Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-02-05
THE LYNCHBURG VIRGINIAN.
BLACKBOARD, 'TOWNLEY & BILLIARD
PROPRIETOES.
LYNCuBUases. FEBRUARY 5, 1870.
A WATER LINE MAN."

ton. signed wv a'er Line Nan, which
strained 10 notice The communication begins thus:
at is that good article is fund in Lynch
burg paper. the subject of Internal Improvement that
il is surprising uly attention was arrested bv the
snbjrned extract trin editorial contained in The
ynchburg Nginlan of the ! lth instant. Do not
derstand me saying that LynchbuIg Editors fail to
wr anG publish column after column. upon the in.
eres'ing subject OF Internal lmpr vemens but do hope
may be parduned tor entertaining aud pressing he
opinion that pen, ink and paper is wasted in The
town OF Lvnchburg in emil ening. rather darken
ing the public mind on The subject of Canals, McAJa-
mized and Railroads. than perhaps in all the other
towns Of The State. Have you been struck with
the remarkable fact, that the people OF Iynchburg have
always Thought those Improvements easily proper
and nee ssTy for the wants of the people which
Designed 70 stop or commence at their own town lou
aware Of the eflris which We're made to terminate
The water line at Lynchburg They thnughl Railroad
the proper mode of jrovement from I.ynchburg
westwardy. Now they rak great deal about the
Lynchburg and Tennessee Railroad Lynchbnrg is the
word always uttered first and lrudpst.-Wonder that
they do not in their memorials m nestoS and newSpa-
per essays. ways print the word IYNCHsURG in the
largest capilas.They would then fully express the i'm
portdnce which they attach to the word. A slight
knowledge Of lie vaIre Of the New York BIZ Dtch
(vnlgary called canal, line may be obtain
ed from reading the following extract from the Virgin
ian -
Here lows extract from an editorial abstract Of
the Message Of the Governor Of New York, in relation
to the canals of ha State, published in the Vginian of
the III ult. The writer then proceeds to argue that
the same results would be witnessed in Virginia.
as in New York. fthe James River and K inawha In
provement'were finished. He does not stopto discuss
the feasibility IF the plan Of continuous canal across the
Allegheny but observes.
"Wesay this much however, that the waer-line can
be extended 10 Covlnglon. portage railway car be
constructed from that point The mouth Of the Green
brler ard from that point the New river and kanawha
can be made navgahle by If locks and dams at
moderate expense, for boats of so to 200 tons
burden"
We are truly graied to think hat, Of the many CO.
umns published by The Lyncburg press upon the sub
ject Of Internal Impruvement our hasty article should
in the opinion Of the Enquers correspondent be the on
not calculated to darken the public mind upon the
subject Thi. is very high compliment We shall
endeavor 70 provoke its repetition by setting forth the
success Of every Canal the operations of which come to
cur knowIedge-nay more, should Inc James River and
kanaWha Canal-we will not say pay dividend Of
even halt OF one per cent but bear its expenses
tor three Consecutive ycars-we shall announce the fct
IN exulng strains and with Biographical embIaz ,nry
One word TO tie stale charge Of sefshness q lono
and absurdIy alleged against Lv nchburg. Never was
accusation more false Lynch burg by her Delegates
and her press supported The canal and contributed me
hundred thousand dollars its true lion besides large
Individual su1scr t!ons the stock To do this she
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS unwise y-the very improvement upon
me success Of which She cncevps her destiny de-
pend Was she selfish in this? In 1888, Railroads
were In their infancy in This country. The James River
and kanawha Company had the power TO adopt the
Rail Road Canal. With the lights Of experience
then enjoyed we prepared blame them for pre-
ernng he latter. But suppose the valley of the James
were unimproved, and that, as an original cues
lion, Board Of Directors or a meeting Of Stockholders
were now convened to pass upon he relative merits of
The Two modes OF improvement, is there in The
State who believes that single would be given for
a canal! The improvement adopted was carried ou
and afler Difficulties and delays Of vexalious cha rae
the, the Canal was completed to Lynchburg. We need
not say that this age and country in which events
succeed each other with accelerated speed and that
few years suffice 10 work change in public sentiment
which could MT, in old times have been effected in
generation. The period of five or SIX years. which
It t'ok 70 finish the Canal to Lynchburg, mark
ed by activity and progress in the world Is be won
dered at that he experience acquired the Of the
cost Of the Canal over all The estimates the Slow pro
gress made IN lis construction, and all the dscouragng
circumstances which attended the enerprize should have
shaken the confidence of many and quenched the enhu-
slasm Of all? " hen add this the brilliant success
which attended Rail roads every where can We feel sur
prize that those Of our citizens who had been originally
snosl Jealous for the Canal should doubt the expdency
OF carrying farther. They preferred that Railroad
should be substituted for "a Canal, from this point W est
wardy. 1t difference Of opinion as to the com
parave merits Of two modes of improvement. Lynch
burg has again and again been accused Of desiring for
selfish purposes to arrest altogether the improveu
We would not be harsh but plain speaking requires that
we should pronounce the charge-as it has been
again and again, pronounced and proven-fase and
untounded Our amenled predecessor. BY his pen
and his exertions on the floor of the House Of Del
the Canal arrested. We believe that in his conduct
which subjected him and his constituents to the hashest
most lllbera and unjust imputaoEs, he acuated-
not by SCRABBLE, and mistaken sei>hness but-by de-
to promote the best interests of the Improvement and
the prosperity Of the State Who Will deny thai if the
Canal had been abandoned here and Railroad at once
pushed Westwardly, that we should, at this moment
have continuous line to steamboat navigation on The
kanawha, and possibly to the Ohio? Every successive
development has shown that Lynchbug, though she in
Cured the mputalion oselshness advocated the true
policy. water line is to be made to Buchanan if the
appropriation hold The inhabitants Of that unsesh
and patriotic town will consent to lei the Canal stop
there but insist upon its terminating at still smaller
village, COving0n-the terminus suggested by the En-
quires correspondent: For after all, it is but dispute
thu d,