Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-01-26

4 WtlCheSpE-A
one dollar and thiny-hve GEMS; only ~ Genus
more ner barrel than 10 carry it from Buchanan
| nv Canal 10 Richmond, aud thence 10 Baltimore.
Suppose the charge for railroad Transportation
should be GEMS per ton per mile, which hnu,
from the last report OF the Baltimore ana ONO
Railroad Company, 10 be the average charge
upon six of the principal railroads oil Inc uhi-
led Slales, the account would stand as IolloWs:
Cos, OF carrying barrel OF -four from buchan-
an by railroad through winchester TO Bai'imoie,
al the charge OF 4 cents per ton per mile, would
he one do.Lr and eight cents Cost by canal
from Buchanan 10 Richmond, and thence 10 Bal
tmore g. cen;s-difference in favor oil the water
lice only 45s cents. Suppose tie charge iof ran
road trans ponalion were cents per ton per mile
The cost of carrying barrel OF flour from
Buchanan TO Baltimore by railroad wouid he
cishty-ons cents-leaving, al this charge, 10 idVot
OF The wafer line from Buchanan through Lyncn-
burg, Richmond and Norfolk, eighteen ana nall
GEMS in he item oil freight on barfei OF H'nl.-
II The charge upon The railway were only u cents
per ton per mile, land this charge would mol pay
expenses) i. would be as cheap to carry tonnage
| nv the water line tom Buchanan 10 Baltimore as
| by the railroad.
You are aware that the Louisa Railroad IS
\ asking for money from The State TO gel through
the Blue Ru;se al Rockhsh, into Inc Vaiey Oh
Virginia. II ihe mountain IS once passed, Inc
road will be exlcDdcd 10 Buchanan. You are
aware. also. thar Alexandria and Freder'cks-
b,rp are prepsriny 10 construct railroads 10 in
! tersrc, the Louisa road a, Gordonsville "Roa-
| noken is also aware OF these facts, il he ever
reads the newspapers AMI man VINO writes
for The newspapers ought to read them. i these
roads arc constructed, and there is no doubt they
will be in operation much sooner Than railroad
from " inchcsle, up the Valley 10 Buchanan, 1t
will be some twenty or thirty miles nearer from
Buchanan by railway through Alexandria or
Fredericksburg TO Baltimore, than by toe way
Of w inches:eF. Thus, il any individual VINO
might bring his produce 10 Buchanan should have
50 much PREJUDICE AGAINST TIE WATER LINE as
TO induce him 10 prefer Inc railroad, At greater
freight he wou d BE- APT 10 select The railroad line
through or TO Aie1endr!a, S''rirf:cks0ufg, or
Richmond
In the above estimates, ! have taken II Tor
granted ,ha, the freight and toll upon The canal
would not be reduced in the event oil The con
sruction of the Railroad from Buchanan to The
Tennessee line. Should this railroad be CONSTRUCT
ed the tonnage which would be brought TO Bnch-
anan would be so great, that the toll and freight
would De VERY much reduced. The present cost
Of carrying -four on the canal is about al the rae
OF Two and one halt cents per ION per mile. II a
railroad were constructed from Buchanan 10 The
Tenne see line, the ascending and descending Ton
mage would be equivalent 10 THROUGH tonnage
oil three hundred thousand tons. Any one who
knows any thing Of he sail, plaster, lead, iron,
coal and agricultural products oil the South
west, which would find their way 10 the Rich.
mond markets. will agree that my estimate is not
loo large With this tonnage upon The caaal The
freight would not exceed one halt cent per ION ner
mill tnt II one CEN prr TN per mile on three
hundred thousand tons OF through tonnage, woui3
amount 10 six hundred thousand dollars, which
uaIlI 10 n 10 IN ma u { no
900 900, the whole cost Of the canal, and leave a
surplus OF uns hundred and twenty thousand dol.
lars 10 pay the expenses OF inc company and tor
he repairs Of The canal. Thus the cost oil car.
ryiuga barrel o, -four upon the canal, from Buch-
anan 10 Richmond, would be thirty Gems; an Tor
ton of o.her produces, mineral or agricultural,
three dollars. The James River and kanawha
Company. al these charges, would be enabled 10
nav six pr cent per anhum upon the whole sum
nyeset ~ their improvement, and have sur
pus sufficient 10 paw their expenses. s;honld Bal
timore attempt to enter into competition or The
trade arriving from The Southwest al Buchanan
by broad from Wnchestcr &c Buchanan, she
would b. compelled 70 transport Inc tonnage upon
her railroad al the rate Of twelve mills Def ton
per mile, which would BE- about one half OF The
n,tuaL c1Dcnses incurred in the m.fe lranspofa
ion, besides losing the interest upon the cost OF
the road. Ii the controversy between the rival
cities Richmond and Baltimore, aDG their respec-
;ve lines %, improvement, were Wased 10 The
"biler end" the James River and Kanawha
Company couli carry upon their line from Buch-
anan 10 Richmond, flour al len cents per barrel,
and other tonnage at one dollar per ION, and have
the breath of lie left in them, but ,ohat wonld
Baltimore and her railroad be lhen2 Let ''Roa-
aoke" answer Inc question.
THIS plain unvarnished statement should be
sufficient | think, TO satisfy any reasonable
man that the idea Of Baltimore being able TO
command the Southwestern trade, by means Of
railroad from Winchester to Buchanan, is Ut
terly preposterous in the extreme. The party
who makes use OF this argument against The
Buchanan terminus, mist either have failed 10
examine the question, be deluded by his prejudi-
ces, or be governed entirely by his sef-interest.
Lynchburg but demonstrates her weakness by
taking so untenable position. Thus il Balt-
more ever reaps the rich profits OF this trade, It
must be done through Richmond and Norfolk
on the one side, or Fredericksburg and Alexan-
dria. If it passes by their wharves, and they
fail to clutch it, the fault is theirs, and not ours.
The merchants OF Richmond, Norfolk, Frede-
ricksburg and Alexandria, may demand OF The
Legislature that the channels Of commerce to
their cities shall be kept open, bit they would
hardly ask the passage of lazy requiring the
carrying his trade through their streets to an
other market, he may be able to &c, better
price.
You will be kind enough to publish the follow
ing communication, which was called forth by a
resolution offered by ar. Toler who vas al the
time the able and faithful delegate from the
| town of Lynchburg. A party is estopped FROM
! dsputins The testimony OF his own witness, and
although 'the wrong passenger" may have been
| walked up, we are not responsible for the conse-
| qnenccs II is said that "some Engineers are
behind the age. Perhaps it might be said with
| truth, that "some Engineers are before the
| age. Ii man keeps up with the age in these
days of Electromagnetic Telegraphs and Lo
como.ives, be is doing pretty well. But read
| the report Of Colonel Crozet:
| Communicnt IN made II the House Of Delegates,
session l54l-42. BY &. Croset, Esq. Site En-
ginesr, inrelation TO Surrey on RouteJo a
Road from James Rirer 10 t,s Tenne,s Line
PalScIrAL EscrsEsRs oFFrcE,l
January 18th, 1912
| To v. w. SoUrHaLL, ESQ,
Speaker # The House + Delegates.
| In obedience TO the re uiution Of the house
over which you preside calling for my OPT
nioos on The following nts:
list. As to the mosl eIis bic route TO nc nd pit
ed Tor road from James River 10 the Tennes-
see line2
"2dly. At what point the said road should
unite with The James River and Kanawha CaDal'
"3dly. Whether the Improvement should be
a Madam ed or a railroad7
"4thly. What will be the probable cost Of
such mode Of Improvement
"5,hly. What will be The estimated price Of
transportation on the same per ton per mie'"
hose he 20 hpnif tho al N
swers:
Isl. That The best route for road from James
River TO tic Tennessee line, whether il be
railroad or turnpike, must be through Boteionrt,
Roanoke and Montgomery counties 10 New
RIVER beyond which it will proceed along the
valley Of the Holston TO Tennessee The gene
raj course Of both modes Of Improvement will