Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-01-15
make the connections and other Improvements

on winch Inc argument In favor OF tniS Improve
nent were based, we're not speculative, but mat
ter OF fact, and The conclusion was correct, that
the revenue which would accrue would consde-
rably exceed the interest on The expenditure. he
quoted the Presidents report 10 sustain bis vote.
Messrs. PATRICK and DORMAN further
sustained The amendment. Mr.. D. commended that
the people Of Kanawha were compelled TO pay
tribute 10 The Stale for a miserable sluice nay'ga-
tion-tha, they had contributed about $40, 900
10 the James River and Ksnawha Company
and were paying annually into the Treasury Tor
their miserable navigation from 50 ,00O TO $4,000.
Were they always TO be KEPT tributaries and never
to have any thing in returnl Give them The inn
provement-and they would have place TO de-
tain boats and collect tolls. The revenue from
the works would reach $4,000 per annum. AS
an evidence Of The loss from the want OF this i'm
proyement, Mr.. D. stated that the uncoliected
tolls amounted 10 $4,000.
The question on the amendment was put and
carried without division.
!. Mr.. NEWTON next proposed TO amend me
bill, by inserting an appropriation oil sou Ooo DOL
lars, TO complete The connection between the basin
at Richmond and lide-waler. MIR. N. sustained
this motion briefly, representing the tde-water
region as utterly deprived OF all benefits from the
CANAL and that one of the earliest promises OF
The company was, that there should he connec-
lion between the upper and lower James river
Indeed the tide-waer people were not as vel of
as before this company commenced its improve
meni; for they then had connection between
lide.waler and The dock, which they were free TO
use. That had been destroyed, and they had
nothing in place OF il. He had the authority of
the President for saying that The revenue TO be
derived from this connection, would be more Than
sufficient 10 raise twice the amount ofthe capital
required TO complete it.
Mr.. WATTS sustained The amendment, and
read from the report of the President Of the
James River and Kanawha Company, TO show
the advantages 10 trade and 10 the company IN
pecuniary point of view, from the connection.
Mr.. LANCASTER followed in speech IN
which he gave the history OF the Richmond DOCK,
from its Incorporation through the brief period oi
which il was used the manner in which il was
made useless by the deposies Of Shockoe Creek
its almost entire abandonment, and lis ultimate
purchase and reconstruction by the James River
Company. The income otlhe Dock for the last
two years has been / 900 dollars per annnm,
and it has only about one.hird OF the trade, owing
10 the Darrowness Of the Dock gate, which will
mol admit many Of the vessels that come TO This
port Were il wdered The revenue from the
Dock would be, Mr. l.. thought, $4,000 dollars,
and il the connection Yi,h the basin were effected
he supposed The income would be between 40
and $4,000 dollars. Mr.. l.. entered into an in
quiry into the advantages 10 the trade from The
connection. He asserted that the drayage in this
city amounted, together with leakage and dam
age from being hauled through the streets, with
some other charges, to The sum Of l000 900 dollars;
a lax on the trade by the canal He declared The
opinion that there was no place on The habitab!e
globe where by the expenditure Of $4,000 dollars
50 great saving OF money and so great public
attn ho of cfpd &C II
ing the Dock and The Basin.
Mr. MAYO spoke briefly relative to the infer
ence Of Mr.. VERIFY, that The House had delermin-
ed not 10 make these connections, and conhne its
appropriations TO the canal above LynchbuTg.-
He deprecated any such determination. He
trusted that these connections were all TO be made;
and though some Of his constituents might be in
ured by the Dock connection, The city OF Rich
mond would not be so selfish as 10 stand in The
way Of The tree circulation Of commerce. He
wished that all the connections could be embraced
in one appropriation.
Mr.. HARVIE addressed the House for some
time in earnest opposition 10 the addition to The
bill OF appropriations for The connections. He was
anxious to vote for The bill; but these, il added,
would drive him from il. He wanted 10 see the
canal carried into the valley, and would willingly
vote million of dollars, il necessary, TO accom-
pish that object. lie was for giving every part
OF The State such facilities as their condition de-
manded, when il could be done wilhoutimposing
ON the people great and grievous burlhens; but he
saw no great suffering in consequence OF the
want Of these connections. Had there been no
stronger claim for the construction of the canal
in the mountain gorge than for this dock con-
nection, he would never have been willing 10 vote
a cent 10 ii. Abiding TO The estimates OF Mr..
Lancaster, he warned the Housewife ne en-
p.i ha ioh gentleman
TO be NO, TOO ready 10 regard them correct. He
inlmaled that partly from the same source from
which these came emanated the brilliant calcu-
lations OF the administration OF the James River
and Kanawha Company, so many OF which had
utterly Jailed of 1ulflmenl, and were the mere
decisions Of an excited imagination. With re-
gard 10 the jaime. River and Kama wha improve
mem, he said he never dreamed-it never cross
ed his mind-lhat il was 10 go 10 The Ohio River.
II il did get there-and lien on all the pro-
perry OF Virginia would not take il ihere-it would
utterly iail Of the an,icipa,ions OF is friends in
slead OF bringing produce from The great West
ern rivers, ii would carry il from Virginia TO
them. He continued with much animation his
views in Ibis respect We have not room for a
more detailed account of the debate.
Mr.. TUNSTALL made few remarks in re-
Div. sustaining the views Of Mr. Lancaster,
which Mr.. T. regarded as showing in most sa-
tisfactory manner The utility oil the Dock connec-
ton.
MIR. LACY indicated his purpose TO vote for
the James River bill for The first time in his life
il il were moi encountered with these Dock and
other connections.
The question on MIR. MENTIONS motion
was put, ard decided in The negatiye-ayes AZ,
noes 66-as follows.
AYEs-Messrs. Brown of Albemarle, Hart,
Layne, Shelley, johnson, Boak, Small, Thomp-
son of Botelourt, Bambrck, Morris, Mosby, Fox,
Irving, Wall, Carson, White, Calwell, Lee, Lam
caster, Goodwin, Patrick Harrison of Loudoun,
Raymond, Oldham, Waegoner, Brown OF Mo-
nonealia, EdmundSun oil Montgomery and Tulas-
XII, Perrow, Newton, Waits, Harper, Edgington,
Lanier, Tunstall, Cooke, Fairfax, Stone, Ander-
son, STROLLER, Mayo, Cook, Harper, Dorman,
TATE, Gillespie, Horner and Goodson-47.
NoEs-Msssrs. Jones OF Chesterfield, Speak
er,) Gusts, Finncy, Barvie, Powell, Byrd, Bur-
we'll, Scruggs, Harrison OF Brunswick, Bocock,
Lacy, Caldwell, Slaughter, Thompson of Din
widdie, Roane, Love, Smith, Evans, Street, Car
per, Leake, Carroll, Walker, Hiett, Thompson OF
Hampshire, Daracon Duncan, billiard, How
ard, Hunter, Thompson Of Jefferson. Gresham,
Richmond, Ballard, Schooley, Mcintyre, Ed
mondson OF Lunenburg, Banks, Browne of Ma
lbews and Middlesex Williams, BeiIne, Breath
ed. Kelly, VERIFY, helms, Oliver, Davis, Tatum,
Mcpherson, syue, Cackley, Daniel Sturm, Bare,
Brown of Rockingham, McElhennev, Morrison,
Hill of Shenandoah, Slickley, Goodwin, Holla-
day, Hargrave, Freeman, Burdett, Cas,leman and
Cha ndler-66.
Mr. COOKE here moved 10 gil another blank
in The bill, 10 make the Suuh side and Rivanna
come ctions, with The sum ofSl70,000.
This motion was supported by Messrs.
COOKE, IRVING, LANCASTER and 3D.
COCK. They contended that the charter of the
company provided tina, the connections with the
South and North side should be made-lhat The
Legislature released The company from the obi.
gallon, and was accessory 10 the reputation Of
lis promises-lhal The people Of the South side
we're cut off from the improvement for which
they had subscribed their money, upon The faith
OF these promised connection; and, worse than
this, they were greatly injured, because The navi-
gallon Of The river had been disturbed, and they
had not the facilities they enjoyed before the ca
nal was made 1t was also stated. that by The
connection, depo,s would be formed 70, goods
and produce going and returning; and that,
thus. return eargoes would be given to the
boats which brought down produce, and the