Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-12-03
James River and l<anawha Company.
REPORT or PRESIDENT GwYNN.
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TAo Plaas aad Fsisrs Prospects Of tLe Work.
Having stated with studied breyity not inconsistent
hope with lucid exposition the condition Of the eompa-
nyh remains Tor to discharge the further duty imposed
upon the president Of submitting soeh other matters As he
may deem interesting"
As appears have been agreed upon by all that the
WORK shall be recommended Lynchburs. where IL
left OIL and the stockholders have already decided upon
the plan, would to be plain duty, accordance
with such decision, simply submit estimate OF the
amount necessary for the prosecution of the work. and th.
duty should, without further comment. proceed exc
cute, were not aware that expression OF my opinion
expected upon the plan which has adopted.
This plan eonemplatcs "the prosecution OF the water
line from Lynehburg through the Blue Ridge Buchanan
Coyngton," and thence to the Ohio by continuous rail
road"
railroad designed like the contemplated, for the
general uaic OF the country in order afford anspora-
uon At rate sufficiently cheap draw upon the produce
and merchandise uutng that traffic. must be sustain
cd by travel TO amount necessary the annual
charges Tor Its management, repairs and renewals But
the Chief attraction Tor travel al tho dav is dispatch
which could not be commanded upon canal portion Of
our line 50 ms 10 compete with rival mproy ement,
ssnng throughout, OF continuous rail road. Ii Is obvi
Gus, therefore, that line the mixed plan
,emplaed subjected will be this species OF compe
uuon must prove complete failure and the only OF
avoiding result disastrous would be extend the rail
road from its junction with the canal. wherever that may
be- rs Tar east as Richmond; in which in connection
with the line OF rail roads TO the NORTH IL would probably
| draw n travel adequate to its maintenance.
II this opinion DC correct and presume will doubt
It, the plan OF the stockholders necessarily involves the
penditue OF millions OF dollars the
railroad parallel 70 their canal; the effect OF which
would be keep down the revenue Of former and d.
minsh that ct the latter. Such policy, IL me-
could only be justified upon the assumption that the
must inevitably prove failure; aud this do consider
in fairness be supported by arguments based upon
failure as far as It has been completed fulfil tho exPee
atons OF the public. What those expectations. were.
know not but certainly they have been founded upon
faeious premises and total ght OF experience
| other lines, At revenue at all commemorate with
its necessary cust, ante pated from IL in
n
barrier Of rocky and dangerous shoals. limiting il TO
| a very partial participation in the trade of the val
Icy, full enjoyment snd devcopement Of which, the
gua projections OF the work could have looked alone
surplus of the ALLEGHENY and tcrmina-
ting AT The other end IN an elevated basin distance from
the shipping which subjects the trade por
tage, what other result could be reasonably expected
Peoiay with the necessity supeadded o, esortng high
tolls for maintenance than that instead OF acclmmoda
ting the trade 1t should drive into other channels aud
that far from bcnoing the country, should actually
reaTd its prosperity Surely appreciation OF the
OF any line OF Improvement requires that il should be
considered whole and insulated and unhnish
ed portion. This, however brings the question Of the
comparative merits OF railroads aud canals the discussion OF
which held Tar too wide for the limits Of this report,
and Is At rendered entirely unnecessary this time by the
report OF MIR Cabe, before you in which the charac.
ter and capacity OF each mode OF Improvement fully and
ably investigated IN arguments deduced from
tua experience, and from UNREASONABLE facts.
Although the cost, well every element essential
just conclusion this important subject i embraced in
the report OF Mr. Ca5e Just referred 10, yet as there
great diversity. Ut opinion this point consider il
ssry de you moment with 4 few remarks.
On 4 OF the works OF internal improve
country, find that the railroads ran
from thousand hundred thousand dollars aud
upwards per mile, and that the disparity the
mas though not great Of a very marked character
The OF BOTH therefore, depend alike upon their
respective plans locations dimensions and the character
II the ground which pass, say nothing
the prces labour and provisions prevailing
OF eir construction. IL IL evident, therefore, that there
be fixed standard for the any kind improve
ment Hence IN The effort to decide between the merits
Of the two proposed modes OF improvement; tie ground
Of their comparative expense, 10 infer that either would
cost greater OF less sum per mile, merely because that
has been the ui other work OF the class
would be the 81 ntauauOn Nothing, fact
be safely relied short OF estimate based upon
u- survey Vi every portion OF the ground winch
Improvement ls Go be constructed aud upon careful
alteration 81 an the when
5ly affect the result.
Happily, in determining what shall be the character Or
or cenir1 Improvement not LETT wander in the
OF conjecture caprcOus comparison Nth other
railroads and canals. Every Of line has been sub
ected careful instrumental surveys, which contained
in detailed reports and maps file the eompanys office
and from these data be deduccd en-
ued to the iues, confidence for accuracy IT, therefore,
the VARIOUS engineers who formerly gave their opinions
the Of r cana. between Richmond and Lynchbulg
without the ala % TN requisite surveys differed widely
from each other and OuI the final result and thus dsap
pointed the public expectation there need and haz
ard Of any such uncertainty and naccuracy in the profess
sional estimates for the residue Of the line.
Having, with the aid OF Mg Gill; the engineer Of the com
pany caiuy reviewed the water line
rom LynchJlTg 10 te mu1h OF the hanawha based
surveys Just adyeTed TO, aGd having examined those
veys with view TO proximaie estimate OF the of
railroad over the ground will proceed the
result, without further preface than simply remark that
the line itself combines advantages for the consruc
ton oi railroad Of canal, than be found any
other line between the Atlantic and the Ohio; for railroad
which entirely pFacucablc easier grades, aad fora
nal, less lOckage
In reviewing the estimates for the water line Ihave
found that those which have been heretofore presented 10
you, based upon the policy oi dmni,hing the frs,
ffH mai f,ffN autam o.
shable materials, to be substituted by those Of perrna-
character when their renewal should be required and
when the revenues Of the company should afford the
slry Being myself 10 favor Of the opposite polio,
OF making all the structures permanent IN the first instance
have added the Increased doing So and have also
judged 1t PRUDENT IN instances make further ad
duon Ut ten cent tor contingencies. These additions
swell the estimate for the line, the follow
ing amounts:
For the tiater souhside 5OD25l p
For he c'mptu o Of the canal from iyncliburg
the North 6Ii4s6 %
For the construction Of The water line from Moth
tona-hanin.. soas7o 90
ptS rom buchanan ." Covington .......... 1882 70
DITTO Gom CavuEton, the Allegheny Gre,n-
tro bridge 90
Duo from Grscnb.er bridge point Nss user
J.! nla below ihe mouth OF CIR oi977O 50
Ditto from ils point lat mentioned the I.oup
creek 'noa the kauawha 299s5O 90
Improvement NJ the Kanawha. below L0up creek
'hoa.. 100000 90
ioGI696O 20
To which a,d ibo aH,.uns already expended a. Col
bows
Frrm Richmond O. Lyn;hburg. .......5 ,0sl3n OF
Rsiyeen Lyn-h1urE md nDrb nveT.. f6J.t52
Pufchalr Of che Richmond dock..... 10000
Paid and due Tor improvement tls.sof. 1890 70
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