Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1850-12-13
FRIDAY MORNING. DECEMBER Is, 1850.

afford auisarmy cheap rates, and Tree compe,il
,jon IL t.etgi-, 10 tie great mass Of the heavy
ira1a II the Ncst, ~ueid carry with i The coms
pteiiou 81 The Central rad and all other works
ia soy degree connected with il.
r. slew st such iacis, and especially Of the
spsa.eld results OF canal commerce IN New York.
| do not hesitate toIecsmmsnd a eontinuation
and compilation of the water line
The operations OF the James River and Kama
yvha Canal, so far, are not altogether discoufSg.
ing From the report ct the Company, herewith
Submitted, il appears that The cost OF the canal u
4 Iyneh5arg, exclusive o. lateral connexions, has
\ been S5,le2S55 o.. and that the nett revenue
4 upon that seoFion OF the work. during the fiscal
i yeat Just ended, have been $l55, 96e o., or more
! thau per cent. upon its cost, althoughthe trade
/ of the year has been unusually depressed BY "a
SHOWS arrruerease OF more asast.
f pRR thatsot lsio,snd il is a significant coinci,
Il fenTe that sthe population and vaus Of real PRO
perry, 10 ae city Of Richmond, have increased In
ahatl the ratio and pari paSsA with the ton.
mage upon this canal. As vel the trade OF this
/ work is entirely local, aud confined in a great
/ measure, 10 produce east OF the BFue Ridge. Ii
Il il PAYS three per cent upon its cost, under these
/ circumstances, what may we not expect of Ii
\ when It Shall penetrate the Valley OF Virginia,
\ Whed u shat reschltntn the timher and coal ID
\ goes beyond, and sllall fnsly fsp the Ohio rye+
\ and the immense trbde Of tie pr0iit;c WeSt %
\ This canal now presents Tie singular anomaly
"a HE history ofine rnal plu1fmeIit, of a paii.
llt werk regularly and punctually disehargtuk
The lnfrrest eqnIvalfnito six per dvidends,
qpcn the eostoi o esFhiTd Of us lste I'D of sere-
"a expensive appendages, in advance Of their
Completion
The country whose trade Is Accommodated III
tAiswork, i greatly interested ID reduction 81
~ tolls Il is believed thar a-ffaterial reduct
| ton can't ihade without corresponding fal4sI
z OFF IN revenues, and that such measure would
probably result in an actual increase in tonnas S
and receipts
A reduction ofs2g per cent. upon the tolls oF
the New York canaas, has resulted in an inl
crease oi-tonnage uHnn those works, in the first
SIX months Of the current year, oi about 10 per
cent--an increase which already much ma4e thah
cnmpensates the apptehended loss 10 revenue
| believe similar result would follow a like re-
ductloD upon our own canal. and | recommend
such legislative action as m4y seem 10 YOU best
calculated 10 effect 50 desirable an object +
; have dwelt at greater length npon this sub
ject than | should have done, because the Stale
is toP deeply involved in this policy to abandon ii
wlthpu, los and dshonar, aud because OF a pre-,
vailhg disposition il Virginia 10 underrete
canals which begets Discrimination to investigate
theSr true tners Oae OF the strongest grounds
Of hostility 10 this work grows out OF mistaken
helief that, in some way or othef, tits antagonis
-tieal TO- ar will conflict with the railroad interest
/ II ssack were really the case, there might be
/. some reason for the feeling; but the experience
I Of " York has put that apprehension forever 10
rest. The great Erie canal and the railruad
running parallel with Its whole. length, in its
immediate Vicinity, so tar from conflicting, mutq.
ally assist each other The reduciion,of tolls M.
4 IL, g.. r N
ness OF tberaiiroad as might have been supposed
! seem TO hayeimparted more vigor and success "a
4 its operations This fact establishes the great
K truth that there can be conflict between cana
B and railway improvements, provided they connec
hush forever the jealousy OF the railroad interests
n Of the State, and show them the necessity Of mn
/. tua co operation and assistance in Fastening the
N completion Of :his great enterprise. /
If There is, also, much in the progress Of the
NJ groa railroad lines so literally aided BY The State
n to encoura ge the friends of limprovem
Here, AZ in other States, the strongest induce
K ments are held out for their completion.
IN this particular branch Of our enter prise, we
\ have again the tnilesr benefit 81 the experience
Of our thrifty and ,sagaciulis neghhors Al lhh
y North The railroad system is probably carried
ia as great degree 81 perectlan and utility Up
I Massachusetts, AS inanypHrt Of The world Phat
1 State possesses a Territory OF about one ninth
that Of Virginia, and yet she has it covered over
| w,th railroads amount ing in their aggregate
length to more than thousand miles. To such
extent are they multiplied; that The average dis-
lance between them is only seven miles. And
YET notwithstanding the surprising proximity d
their roads III each other, find no jealousy cf
\ spirit OF rIv5ry amongst them They pursued
each one its course, with energy industry, econ
omy and SUCCESS. The cost OF these roads has
been about $50, ooG per mile, and still the com
\ panies have made upon an average nearly SCI
| ven per ceItt. per aAnnm upon their money I'M
vested Atthe same time both travel and trans
4, portalioa are low upon them; the price Of the
former being only about two cents a mile for
/ each passenger But the effects Of these irns
proyemen,ss upon the city of Boston, and the
/ general prosperity Of the State, in promoting
I commerce and manufactures, are almost ihcredi-
I bic
Itwas very evident to sagacous observers thai
The great advantages natural aud artificial, OF
\ New York, would not only draw to that city the
4 commerce IF the West, bur would likewise rem
der all iAP cities Of Tue Moth Strtbuary to herr
4 unle-s srTeihing cdnld be done 10 poncenratet
4 al the other points, come % the enormous trade,
which was giving tp ihs, city ITS gigantic pros
v portions Boston quickly perceived tat her no3
Il beharbpr would he of ittleee ORTIZ, without cons
mrtc4 b sill it with shlss, and that these cousd
"
Y dery.ad tom a much larffr area han Massaehu4
sets possessed. having no syer % bring the pro-
4 ducts ofHistant and fertile regions 70 her port -
II She d9drmined al once 70 SUPPLY the naturaide.
ficiency 81 her position liy artificial means and
A accofdIncly, untert4tk, f&ih gseaf Fiaor, sgst
TEN OF railroad improvements, ahch exhibits Ie'
j in Il light the prau4est and most eBFlahe, ana
affbrds an hya laabls exa nIple tptevery State ir
II the.Unidn engaged NJ railroad enterprises. Here
W IS an example OF ind uni bile energy, which
N wdula MT be turned aside ty AIRY obstacle hew
\ ever formidable, Of iudiciuHs fufefast, perceiv
IN ing distinctly in advance ri.e heleiis wiihn hel
4 reach. andfOf noble l,berauy which embarked al
N eno,mpas treasure 10 enterprise, having Tor IL
n object the glory and ascendanry OF Aiassachu
\ sens Their seecas- has been complete Tia
II advancement Of Boston 10 lte iast ten years Is
N beyond all Example The value q her property
" has increased from sI2Oll to S266 Gas,
III 844 over Twelve. pr cent. perannam, or mnrt
y than douhlesthe legal iD,erest in Virginia TIN
7. pIpuIarion Of The city has increased with al
( edna II surprising rsFdlty, having advancedfnn
Fl 15s SAG To 292, Sl3 making an addition OF IA,
2SA, or nearly double rs nHmbers The p pHia
4 tiIn Of the State has advanced from III 1850
n 9T3.7i5: an increase Of 255s I33. Every voea
ton af life has pa .iaken ef this prosperity am
4 thrift Agriculture. manufactures, commerce.
"A all branches Of industry are advancing with Al
unparalleled rapidly and the future prospects
Of Boston continue SILL To- be as brilliant as tnes
# OF any other city inthe Union. That this grea
sl increase has been the result 81 Der railway i'm
x provdrnea.s, Is denied BY none--no other ele
II ment Of prosperity than this has been added :
# those always possessed by her and we have
therefore, 4 right ID infer thai from this saurc
VI. flows the extraordinary tide Of wealth. In 1885
Il Rcst,,Y bad I67 miles Of railroad radiafing theme