Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-01-06

the best imaginable foundation for railroad supersrue
tuic OF the heaviest Kind.
Ills believed, however, that MeAdamtsd road whose
maximum grade shall exceed three three and half
degrees, will for many years come the purposes
and give entire satisfaction 10 the majority Of the
gicu which u will traverse. 80 -
The Canal ought to be carried bsyoad Lynehburr. be-
cause some $<0O000 have been expended seady for that
purpose, and the sum Is too throw awsy,n
be reclaimed and made available. ~ ~ -
sm aware that the popular this PROPOSE
ton the slang Phrase that good ought TO be
thrown sitter bad acknowledge tho folly Of perssng
IN an obviously bad course, and grant the applicability Of
the adsge where scheme. In which money been en-
parked. developes itself be inevitably or even probably
losing onein such wisdom suggests il. abandon
ment even al the sacrifice of the fret outlay Bot here
manifest Think that the probabilities prepondetate in
favor " the opinion that the fund already spent be
Cd and even made profitable by spending in the
Again. when would make an investigation Of the
actual circumstances OF the case, and a and
serious calculation OF the chances OF profit BY the extern
sion oi the Canal which the only that practical
men ever adopt when about embark any enter
we are met by the faeeuousncss OF press which tells
us that Virginia Is tired OF going canains and by the
assertion that 1t Is at beet, but snuqusted system
urey exploded and far behind genius Of the age This
so general proposition and tho perhaps generally true,
abounds with exceptions. There certainly situations
where the most nadrsrosdist will admit that Canal
better improvement than Railroad.
But IN the present case, iho'e who cry down with the
lanai, propose nothing IN place OF IT, They would leave
the river at Lynchbug. and expect of It's
borders above, TO be reconciled their nj by
n
with tie spirit OF the times
Surely Canal up the river with its mesgre ad-
vsnages would be better for those who than moth
ing At ell.
Lynehbarg Is derived from the fact, that old Blue
Ridge Canal. which demanded by the necessities of
even twenty years back has been rendered entirely useless
and u Is due 10 those who depended upon their out
let TO market. TO provide them q substitute for It, They
are now compelled to have recourse the
OF Their descending aud returning reghts their ancient
ed r.rkr IL, ..,l
tunnaygaoe channel Of the overland this, con
uacted and made worse than originally by the very
stiemp, to widen and improve the Canal.
The consideration OF the manifest injustice Of wrestling
from large portion OF the community privilege OF such
long standing as 10 have become indispensable It's well
fare without replacing the loss by any equivalent coupled
with the inct that the work between Lynchburg and the
mouth OF North rvsr already a very advanced cond
uon place beyond all question the completing
the canal to the latter point; and If this be DONE
tension thus lar, will furnish strong for con
tnuanee ia miles further Buchanan, and for making
that town tue terminus OF the Southwestern
tor this pa mile section ought have the advantage OF
being fed by the trade OF the Valley; and this trade is
conducted by Railroad 10 Luxembourg, oil this advantage
lost by pouring ino the side Of the Canal point SO
much lower down
is ue that where the Canal is brought up To the mouth
OF North rSer II will have passed the Eastern mountain
boundary OF the great Valley, and will catch some of its
CUSTOM but will only be much skirts its border IN
Will not yet have felt the full force of the mighty current
which Is destined To sweep hro its whole BREADTH and il
ought therefore, u be carried EDWARDS Buchanan which
about ITS CENTRE that It strike deep into heart OF
this magnificent region, eemng with its undeveoped and
unappropriaIed wealth.
The stock Of the Canal ha, meyer had fair chance of
becoming productive because il has yet been pushed
lar enough 10 reach quarter from which be rca
sonaby expected TO derive any important sustenance Ii
precisely in the position OF shaft sunk in the direeton
OF mne which has just encountered some of their ram
hcAuons OF the and has plunged the midst
OF the rich, and valuable mass.
When i, shall have arrived Buchanan and been met
by the proposed Southwestern Road great 10
lts revenues may be fairly predicted.
The rapid ratio Of increase OF the revenue from line of
improvement as II advances hro' country of equal and
uniform producveness furnishes another strong argument
IN favor OF the extension.
To illustrate this, suppose, for the convenience of using
round numbers that the distance from Richmond to Lynch
burg is $50 miles, and thence Buchanan so miles more;
suppose that there Is distributed equal intervals along
the whole ne tonnage Of 80 per mi e. and that this
trade pave toll Of per ton per mile; now if the
Canal terminate at Lynchburg, the will amount to
SleO,OOO, whilst II II be carried Buchanan, only one
Third farther ii will 1920 OOO or nearly double
the results upon the fret hypothesis.
The actual distance from LYnchLurg Buchanan is IS
miles, and tho improvement be finished the latter place.
the following consequences will probably be Produced
muen OF the tonnage from the nterme region which
now enters Lynchburg by the river and other ways will
use the cana! that ii will 10000 tons this
paying cents per ton per me and being transported an
average Of 22t miles, will contribute annually TO the com
panys receipts $780, which lost Beaides this we
may safely calculate that which now seeks mar
ke by other channels will prefer the II the cana this
being carried OF 40 miles, will pour into the
company's Golfers S3i00 more; ii the proposed Nc
Adamzed road 10 the southwest be made not extrav
agant to expect tho; al least 90 GOO additional will an
nusy traverse the entire distance from Buchanan to Rich
mond, which at the same will add $1,000 more To
the yearly income from the work.
The effect OF the extension Vil thus be- TO swell the
conpany's receipts least Sll5,0 a sum sufficient to
pay the annuity OF S2 900 stock holders OF the old
canal (Which 1t will be recolecied is perpetual and must
be paid whether the work abandoned no 10 keep in
repair and, and six pet the extern
sion.
by reference to Col CIozes letter TO the speaker of the
House OF Delegates dated January 18th 1912 Doc No 25
appears that the length Oi rail road from Lynchburg u
Salem will be 6Is miles, that the distance
% Salem Is 30 miles, the latter being point common TO
both routes Taking his Of the cost Of rail road
$4,000 mile, and that Of McAdamzod road 1880
mile and assuming the completing the canal to
Buchanan to be $780, 0OU we ihal have
Cost OF a rail road from Lynchbuig Salem l35OOOO
McAdsmized road from Buchanan
Salem SiOI 500
Extending canal to Buchanan 100000 sol 500
Excess OF cost Of rail road S54S5O0
The distance from Salem to tho Tennessee line being
l42 miles the cost Of continuing the McAdsmzed road to
Tennessee will be S497 900. IL thus appears that the
mixed line Of canal McAdsmzed road the Tennes-
see line bo completed for less than IL will cost 10 make
a road from LyDchburp to Salem