Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-08-15
IMPROVEMENTS

The Wheeling Times refers TO the course ct
this paper, in seeming to adopt the position of the
Lynchburg Nirginian, that il Is doubtful whether,
under any circumstances, it would be expedent TO
carry the Central Work TO the Ohio, on the ori
ginal plan. The Times says:
THAT paper. the virgnian, has advanced the opinion
that the outlay required tor the completion OF the Central
Work the OF the Ohio would be out OF all proper
the amount ot trade which could ever how tn0Hs
it, THIS opinion mainly To- rest upon the assul
fact that sht be carried TO New Orleans (rom -
cinna for exampe) at cheaper rate than could ever
be from the point TO Richmond by n canal The
astonishing statements made as 10 the rates OF
freight ON the Ohio and Mississippi. showing total in
accuracy OF information the subject But 10 neeooSs
To enter details We only ask those intelligent anu
sagscious editors think for a moment Let them not
shut their obvious facts and let them open theH
minds irresistible deductions. Al this moment I'M
mense quantities ot trade carried To the Allan
tic cities way OF the Pennsylvania canal the National
Road, and other artificial channels Virginia herself Is
with the efforts made push forward the Ba;
more aud Ohio Railroad the Ohio Ii is Justly expect
ed the capital which will be invested IN ~
will be amply remunerated Sn the Ohio runs TO the
Mississippi, and the Mississippi TO the Ocean Natural
channels compete with the works have mentioned ms
they will compete with the Virginia Improvement II ic
notion OF the Nrginian correct, II would be fol 10
eompl,,e tie Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and IL was folly
make the fennsy wanna canal aud the various ONO Gu
nails Yet with the experience OF other States this nonon
discovered Virginia. and never III
Virginia kept Lynchburg IL is remarkable that minds
imbued with lofty patriotism, ingenious and 50 wen
informed should ind their expansive purposes oahed
BY chmcras winch simple reflection upon well-known
facts might dispcl."
Facts certainly will dispcl ''chimeras," but 1t
would have been well fthe Times had presented
these instead of merely limiting at their existence.
Ii is admitted on all sides, that to command the
Western trade from the Ohio, our Improvement
must carry flour at less than one dollar barrel,
for which price. 1t can now be carried from Par
kersburg, or Wheeling, either to New York, by
the Canals and Lakes, or TO New Orleans, by the
river conveyances. The Central Work must,
therefore. be Of u character to underpork these
other convevances; and 1t must be constructed on
such terms, as not TO involve the State In debt
beyond its control. Ii must rely, however, as we
have already intimated, principally upon the trade
of the country through which 1t is TO pass-ca-
pable, as this region PROFESSIONALLY is, of an im-
mense increase as population and cultivation shall
advance.
We have hitherto been amused, if not deuded,
by some of the calculations as TO anticipated re-
sults-and realities have fallen much short OF
what seemed to he reasonable speculation, that it
becomes us TO be we'll sustained by facts and cx-
perience, before venturing heedlessy upon an
expenditure OF the magnitude required.
We snail rejoice at any developments which
NAV have n tendency to MAX c the way clear.