Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-12-05


heretofore recommended. So long as the
Northwestern and Southwestern
portions of the State are without the CONNER
cial outlets which they ought to have, neither
one OF them can be passed by without abso-
lutte injustice. Each one is in need of the
helping hand oil the Statc--each one is entitl-
ed To- receive it, and each one is capable of
making an ample requital for all it may get.
main difficulty in relation TO them has al
ways been, how 10 provide for them all at the
same time without hazarding too far the crea-
ton OF an oppressive debt; or how, ON the 9TH
or hand, to apply the resources of the State to
each one separately and in turn, without ex-
citing the distrust and hostility of the rest? In
whatever way this difficulty may be met,
whether by successive or united provision
it is still certain that no measures can com
mand tho confidence and cooperation which
are indispensable 10 find success, that do not
Ill some form or other, convey satisfactory
assurance TO each particular section that il
will not and cannot be neglected. The nature
and extent OF that assurance, leave to be de-
vised by yourselves. The North west should
be satisfied, that if nothing more is given the
million OF dollars at least, which has been
contingently subscribed for its benefit, should
not be withdrawn; the West, that the promis-
ed connexion between the tide water, and the
Ohio river should be made good; aud the South
west, that its many and its just claims, which
have been SO long and SO injuriously denied.
shall be denied no longer, and that the request
which it now makes, if not substituted by
something better, shall be fully, Immediately
and heartily complied with
In relation To the improvement intrusted 10
the James River and kanhawa COMPANY. |
regret 10 inform you that il is i'm no better stu
ton, as 10 Its progress, than il was year ago,
nor likely to be III any better one, in that res
pect, year hence than it is now, unless tho
company shall be supplied with other funds
than It's own togo on with its work. 1t now
Is upwards OF three years since all operations
upon this line above Lynchburg have ceased,
ana ceased Tor want OF means 10 do more
These means, the Company cannot raise upon
its own responsibility, nor out of any pror-
erty which belongs to it. 1t is without funds
beyond Its daily liabilities, without property
TO CONVERT into funds, without credit to Dor
row them upon, with hundred and forty six
miles only completed oi the four hundred and
elghty committed TO its charge, and with but
a single year remaining of its chartered time
TO complete the residue. Thus situated. il
can hardly be doubted that any further reliance
upon II 10 prosecute and finish its work is
mere Illusion, which could end only i'm disap-
pointment and delay. Tie whole dependence
OIL this company lor some time before ii stop
ped lis operations was, in some form or other,
upon the aid OF the State; its whole depend
ancc now, Tor the continuance of these oper-
atoms, is now upon the same aid. If il is
granted, the Company becomes neither more
nor less than agent OF the State for the man
agement OF Its money, and, in this light con-
siuerlnS tiat II Is mainly corporation Of cor
poTations, whose several functions have moth
ing In common with railroads end canals, and
that Its responsibilities are only TO itself. il is.
perhaps, as little suited for the applica ton of
The public funds, asany agent To which the
Legislature could ever think of committing
Them. AS every dollar, therefore, of the mo-
hey upon which this work is to bs prosecuted,
must come, IL at all, from the State, it is the
clear duty o the Legislature To reserve TO itself
The direct and entire control of all II NAV Grant
and secure its due application under the
most public and searching responsibility it can
establish.
Without adverting to the administration of
ms Company for any purpose OF criticism up
,n its expenditures OF failures, but regarding
i only IN Its actual condition, and seeing that
i has accomplished all that il is able 10 ac-
;omplish, that II is powerless TO do any thing
more, and that II is radically unfit, by reason
d It's peculiar structure, TO act as agent OF the
state In what remains to be done-seeing this,
cannot recommend too strongly the imme-
date adoption vi such measures as shall be
necessary TO repossess the State, with the con-
sent OF the Company, either of the whole line
Oh us WORK or oil the unfinished part of it,
aud that to the end that it may execute il on
It's own account, with all the vigor and d, s.
patch at Its command. Should this be decl-
ned by the Legislature, it is nearly certain,
from any thlnS that can be now seen, that an
lndehhiie, II not permanent stop must be put
To the extension OF the work, and the large
commercial Interests depending upon il be
thereby abandoned. Under the pressure of
THIS overrullng necessity, it may we'll be ex-
pected, that all minor objections TO the plan
81 State execution will be given up, aud that
the State Will promptly interpose to protect
aud save herself. The work, in all its neces-
'ity' magnitude and value, is emphatically her
own work, and her utmost exertions should
be freely given to carry it through
by what mode of improvement, however,
whether by railroad, canal, or some other, this
opJect can be best accomplished, is question
Of some difficulty, and one upon which few
'emarhs may with propriety be offered.
Having examined this question witha good
teal oil care, am satisfied that a railway, all
things considered, is to be preferred that it
VIII cost the least-pay the most in return
by the progress of mechanical invention, and,
when completed. will best promote the gen.
eral purposes of moral as well as physical i'm
provcment. These general points, embracing
all that is wanted in any plan oil
Improvement, submit TO your judgment, in
much confidence, that the more they are ex-
ahmed the more they will be verified. With
out illustrating that Of cost upon comparative
data, II Is evident, i'll the first place, that, as
railroad can accommodate itself to the coun-
Try over which ii is TO be taken, in way
quite impossible TO canal, it has, in this cir
lar greater command than the
otner over It's cost of construction. Besides
ms 1t Is undeniable, that the cost of an i'm
pTovement as financial question, or cues
lion oil State economy, depends more really
ana truly upon the capacity OF that improve.
ment TO reimburse the expenditure upon il
man IL docs upon the amount oil the expendi.
lure ltSeli. Indeed, therefore, by this deGni
tive test, the true question nf ros, ,,L;aL ::