Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1845-12-11

xxi COIuHldlitt tudl tIC CtuCI OFCl NS
cost Of construction. Besides this, il
is undeniable, that the cost Of ar
improvement, as financial question,
or question Of State economy, depends
more really and truly upon the capa-
city of,hat improvement to reimburse
expenditure upon it than It does upon
the amount of the expenditure ITSELF
Judged, therefore, by this defnitive
test, the true question Of cost, which
is at issue between these respective
plans Of improvement is, which will
afford the best return upon its outlay,
or which, in other words, for it is the
same thing, will best answer the gene
raj wants of transportation? To this
The reply.is obvious, that the improve
ment which is intended TO meet and
answer these wants, must be commen-
snrate~ with them, and as they extend &c
the Transportation of persons.as well as
of property, It must be suitable ane
sufficient for Both. fit IS not suitable
for that of persons, or SO much less SC
than neighboring or rivalimprovements
as to be rejected for them, then it is a
once deprived of its most essen,ia
means Of usefulness and support, for o
all commodities requiring transpora-
ton none require it SO much as persons,
and Of all others none pay to the car
rier SO certain and SO high a profit upon
SO small an amount Of bulk, insurance
and risk. Any improvement which will
lose these, will lose the very best Of
Ms customers, and will be in constant
danger, besides, oflosing the power TO
ma;ntaM itself. Indeed the uniform
reliance Il most works intended for
nublic accommodation upon passen-
aers fsr-rheir principal revenue, is such
and SO well ascertained, that no costly
and extended one depending for the
most part upon the business created by
itself, it may be confidently said, could
be supported without them. In order,
therefore, to answer public wants, and
TO sustain itself, the Improvement
which is to connect the James with
the Ohio river must afford TO the travel
between that river and the Atlantic as
desirable and decided advantages as
any other improvement, OR this great
and indemnifying source of.proft must
be chiehyif not entirely lost. But this
not even the canal could afford, were it
ever so perfectly executed, and were it
at this hour actually open for use in
connection with steamboat navigasion
on the Kanawha river. Were it so,
it would require about FIVE days TO
make the passage from the river to
Richmond, whilst it would require a.
bout three or three and half days to
make it by Wheeling through Baltl-
more and Philadelphia to New York,
from the same point of departure
This, in most cases, would be decisive
with the traveller in returning him from
ours to another route. II, however, a
railroad were made upon the nnfnish-
ed line of the James River and Kama
wha Company TO Point Pleasant, or
Guyando,te, it would afford the short
est connection in time by which TO
reach New York through Richmond,
and would no doubt secure the travel
and the profit upon it which the canal
would lose. But that is no. all; by
securing travel, freight is also secured.
This is the peculiar and controlling
principle in railroad operation. Hay-
ing no superior for passenger transport
tation, the railway relies upon that for
its expense, and is thus enabled, where
the reliance is safe one, to relieve the
freight out of the profits of the travel,
and especially would ii be enabled thus
to do in the case of a State improve
ment where the charges will be
restricted to mere remuneration and re-
pair.
In addition TO this it may be remark
ed, that it is the peculiar and happy
faculty ofthis kind Of road that it can
be adapted to any rate ofmovement,
and any one of burden, and with an
apparent capacity under the progress of
mechanical invention for an almost in
definite increase in the degree Of both.
Whilst the rate Of passenger speed is
checked only by the fears Of the pas
senger, the rate Of burden transporta-
lion has been gradually raised from
some three or four times the weight Of
the engine to some twenty times that
weight, and the engine increased from
four or FIVE tons to fifteen Or more, thus
showing progressive power Of accom-
dation for all uses at least as great as
those uses can ever require.
AT what point upoh the line of the
James River and Kanawha Company,
the railroad, if adopted, should begin,
and by what particular route it should
be conducted, are controserteG ques-
lions Of exciting local interests, which.
I commit 70 you, in the perfect conf
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