Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1850-12-11


hogsheatls The great bulk Of this tobacco was ras
ed in alilutles south of the mouth Of The kaha"'a
and would have taken the route of olr lhPro'e"e"
if completed to Rchmond,n preference 10 nose m n"i
distant routes to markets inferior to ours nes
movements of tobacco exhibit state ol lhlnss "i W
ta consequence 10 The Trade Of Richmond ara VIZ
gina.
IL is remarkable fact that large quantities oi sn
ger, moasses, rice, cotton and West India srnHs a''
consumed in Western New York. which have arriV'
ed there by way The Mississippi and ONO rivers
and The Ohio canals. A memorial o Buffalo ci'izfns
TO the New York canal board declares that over oUO
hogSheads and 1000 barrels of sugar and rire CON
sumed in that CITY alone. during the years 1913 ana
1919, had been supplied by the way ol the Mi<sIsslp-
nj river and the Western improvements. ms iact IN
drales a remarkable mnvementIn the lraae phSs'ng
from the West Indies aud our Southern States NORTH
ward. The prices Of lreg upon The " eSlerh wa
ers range so low that the best outlet 10 all T'dSeii
marker NAV control and attract HE 'rade "l NOSE
wa,-rs for more than thousand miles beyond the
| AlI,ghanv ridge The completion of our water line,
which would afford uniformly cheap raIes, and free
competition in freghso the great mass ol The heavy
trade of the West, would carry with it the completion
oC re Central road aud all other works in any de-
gree connected with it.
In view of such ac,s and especially of the splendid re-
su,s uf canal commerce in New York. do moi hesitate To
recommend cuniinuaO and com pleon 0 the wafer bne
The nneralions nf the James River and kanawha canal
so far are not altogether discnuagng From The report III
the CumpaRy herewith submitted. il sppeas that The cost
f ,he canal 10 Lynchhrg exclusive of lateral connections,
has been s. S55 o. and that the nett revenues upon
thai u of the work. during The fiscal year Jnst ended
have been 55 500 o.. than three per cent upon
lis cusl ahuugh the sraua Of The year has been unusually
DEPRESSED by variety ofeXaodinnry causes lis present
aebo, an
h, of lS4O and il is significant coincidence that the pop
nIaon and value Of zeal property in the city OF Rchn"nd
have increased in about the rau and pan Pdu win
The ,onnave upon the canal As yet the trade Ul lhs w0rK
is entirely local and confined, in great measure 10 pro
duce East of The Blue Ridge. If pays three per cent
upn its Gust under hpse circumstances: what may we NJ"
eypec of it when il shall penetrate the Valley OF virginia
when it shall reach ino the timber and Goa regI"ns beyond
aud shall finally tap The Ohu river. and the immense iraoe
o the pric West? This canal presents The sngu-
lar anomaly in the history Of internal Improvement, of
public work regularly and punctuay dlschagng the lner.
cs equivalent six per cent dividends, upon the cS "f
uf lis ine and u several expensive apendages
in advance of their completion.
The cnunry whose trade is accommodated ny this work.
IS greatly interested in reduction u lis tolls II Is believed
, material reduction can he made without curespond
no fallnp off IN revenues and that such measure would
pnbabv result in an actual increase in tonnage and re-
| cClpls. wv
reduction Of 20 per cent npon the tolls OF the n fnrk
canals has resulted in Increase OF tonnage upon hoSe
works in the first six months of the current year. of ann'
70 Nor ceni-an increase hch already much more Than
cuuppnsates the appebrnded loss in revenue. beleVea
similar result would follow Ike reduction upon hur owl
canal and recommend such Legislative action as may seem
Ia yll hest calculated tn effect deslabIe an ofect
have dwet al greater length upon ihiS SUBJECT IMAM
should have done !ecause he State loo deeply involved
in This picy 10 abandon without less and dlsnnnr. and
brcause If prevailing disposition in Virginia To nnderrate
canals which begeis dsncnat"n t" investigate their true
merits One of The strongest grounds Ut hostility I" ms
work grows out of mistaken belief that IN some way nr
uiher it is anlagonislira 10, will conflict wIth the ra-
road interest such really the case, there might ne
some reason for the feeling; bul The experience Z" n YORK
has nut that apprehension forever to rest he great Erie
cana and the railroad running parallel with lis whole length
in lis immediate vicinity. 81 far from cnncng' m"ua'y
assist each other The reduction Of tolls upon the canal sn
far fun diminishing the business Of The railroad as might
baye been suppsed seems have impaired more vig'r
and success 10 its operations This fact establishes The
q4o uih that there can he no conflict between canal and
railway improvements provided they cnnnec grea, com
mprcia punis Together II ought TO hush forever me ea
ousy of the railroad interests of the Saie and Shew Them
the Necessity Of mutual operation and assistance IN has
,enirp the completion of his great enterprise
Thee is also much in the progress Of the great rail
road lines su braly aided by the Stale, IN encourage The
friends Of internal improvement Here as IN other Ntaes
The strongest Inducements held nui for their cnnpeiI"n
In this pariicua branch Of orr enpprzn we have again
the fullest henr If the experience of our thrifty and SAGA
cins npiqbors al The North The rairhed system Is pro-
hblv carried 10 as urea, degree Of perfection aud uiy
in Massachusetts any part of the world ha Sa'r
p,rSpssps Tertiary ufalou ninth that ct Virginia and
vet she las covered with railroads am"ln'ng miner
a,rueuaie length 10 ranrr than hnnsand miles. i"snrh
extent are they multiplied that the average distance hn
tween them is only miles. And YET, n"iwlhSand
no he surprising proximity oi her roads !" each n.hr
nd jealousy spirit ofrvary amongst Them ihey
pursue each vii energy industry. eronoy
and srctss The rts of these lads has been about S)U
600 per mile and sill the companies have made npon an
average nearly seven per cent per annnm upon the "
ey Invested At the Same time both travel and transPr-
laiun low upn them the price o the iormer oeIng
only about two cents mile for each passenger" But 'he
fleets Of hese Improvements upon the city {" b"Son' an"
The general prosperity Of The State. IN promoting couiece
aud manufactures, are almost Incredible
Il was very evident to sagacs observpts that the great
advantages, natural and artificial, oi New iorK "o"'u h
unv draw ulhat city the O the Nes' out "ou'u
likewise render all the cities u the North tributary 10 her
unless something could be done 10 concentrate. al olne
oonls some Of the enonuns trade which was giving to ha
city lis gigantic propositions. Boston quickly perceived
thai her noble arbor would he ot little worth without cum
merce to fill with ships and that these could only be sus-
,ained by such products could he derived from nuch
larger area than Massachusetts psessed having no river l"
bring the products Of distant and rril regions TO hef port
She determined support the natural dehrences "'
her pusii by artificial means aud accordingly uhd'rook
with great vigor system u ral'road Improvements, whcn
exhibits her in light the poudest and most enVlanr anu
affords an invaluable example 10 every Stale IN lie Onl"n
enpsped in railroad ene pses Hers is an example OF IN
dunane energy which would moi he turned aside by any
obstacle however formidable jndicous forecast percei-
wing distinctly in advance the benefits within her reach,
Of nbe literally which embarked an enormous treas
ure in an enrrrrse having for lis object the glory and as
tendency of Massachusetts Their success has been com
pIe,e The advancement of Boston for the last ten years
is beyond all example The value Of her proppy has in
creased from 100 5574 Go'ias 10 PCS 6646S44 dollars
over twelve rcr per than double The
legal interest in Virgnia. The population Of The cy ha:
increased with an equally surprising rapdily, having ad
vancpd from l5S. .jl6 10 l92Sl3; making addition o
l44264 or nearly dunbe its numbers. The population
tie Stale has advanced from u.s. .592 10 9l37l5 an IN
crease Of 2jjl23 Every vacation Of life has parlaktn
his prosperity and thrift Agriculture manufacture com
merce-al branches Of indus Try advancing win an un
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