Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-12-16
STAUNT0N, VIRGINIA. MONDAY, DECEMBER Is 1850

| the States Southwest of Canada. OF this latter
amount 2,5l9 ,535 bushels came from the 2 canal Is
| in Ohio which terminate ct Toledo and Cleveland
reduction of the tolls upon this article 33d per
cent, upon the Erie canal, produced an increase
In the quantity entering that work. at Buffalo
alone, during that season, of 100000 bushels.
his tact not only proves the capacity of that
leading staple Of the West to bear canal Transport
tation for long distances, but considering that this
crop natures about the time of the closing up Of
the Northern canals, demonstrates the fact that
our own water line, if completed, would monopo
LIE this important trade. | therefore, reiterate
the oplnlonexpressed in my last annual message
that the completion of our canal would give to
Norfolk tn monopoly Of that great and increas-
ing staple = eyporalus,
During tue year 1919, the quantity of tobacco
which entered the Erie canal at Buffalo was =
COL 800 pounds that which entered the Penn
sylvania canals at Pittsburg, Is, ll6,447 pounds ;
and that which entered Baltimore upon the Bal
timore and Ohio railroad, ,496 hogsheads. The
great bulk OF This tobacco was raised in ATTITUDES
, south of the mouth Of the Kanawha, and would
have taken the route of our improvement if COM
pteted to Richmond, in preference to those more
distant routes to markets inferior to ours Those
movements of tobacco exhibit state of things of
vital consequence to the trade of Richmond and
Virginia.
1t is remarkable fact that large quantities of
sugar ,molasses, cotton, rice and West India fruits
are consumed in Western n. York which have
arrived there by way of the Mississippi and Ohio
rivers and the Ohio canas. A memorial of Bnf-
falo citizens to the New York canal board de-
clares that over 5O0hogsheads and 5000 barrels
OF sugar and rice consumed in that city alone,
during the years 1913 and lS49, had been sup
piled by the way Of the Mississippi river and the
| Western Improvements. This fact indicates a
remarkable movement in the trade passing from
the West Indies and our Southern States North
ward. The prices of freight on the western waters
range so low that the best outlet to an Eastern
market may control and attract the trade of those
waters for more than thousand miles beyond the
Allegheny ridge. The completion of our water
| line, which would furnish uniformly cheap rates
and free competition in freghts, to the great mass
OF the heavy trade Of the west, would carry with
1t the completion Of tile Central road and all other
works In any degree connected with it.
In view OF these facts, and especially of the
splendid results OF canal commerce in New York.
| do not hesitate to recommend continuation and
completion Of the water line.
The operations OF the James River and Kama
who Canal, SO lar, are not altogether discourage
ing. From the report of the Company here
with submitted, 1t appears that the cost Of the
canal to Lynchburg, exclusive of lateral connec-
tons, has been IS ,172855 OF, and that the nett
revenues upon that potion OF the work during
the fiscal year just ended, have been S155, 96s :
w; OF more than three per cent. upon its cost,
although the trade OF the year has been usually
depressed by variety Of extraordinary causes
lis present tonnage shews an increase of more
'han 60 per cent upon that of 1910, and it is a
significant coincidence that the population and
val,'le OF real property; in the city of Richmond
have Increased Ii about the same ratio and peri
passu with the tmnage upon the canal. And
yet, the trade ofthis work is entirely local, and
confined ~ great measure, to produce east OF
the Blue l. age. Ii ii pays three per cent up
on its cos, 1ndG these circumstance what
may we not expect OF it when it shall penetrate
the Valley of Virginia, when it shall reach into
the timber and coal regions beyond, and shall
finally tap the Ohio river, aud the immense
| trade of the prolific West! This canal now pre-
SCENTS the singular anomaly in the history of in
ternal improvement, OF a public work regular
ly and punctually dischareing the interest, e.
qulvalent to six per ceiat dividends, upon the
cost ofone-third Of its line, and OF several ex-
pensye appendages, in advance of their compile
ton
The country whose trade isaccommodate6 by
this work, is greatly interestece,i N the reduction
OF Its tolls 1t is believed that a material reduc-
ton can be made without CORES ponding ia ling
oil IN revenues, and that such a m easure would
probably result in an actual increase. IN tonnage
and receipts.
reduction of 20 per cent upon thu. tolls oil
the New ! DIRK canals, has resulted in an increase
upon those works, i'll the first six months,of the
current year, OF about 10 per cent.--an increase
winch already much more than compensatest the
apprehended loss in revenue believe a sirni-
lar result would follow like reduction upon ou,i
own canal, and recommend such legislative
action as may seem to you best caIcu lated to
effect so desirable an object
| have dwet at q greater length upon this
subject than | should have done, because the
State is too deeply involved in this policy to a.
bandon itwithout loss and dishonor, and because
OF prevailing disposition in Virginia to under
rate canals, which begets a disncnation to in
vestlgate their true metits. One of the strong
est grounds oil hostility to this work grows out
OF a mistaken belief that, in some way or other.
it is anagonistical to, or will conflict with, the
railroad interest. If such were really the case,
| there might be some reason for the feeling but
the experience of New York has put that appre-
henslon Tor ever to rest The great Erie canal,
and the railroad running parallel with its whole
length, in its immediate vicinity, so far from
conflicting, mutually assist each other. The
reduction OF tolls upon the canal so far from d.
minlshlng the business OF the railroad, as might
have been supposed, seems to have impaired
liiOi0 VIGIL 'iiO ouCCCSS W us operations. his
fact establishes the great truth that here can be
no conflict between canal and railway improve
ments, provided they connect great commercial
points together. ito ought to hush forever the zeal
ousy OF the railroad interests of the State, and
show them the necessity OF mutual Cooperation
and assistance in fastening the completion OF
this great enterprise
There, is, also, much in the progress of the
great railroad lines. so literally aided by the
State, to encourage the friends of internal i'm
provement. Here, as in other States, the strong
est inducements are held out for their compile
| ton.
In this particular branch of our enterprise,
we have again the fullest benefit of the expe-
rience OF Our thrifty and saeacious neiahbors at
the North. The railroad system is probably
carried to as great degree of perfection and
ntllliy in Massachusetts as in any part of the
world. That State possesses territory of about
one-nintn that OF irainia, and yet she has it
covered over with railroads amounting in their
aggregate length 10 more than thousand miles.