw ha and
Constituting the improvement Of wesiern steamers that
!, would be necessary to construct road with double
,.cL which would be at once expensive n nd difficult
But IN truth The better opinion founded on experience
that double track is useless expense. The estimates
rr,nerly made by the Comrany's Engineers had fer
snce To single track only. In the 4th Annual Re
no,t the President remarks Cat p. 339) Experience
and calculation, however, satisfactorily shew that sin
cle rack judciously planned and well constructed
culd be made 10 give ample accommodation 10 all the
trade and travel which likely pass upon the line ;,
lie adds that by dispensing with second track 81 800
400 would be saved in the construction OF the road
reoor, made the same year and attached the Annual
Resort (p 44Q Sc curtains elaborate caculatun of
be Chief Engineer, Mr.. Elle, prove ',he sufcien.
~ Of single track for all The objects Of the trade" lie
concludes that the day is not distant, when the double
track will be generally abandoned in this country an
unnecessary tax. These opinions no, only acqui-
esced in at the time by all concerned, but they fully
sustained by experience upon rail roads already
.n,cied There is no docbt that single track could
accommodate travel and trade enough to make this
whole line very profitable; and Then If an accumulation
Of business should require another track the ncea
sed capita necessary TO make II will be easily raised.
Correct this subject Important both because
the expense Of double track has conduced To the sub
s;uiion Of inferior plan, and because it nigh, place
the whole scheme beyond the present enter,
urlze Of the State II is quite certain that it will be long
before any other rail Rad between the East and West
will have double track
II We examine then the work which il is proposed
10 substitute for rail road between Covington and
Iut Greek Shoals the kanawha, think it will pres
sent Ille recommend it to prudent minds. Greenbri,
er river for distance of 40 miles aud 50 chains,
be converted into alternate canals and sIackwa,er; OF
which % miles, aud As chains to be canal and q
miles aud 5 chains sackwa,er. This is To he accom-
compshed Nv means Of l3 dams and 4 guard aud 90
lift locks, with aggregate fall OF BIG feet The es
TINA ted Of this part Of the work Exclusive OF land
= In q
hrier, hu" ever, co,nmences w'rk which is likely to
prove as fanidah'e by its magnitude and expense as
it may be unsatisfactory IN its iesus. II Is designed
10 provide navigation fr steam boats in New River,
whic, is thus part described. Fur l3s miles below
Gr,enhrier lis surface, g.n-raly between PERCEPTIONS
cliffs, freq ently expands IN width from COO To 1900
feet and average descent is rs feet per mile Thence
for 8 miles. 10 Bowers ferry, the channel is
ed aud It's cutut much RAPID; the average fall be
my 500 ,e,. Thence Tor Il miles lin which The fall
is $40 ee it uudetsoes another change aud frequent-
ly forced through passage vi 90 feet Rocky cliffs
rise either side from 500 To 1000 feet, and this
channel is frequently imIeded by large masses
Of rack in its bed. Through this terrific dtfle" says
Mr.. Ghl, cts waters are fnced steep aud abrupt
tails with the rap,dIy of mountain iorrent." After
m,derle de scent oi feet per mile, Tor 3 miles reach
the Great Falls oi kanawha, where the descent is %
feet From the foot Of the Fails 10 the foot If Loup
Ctrk Sh ais "a miles and II chairs) the descent is
22l4 feet Thus in The whole distance oi 90 miles and
% chains The fall in this $50 feet. Ia portion
rise ifum 80 to 50 feel above ordinary level. To
able steam boats carrying freight towing canal boais)
to navigate lhs {" abrupt falls aud terrific dtfes
it is pFea,.s,d build ~ dams varying in length from
200 To l7,n Get, and in height from To 90 feet To
these aid. I'd Az locks. 81 that from Greenbri
or Bird - 10 Iuup Geek Shoals the dams number /
and thr guard and ifi lsks GS.
Tia. r" sstpnt a tis 7iL Apnnal Report remarks that
,i"- dih ssths oc'ns'rursia erowIDg out Of the
Ia.idir N The cures" the low part Of this line be
ti,s(I EaII doubt
'"9 ghu." But the Engineers ihnuaht that 1.-THE
h"S- and Jams may Ike constructed aud rendered pefna-
nen, ios II aii''um of The tsiinaie' The estimate
hr New Il yer Is So .OG5.7t0 aud foe the entire VOL
h"n q titr Bridge S2.eoi .!55. But experience
~ iae chsru",i"n Of similar works-such those on
Tie Musiiugu "shouId lead us 10 expect that the ac
'i"' e-' would Tar exceed that sum- or any sum which
NE Company cuid ever prubably cummand Tor the pur-
Sc. MI F.liet Appeals to have presented Just view
I" ms undertaking. ''i is however. tar ro,n nv de-
SIG" tsad h") IN adopt The suppus, tina, this or any
"cf tt~i should lead 1" an attempt 10 improve the bed
at New River or carry the canal across the Allegheny
Though hath are physically possible, practicable
when stuken Of with reit the ability Of the State
y"' "n considered Objects al exredency they must
lie laid as"c fer other times. The Of such an I'm.
d. rahing would lax the Of the work with an
interest, The buIien uf which the trade that might be
passed through the locks could hardly discharge con.
ser therefore that such sch,me. r the future
should not now he entertained. >" sd. An. Rep 1863
Locking Ia the character ot these streams, could
system OF hcks and dams proposed for Jalaes River
ie President, ia his 9TH Annual Report, remarks thai
'"m the experience oi the Company with the few dams
n"~ existing, SCARCELY year would pass without the
occurrence of numerous breakages IN tins chain Of
works, happening Vi them in the winter Or surinu
season. without the possibility of ~ epairet and
s'Ine"y 'oierap;ing The line Of Trade until the return
'I low water IN tie following summer autumn" It,
ihf last ANIMAL Report tie views still more
Pimediy inf reed. Now in those huge "mouniain tor
fehis ii the wes, the king of one dam ia would
I've te9neat occurrence. and break in might sus-
pend naSigata Gf a u ole season.
Bat. sdpposag them To lsp permanent, what would he
ga'ned by iais eNp,dilue Steam heats would
tie adIaitel sone 20 mile. hg her along the iae. Then
irgins canal and slack water naVisatn pr canal boats
iietr ias be trans siipnea I,ea afet 50 mites of
canal and slack water auohef change made from boa
to Wagons; add afterwards again tom the wagons To
hdsis. These several trans shipments aust occur at
feast 10 all trade cunning from be ond Punt Pleasant IL
steam hoals ir,m the OH" could up Greenbrer
bridge perhaps s"methi,g would be gained compen
safe TOT The Disadvantage Of MAdamzed rad the
mounian. Bot that would facilitate the trade
as much as The rail road. The latter would receive
freight directly from steam boas coming from all parts
OF the valley ofihe Mississippi, and being the
cars II would he handled 10 except be placed in
ihe Company's boats at CGvinotnn.
II therefore we examine the plans with reference
10 cost the speed chearness aud convenience Of trans
portation or the freedom from accident inerrupun
the preference due to the rail road This preference
would hold good if the canal continued through
The Allegheny. Besides the facts already stated, is TO