Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1845-08-14

Che 1pnchUur0 Stir0iutal.
TIGRSD7Y. AUGUST II. 1916.
James Rirer Improvement pa1ey Uhis-kano,eha
Rtpubiioan.

"Pp" o P'osh pan, W repay ny us revenue me ih'e-
rest upon the cast Of its consltuchu7 Precisely such
demonstration as is uniformly required and given, when
ever an application is made to the Legislature under
take work Of such grea, magnitude and COST and 10
The absence oil which no prudent would invest his
capital in the enterprise, and Wise Legislature would
or ought 10 consent To subscribe the funds loan he
credit OF the State To It's projectors. An attempt was
consequently made this kind Of demonstrations when
the application or the Incorporation of the existing
Company was presented 10 the Legislature many years
ago-But unfortunately, the result, SO far has shown
The "acc"raey ol The data upon which il founded
and the consequent disappointment Of the public in its
results We have been taught, by this disappointment
(Which no one regrets sincerely than ourselves
10 scan with more caution than heretofore the estimates
submitted by the friends Of any scheme no are Tor
Who Imagine that they are) deeply interested IN its sue
cess-iUr We have that the most sacacious minds
IN the State. msled by their praiseworhy anxiety to
promote lis prosperity and 10 elevate its character are
IN danger of being msIed. by permitting Imagination to
nsup the function of reason and installing hopes inspir
ed by glowing fancy for Convictions resulting from he
| exercise of a sober Judgment
The first step To be laken by those who urge The con-
tinna'Ion OF the Canal is to show by estimates of the
amount Of tonnage which will probably seek upon lis wa
tets an avenue In understands formed upon reason
able daia-ihat the tos upon trade WILL by payn the
interest upon the cost Of lis justify the expen-
dnre And the second 10 show that The tolls led up
on The trade in order TO raise that amount be So low
as 10 dlmn'sh and not to add to- the pre- existing cost of
transportation The last Legislature IF Mary land for
example, IN lis act enabling the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal Company 10 complete that improvement To Cum.
berand. required. as preliminary condition To the re.
sumption OF Tie work, that bond and ample security
should be given by responsible individuals that certain
amount OF tonnage, sufficient to justify the addition al
outlay, shall be annually secured to The line Are the
people west Of the Ridge prepared to give a similar
Pedge We lear not; nor indeed do we ask it. All
we desire Is, thai we shall be furnished with estimates
oil The probable increase of tonnage, conseq upon The
! tXieEson OF the canal to Coynglon-and then of its
completion 10 The Ohio river. We say, emphatically
increase Of the lonnage--ior we have now before u.s.
(,hough not yet in Sufficiently perfect form lay beure
the coun,ry the official returns of The tonnage annual
y passing through the Blue Ridge Canai rrlor to IT'S
destruction, Tor several years, and taking those returns
us the basis OF our calculation. the Fncaste
Wing that The tonnage must be least rebied in order
TO Justify the expenditure necessary for the completion of
the canal 10 Covngton Can any reasonable assurance
be given that the completion of the canal that point
will result in that augmentation That is The ques-
ton.
The Valley Wing, indeed points us to the numerous
fertile and productive valleys and to the mineral wealth
IN that interesting PARTON of the State. Tor The develops
ment of vi hose affirm that we are not less
socitcus than itself But preliminary enquiry here
addresses itself the sound Judgment of the people Of
that region which. could they dsesl their minds of the
idea with which they haveheen pre- occupied that the OK
tension of The canal to the point Indicated will necessar
ly enable them Ia obtain market for larger amount Of
their products than they able send, would in
duce them even to doub, the tendency of that improve
ment to promote their interests. That preliminary en-
qury is this: VA The er,cnsoa Of The canal cheaper
The cost Of transportation Because iii will not. it is
obvious that not hushe more of wheat and not a ton
more Of iron will find its way marke, after It's com
7lelon than now, however productive may be their val
legs, or rich In their mounlains. How are we to
decide this question In the first place. We refer to the
existing rates OF transportation from lynchburs to Rich
mond, between which and those prior 10 the CON
slrucion Of the canal between these places there is
any. Scarcely percepube difference. And yet, not
w'lhs,andins the high of tolls the Company has
been annually compelled. for several years past to
draw upon the State Treasury for a large sum to
supply the deficiency between It's receipts and neces
sary charges and expenditures. Ia the second place
we refer 10 the tonnage which down the Blue
Ridge Canal prior its destruction, the nett reve-
nue. from which, after paying charges and even
with higher TOLLS than eXacled upon the line be-
tween Lynchburg and Richmond, was mere bagaielle
While that cansl in existence the nav .a,ion was
safe and convenient. Where, ihen were the products
of the Western valleys and mouniains2 There was no
physical barrier of magnitude enough to osrnc, their
rasSage-and the tonnage being exempt from tolls ex
cep' for about six miles, not hurhened with pecu
mary charges beyond the manual labor necessary for its
conveyance. Is ii likely that when the canal shall be
pleed to Coylns,on at additional of S. 500
QUO. the trade between this pac., and Coyngton will
be quadruned rehed. or even doubled2 VIVA, is 10
increase the amount OF tonnage unless the Of trans
portaton be reduced2 VIII the simple fact that boats
carrying 90 tons will be substituted for baiteaux carry
nc 8, and that 3 or days may be saved "Trip effect
this magical changel We beg Western friends no,
10 be Influenced by that delusive idea Nothing but d.
mlnlshed cost Of transportation will enable people sit
uated they are within reach of stream already nav
eable Tor batisaux to send 10 market larger amount
of he products Of their labor than they do. And
should the cost of transportation perchance he enhanced
(a .hing not unlikely to harpen, tell them The
amount OF their marketable products indeed be
eessary diminished. For, why, do they mol nnw send
10 market more than they dol Is i, not because The
charges 9 transportation repder il unproilablel How
then. ii hose charges should remain high after the
nj the canal n.,v 20