Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-01-15
INTERAALlMpKONEMENT.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT
we nave been struck with the general commcndaiion EN-
7oyed by our contemporaries both Wing and Democratic al
over the State when referring the late annual Message
Floyd Especially has this been the reerenc,
10 MS views upon the subject internal improvements.
NOR are we surprised this John b. Floyd stands approvet
'F iahinness and ntrepiy. Proudly and gracefully h
wears frginlS highest honor. His late message in tht
language o the Abingdon Democrat, sis we'll written STATE
paper containing liberal views boldly expressed. And h
pa'roc views ana Just and noble sentiments find hearty
response IN The breast Of every lover of his species through
ont our widespread country"
But while our friend Of the "Dcmocra these gener
al terms in reference the Message large they qua
ed by the expression of deep regret al the Gov
crnors recommendations correspondent of ours notice,
several days ago the remarks that paper upon the
mcndation for Railroad from Coyinston Louisville
which was characterized mpraccablc and practicable
deadly enemy and rival OF the Virginia and Tennessee road
We propose ourselves To review, this morning. its
on the Governors strong testimony the importance OF tn
james river and kanawha canal
The objections pointedy stated rs follows:
lsi That goods coming from the North arc carried
cheaper by way Of Richmond and up the Canal To Lynch
burg than they be brought in wagons ria Winchese
and Staunton and are subject 10 the same delays
ed but twice, without finding the canal broke and wa
compelled To take the stage in consequence
3D. That il has the State now some nyc or six mil
lions Of dollars and not aware that pays one pei
cent. upon its cost, high as the tolls are
4 That the Erie Canal has 10 be protected against the Erie
kall Road by special act Of the Legislature prohibiting
the Rail Road from carrying heavy Tonnage while the Cana
Is opon-that Is for eight months in the ycar.
' That railroad transportation is the cheapest Of all 9th
efs beng superior TO any water transportation, and cspcc
ay 10 that which is obsructed BY locks and dams
ANSWER lsrGoods may be regarded of that lightc
character OF transportation which would bear railroad
The average rate Of toll per per mile the actua
tonnage Of the James River and Kanawha Canal Tor the la
year 22ll00 cents. The distance from Richmond t,
ynchburg being liz miles, the whole charge for toll
then, 50 -.
The average price Of freight the canal is g. pei
loo lbs. up and q cents down. The Of the Two
therefore, may be stated al 6. per 100 bs or 81 22 PEI
ton Of 1000 lbs. There difference in the charge for t
whole length Of the canal and for any portion Of that d
tancc. Hence for "hrough tonnage the freight is milk
per per mile Al this the freight would be 81 Il
Add toll a above, 2.
81 3.
Equal charge Of very small fraction cents PEI
ton per mile from Richmond 10 Lynchburg
The charge the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad for til,
year 1914, stated in their 18th annual report il0lOt
cts. From Baltimore 10 Wnchcstcris HI miles The costfo
that distance is then 81 67 From Winchester Salem
common point on both routes is lS7 miles. From Lynch
burg 10 Salem is 81 miles.
The cost of transportation by wagons the rough roads
in the mountainous parts Of this State is usually 81 per Ul
pounds for loo miles. On the kanawha road it is common
Is this much tor the outward Western lading and
third less 66 per loo pounds for 100 miles the
turn loads These charges include the toll By reducing
will find for the actual charges - il0 per PEI
mile for the aggregate the trade going Westwardy ant
Ii 9-l0 cents on that coming Eastwardy.
Taking the latter the rate the charge from Wncestc
TO Salem will be 81 i
From Lynchburg 10 Salem, 8.
Making n total from Richmond 10 Salem, by way
ot the canal :.
From Baltimore 10 Salem, by way Of the railroad 4;
Difference in favor Of the canal, s. ,:
Which, the entire through tonnage n the canal for th
last year. 70650 tons is saving the community Of $751;
6l6 40!
Upon the present canal short and unfinished IS boil
the elements Of charge higher than they will be upon tn
completed work. The tolls higher because the com
pany, in order meet its engagements is compelled Il
levy high Of toll upon small amount Of trade whereas
upon the finished work. il will be able levy low rate .
toll upon large amount Of trade Nearly one-ha Of tn
amount Of capital necessary TO execute the whole schcm
has already been invested in the work. whilst the pre-
sent of trade is probably not tenth or TWEEN
teth part of that which will exist when it reaches the Oh
river The frcghts higher, for reasons equally oh
vios Owing the comparative shortncss Of the prcscn
canal the time occupied in loading and unloading, bears
greater comparative proportion to the time occupied in IN
voyage. In consequence also Of the limited amount an'
variety in the articles Of trade the reghtng busnes
is less steady and uniform in the different OF thu
year. and boats frequently empty or with para
loads upon the line In such OF things, it is vain Il
expect the high Of competition tho useful division
the different branches Of labor and the admirable regnarl
~ and system along the line by which the eighting busl
ness is now characterized upon the Erie Canal But e
our work be finished and then these circumstances will al
reversed The nc instead Of li6 will be 500 miles long
and looking the field upon which shall have
draw portion Of the trade will be fully equal 10 th
amount which the founder and friends Of this great enter
prise have anticipated for it, unless indeed Vrginan
should be found incapable Of conducting like business
rates Of charge which experience has shown to be pract
cable in the State of New York.
3D. 1t is well known and admitted by all that with the
cepton of the wooden work, which is comparatively of mi
expense canals iaprore by agewhcreas Railroads are
subject depreciation from the time they are laid
Whatever have been the earlier experience ol the canal
when the embankmcnts and unsettled within th
years there have been only nineteen breaches re
sting in delay freight boats of 10 days-cxcudng th
great fresh of November lsi7,and including that, tn
interruption boats that character has been less thar
thirty days in every 365whie the Packets were hardly eve
interrupted than day two because by exchanging
passengers above and below the breach the travel was con
nucd with short intermediate portage.
During the nine years that the canal has been in opera
ton the expenses and repairs of every kind including dana
res by frcshcs salaries of agents, &c, have average
S70,2i5 l6. This is average Of SiSl Il per mile
We have not by the materials for comparing this wit
the expenses ordinary and extraordinary of the rail road
Of the country We have statement that the ordna
annual repairs of the Allegheny portage in 1874 amounted
1926 per mile Col Croze in report TO the Board
Public Works that the ordinary annual repairs of tn
Richmond Fredericksburg and Potomac Rail Road in lS3
and 1910 averaged $1,000 per mc in 1871 they were abou
S60s and in s45 1924 In the same report he states tha
those of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail road averaged in Isl
and al 1872 per mile; that those of the Baltimore an
Washington Road in 1871 amounted TO s63l and those
the Reading Road in 1914 amounted 10 SS0l Assnmin