Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1845-09-01
To the Editors Of The Lynch burg VrQnian.

The appreciation OF an anonymous writer will afford,
il is true, le To compensate you for the Remuneration
which has assaulted your IN regard the farther
prosecution Of the James River improvement but even
with the usual tate Of those Tho wne without a slona
ture 10 attract Or reputation TO recommend, this com
muncaon Is offered 10 I'LL column, and To evidence
that your opinions not singular the region of couD.
try most interested IN the most udicous improvement BY
Which the produce of W eseTn NIrp ina can be transr
ted 10 the board
The entire revolution ia the course of trade and of the
internal intercourse between The States Of the Union pro-
duced by the introduction Of steam, and its arpca Ion
to beats and 10 locomotives has left Virginia aterna-
tive, but To resort to only Of
her resources, but to preserve the relative
tages which Nature has given her. Were the means
OF niercunnun elsew here still in their prime
simplicity, bateaux and Wagons might compeie with
similar agents OF transportation elsewhere; but, since
these boong 10 bye>gone PERIOD and the Of trans.
porlaton Is So Important All item the of produc-
ton, can Virginia consent that her citizens shall compete
with The producers OF the same staples, other States
under the disadvantages Of double eIshs aud ncalcua
ble deays2
WIN she consent tina, all the advantage. of ira c and
travel shall be osi from the superior facilities presented
elsewheref The mllany Of laws, of language every
civil aud religious privilege, leaves lnlIe advantage
any one Stale vi the Union Others Hence, The tide
OF Immigration must always determine To thuse States
which, upon alr mparlson Of advantages, present the
highest Inducements to our enieIprisng people,
No argument is, however, necessary to that no
alternative is lett Virgins, but adopt some of those
improvements which other States have resored To- She
is drifting fast 10 eewad of the gallant fleet now bound
on voyage So prosperous and So honorable The mosl
important question for consideration is the best means
realizing the Immense wealth which her staples, her
minerals and other natural advantages would with pro-
per System OF improvements, secure 10 her.
lie efforts OF the Legsatur have been for century
concentrated upon The great object of improving the
James River, together with system of roads tributary
to that work. How these attempts have resulted is not
our purpose 10 enquire; but admitted that they have
simply added 10 the facilities Of transportation without
6r"g'ng into production any new region Of country ),
which, without such improvement, would have been
still unculvaled 1t may be safely affirmed that not an
additional acre has been devoted To the culture of our
staples IN consequence OF the construction OF The James
River lanai. Nor has the actual travel through the
State been 50 much Increased by that work to CON
pensae for the expenditure attending its rucllun
II Is therefore clear that, render the expenditure
advantageous one, must adopt Connected work
which will, by reduction of freight, bring into the cul.
ture OF our staples new extent Of country and by the
facilities of travel present thoroughare superior 10
those offered by Other States
The object of This communication will be TO prove that
the extension Of The James River Canal beyond the
Blue Ridge, and Its projected connection with the OHIO,
by the kanawha, can bring neither trade nor travel.
knowledge Of the country drained by the upper
James River will show that there is com paravely little
land which is adapted 10 grain tobacco, aud that the
country intervening between the head waters of the
James and the falls of kanaw mountainous and bar
rem, and presents small surface of arabic land JUS
ufy the expenditure necessary for the construction Of
rail road. The valley Of the kanawha is Of limited
tent. and will be always devoted to the production of the
supplies necessary for the Sanes, and you will be salts
fed upon enquiry, that provisions bear nearly good
price in the kanawha valley this side Of the BIie
Ridge. And in regard to the great products of Salt and
Coa is probable that it is to their interest to seek The
sea>bOard Is 1t not rather their interest preserve the
western monopoly the possession Of which is essential
to their prosperty Let it be borne in mind that the same
rail road canal which carriet Salt from the Salnes to
the -boad convey the Liverpool Salt into the in>
ero-and 10 it for the Salt interest to preserve its
market in The and in the Interior or to invite the
competition of the foreign article? Coal will not, OF
course, be Carried Newcastle And i, is thus demon
srable that The great staples Of the kanawha valley
would not be benefited by improvement. and that no
ancip ated production of the intermediate country could
Justify the expenditure necessary rail road
or canal.
In regard to the products of Ohio, Illinois and Ken.
lucky, which relied by the pioneers of this i'm
provsnen who anticipates any trade in this drec