Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-01-29
For he EnqnireI


CANALS.
!, il now known that The James River Companys works
produce Gross income larger Than the gross revenue on
n, ot and houses in The whole State and that the nett
;no, /; h n , ,w thousand dollars less than the nett cvc
n, On lands lots ana houses These facts gratifying. 10
every having the prosperity ol virginia at heart
The great New York Canal al the time il was in The con-
don uf the James River and kanawha improvement, Tor
about half lough) became more unpopular tan ours eve!
has been But Tor the great weight OF character ana aoS
supcr-human efforts Of Governor De Wit Clinton, the work
wond have been abandoned. He adopted the eXnedcnt OF
employing men OF genius and coquence to 90 among inc
pcoplc and the members Of the Legislature 10 dis
course them the deep interest they all had in me na4n
cn enterprise ofconnccing the waters Of the Lakes win
those of the Hudson. The efforts of that distinguished
statesman were successful and work has so much con-
ributed to make New York the Empire State IL Is well
denominalcd the first work in America One OF the gentle
men cmpoyed by Governor Clinton has informed the writer
that he was often conmcncd by persons ibr his Jealous
and patriotic cor,s for his fancy and lmaglnaton oui l
rou no; RELY upon his calculation of profits and incidental
advantages the State But he enjoys the pleasure oi Nv
ne To see the profits realized three times over ana Tue
dental advantages absolutely ncacuabe This canal mas
become the mother and grandmother OF whole generation
of canals and being enlarged more than double the ca
pacv NJ first contemplated II pays the expenses oil the
State Government j. cxtinguishng all inc Saie nc1
supplies nenrIy million of dollars year 10 lis OWL
men and the completion OF 'na whole poseny :" rom
canals in the Empire state The following eSlrae,s iIo
The report of The Comptroller of New orK da'eo 1sl t
cembc 1919 is worthy of the most profound consiuefao
Of every Virgnian, 10 wit:
81, ns nov br conceded that the construction of the ca
na was icious and profitable investment oi me pubic
funds and credit when regarded mere hnahcia question
having reference only 10 the return vi revenues " "
Ircaslrv.m Again,
SIN the meantime there has been reduction o os elna
10 10 per cent. The work of enlargement on whrh NOR
than fourteen millions have been expendea mas h"t le
brouah, into use; and il should not be fotSote, 't u
tolls during the months were consaeranls impue
by calamity which gavca temporary cncck 70 ,e pshcs
nrsuts of the whole country the Cholea The gross re
venue of the canals during the last fiscal year. ending se
tember the SOth was S3ii29O6 g. and after dcducnn
aGS5 SOB 81 for the expenses OF colcc'on @ :.
and repairs there remains clear income ol u H.
Adopting the las year a criterion il will be observe
{ that the value of the canals Is eiual 70 a 'ap'.
ii, OIL I'll So invested six per cent Interest Inc ave
r,c net income for the last five years S230sb - wMc
il il equal Ia capital sI955219 66 AT six per cent intereS
"he entire cost MI the canals including The eNpend
Il re on the Fri. enlargement the Gcnessee valley an
n Pink River Canals TO 30h September last exhibited by 4
= ACCOMPANYING (marked f. y was s5aZl4 los
4 .Of this amount there has been expended the sum
si62i7iS al the enlargement OF the Erie lanai whil
no portion the enlargement has been made avaiao
the purpose of increasing the size and tonnage OF the poa
and to The reduction The cost OF transportation
ID Again" Our present system of finance pedcatcd n'
the productveness of the canals concpates the payne
of the entire debt of the State including the COST oi
canals themselves within period Of less than twenty year
During the same period Il mnifcent contribution ls 10
made the canals yearly TO the general treasury ior
n ordinary expenses of government Alter pay sc al
nf Iappropriaons amounting 81 S5000D per annu 10 pf
ly vide fur the debts and wants ot the treasury e %
in main nearly million of dollars per annul set apart oy
nj constitution for the completion of the unfnsneo poiuos
the public works. The surplus for the last sca year app
IT, cable Ia the latter object, amounts to s90i luz ~,
II. These extracts prove than volumes OF thepe
"a spccches the uit, of canals But the table o nfe
We Transported on the New York canals voul lie !;
Sc itself of the great benefit the landed interest o '' nj
IL Of improvement. 49,, ,,,snorted . &
he Without going into list OF articles in,npr;an, =,
Items will satisfy every Virginian, how iniPoi 'an 10
State or,at line of canal the head oi Underwater ma
IL CATION OH the James river, 10 that OF s'eaooat
an on the Ohio would be. or the articles transported %