Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1845-05-01
roR THE yIR6lNiAS.
LIE JANIS ki|fR AMI kANANHA M
PROVEAIENr

PRoNEMENT.-No |.
In some quariers Of This State The opinion is ndus,r>
oaSiy urged thai the James River aud kanaw ha I'M
povemeni is 10 be abandoned in despar of ts MIA
tim. II this be the actual sentiment o, Vir,i;an, .,en
orally We ought TO confess that We deserve 10 have lbs,
me hrs RANK among the States ut the Cnen n in the
prosecutions OF so important work. we recu from every
obstacle OF sink under the first disappointment We pos
stss not The nany energy and perseverance that should
sustain the tue policy Of so great a commonwealth
We Ind ourselves embarked IN enterprise so obvious.
~ essential 10 tie prosperity OF her people that it has en-,
gagged the attention OF her wiscst statesmen for three
quarters Of a century, which was in reality begun only
few years ago aud Of which enough was accomplish
ed III HE of'e space OF uur years, demonstrate that
ms Whole magnificent work is entirely practcable-
Ell as II one spasmodc effort had exhausted our ener
gies, We are idly suffering the plan to be incompe,e
while tie most favorable time for completion is pass
Ing.
What, then, is this work which thus fails to elci, the
constant exerllun of the power and resources oil the
S'a'ef II work Which alone establish this com
n,onwealih on l"ng o commercial equality with her
sister States winch alone relieve her from that sort
oi provincial dependence upon her lhbors into hch
she has been sinking 1t is in fact necessary 10 stimulate
our agriculture, 10 realize mineral treasures 10 en-
fch our cities with the commerce OF the great Nv
which once we gave away aud TO restore Virginia to
her ancient pre- emnence OF wealth. influence and pow
er. u peneirates the heart of The State Though
itself and lis tributaries, will open avenues to market
Tor the productions OF vast region, which would else be
shut in asby Chinese wall BY lis means the timber
aud minerals OF forests aud mountains. inaccessible
viii yield substantial wealth 10 the citizen and the
State. The water power which II absolutely Creates
would suffice for many Lowells, and its value can
scarcely be cunectnred, until the work shall be compile
ted, aud shall be feighed with the grain and the diver
slhed materials of Virginia herself and of the west and
SOUTH 10 be manufactured along the line its eastern
extremity la truth, the internal alone - be
developed by this improvement. greater than nature
has bestowed any State that has projected similar
work. In minerals, Pennsy lvana Is not the equal Of
Virginia. 10 agricultural advantages may compare
with New York or Ohio. What would those States be-
come II their great public works suddenly destroy.
edf Yet with these works already achieved and in OPP
Grafton, they have furnishing villages where We have
only forests; manufactures Nhere we have only barren
mountains and flaming torrents. They have all the actv
ny OF internal commerce, where We have scarcely an
ordinary intercourse among people. Nature has
dowed US with the elements Of prosperity and power
But II weylcd in enterprise aud skill 10 our active
neghbors we may at last find ourselves mere ,Ibuta
res Of hose whom nigh, easily oulsirp.
10 make available The immense natural resources Of
the State, work has been perhaps can be de
vlsed 50 well adapted the James River and kanawhs
Improvement. Aud If To these merely internal effects,
We add the benefits of transit Tor the commerce be-
tween the Fast and the West. We may form some idea
OF the noble part which thu protectors OF this scheme
intended it 10 perform for whole country The
merce between the Atlantic and the Valley Of the Miss
sssIpp is yet In lis infancy. II is probable that at
distant day 1t will give profitable employment to all the
channels that have been projected 10, 1t. Indeed It's
ten, when The population of thai valley shall become
and lis be fully Developed must surpass
the grandest conceptions o the present hour For the
profits OF tins commercials transit and its exchange
other States have c0ntended with an energy worthy of
the prize. We loo have entered the race; and if with
uagging perseverance we 90 on 10 complete great
Improvement, we shall compete for that extensive com.
merce with advantages superior to those Of every III
val
The canal between Richmond and Lynchburg has
been IN use about four years. In all that time It's nav
CATION has never been lmpeded by Ice more than few
days. in any winter, while every other canal leading
from the valley OF the Ohio directly indirectly,
closed usually from four To five months in the year.-
This signal advantage not confined in its effects to the
periods when other works actually obstucled. The
fear of such obstacles happening en- northern routes will
for still longer divert the trade into channel
tina, is known to be free from that of delay. Be-
sides, where boats employed throughout the year,
they can well reduce their charges below those OF other
works that operate only for limited Our route
too will be the shortest connection between tide water
and the central and lower parts of the Ohio valley
This Improvement embraces steamboat navigation in the
kanawha river, 10 the distance OF 81 miles from its
mouth Several plans have been proposed for rendering
this stream navgabe at all seasons, Gas it now is during
large portion of the Year, for such boats run in the
Ohio; OF which it is sufficient at present to say that the
object is certainly at'anable. Now from the mouth of
the Kanawha to the western terminus of any northern
rival Of our line, it is far than SO miles. From
Point Pleasant to Wheeling, the terminus fixed for the
Baltimore and Ohio rail road it is $50 miles-to Pitts
burg about $50. This entire distance be trayersed
by the trade and travel coming from below The kanawha
before they can reach the Pennsylvania Mary land i'm
pruvemen,s But transit o.! 81 miles in another dIec
lion, river scarcely obslIuced, like the upper
Ohio by ice, would bring them TO the real beginning OF
our Virginia work. From this poll being The head OF
navigation the kanawha, To Richmond, the lille is
shorter Than any other which has been probably can
be constructed between the east and the west II it in
clude rail road from kanawha to Covng,on, as for>
mery intended. (and yet must the length of that
railroad Will be hundred and thirty eight miles,
From Covinglon to Richmond the distance is PAT
miles; making the entire line from Kanawha 10 Tide
$50 miles. From Wheeling TO Baltimore, by rail road,
will be- al least the distance From Piltsburg to
Philadelphia, by canal and rail road, it is 500 miles.
To these latter distances be added the difficult
navigation Of The Ohu ABOVE Pt. Pleasant To any one
who is not practically acquainted with that navigation,
The reports Of Capts Saunders and Hughes s. En-
gineers who examined the Ohm with view 10 its i'm
povement, will exhibit the striking change Of that river
after ii 9escends below the mouth of the Kanawha and
especially below Gnyandoiie. 1t is impossible to state
here than the general fact, that at least efouhs
Of the obstacles to The CATION found above
Point Pleasant; below that the dangers and difficulties
are few.
The advantages which these circumstances give to
line every rival. obvious need word
of comment The commerce Of the west is if
choose 10 grasp it. Why we idle?
CLINTON
o. The Richmond Enquirer and lis correspondents
are not at all pleased with Mr.. Hugh A. Gaands letter,