Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-10-27

portions Of Virginia. will receive a new
impetus 10 their prosperity. Rockbrdge.
and portions OF Augusta, Bath and Allie
ghany viii avail themselves OF The North
River Improvement, and will all share its
benefits in the transportation Of heavy pro-
d~uctions. This will be especially the case
in regard To the article of Iron. Rock
bridge possesses great advantages for the
manufacture Of iron, but hitherto the heavy
expense of getting to market has absorbed
nearly all the profits of her industry. The
average price per ton. including freight,
commissions, &c, has been about fourteen
| dollars it will be scarcely half that when
The North River Improvement shall be
completed. Ii is estimated that a furnace
in Rockbridgc can make about FIVE hun
drcd tons Of metal per annuin, and that.
| allowing a portion oft TO be used In the
manufacture of bar iron. each furnace
could spare three hundred tons per annum
for export. Iii thus shown that. with the
half a dozen furnaces IN Rockbridge. and
three or four more in those portions Of
Augusta, Bath and Allegheny which
would use the North River Improvement
we should have nine furnaces carrying
| their surplus upon the Canal, amounting
TO iwenty-seven hundred TONS, and making
a clear gain TO the iron masters otSiS.900
in the cost of freight alone. This Is but
one ofmany interests which the people OF
the interior will find promoted by the ex-
tension oflhc Canal, and the improvement
CT a N..f fIre q = en- NJ cIapf
to animate the people OF the West to de-
mand that the Canal shall be continued I'LL
it has crossed the Alleghanies,a and mingled
its waters with the bright food of the OHIO.
1t is true that. in regard to Iron. the
present policy of this government discour-
ages native industry, but If all desirable
advantages cannot at once be obtained, we
should not neglect those important ones
which are within our reach, and we should
look forward with hope to the period when
American iron and coal Will no longer be
placed under the ban Of government. We
have shown in former articles that the Fir-
ginia Iron is superior for all the purposes of
war, and for railroads, 10 the best iron
which we receive from abroad. And, in
this correction, we may add our earnest
hope that the time is not far distant when
the Government will establish a National
Foundry at Richmond. This city, more
than any other place with which we are
acquainted, embraces all the advantages
which are recognised as governing the Sc
lection ola point for such an establishment.
1t is sufficiently far from the sea coast tc
be safe from a foreign enemy; 1t is within
convenient reach of luminous coal and
of the right kind of iron, and 1t is washed
by a naviga5lc river. Our representative
should bring this measure before Congress,
and secure a location for the establishment,
which will not only be advantageous to
the Union, but advance one of those great
Virginia interests which have so long suf-
fcred, not only from the want of facilities
to market, but from the Anti-Amcrican po-
Icy Of or tariff regulations.
Every step in the progress of the James
River Canal confirms us in the conviction
that it is be the great highway of this
Commonwealth, the spinal column Of her
whole system of internal improvements,
and that its extension to the Ohio by a con-
tunnOuS water line Is absolutely cSSentldl
TO the full development of Virginia pros
perity. The whole route of its projected
marchthrough Western Virginia. is through
a region of agricultural and mineral treas
ures which bewilder the mind by their ex-
tent and varity; Every league which it
advances VIII bloom - new beau,;es
and will yield it grateful returns. ~
frowning rock which it lavcs will pour
forth treasures at its touch. Each noun
tain battlement which it scales will paw ii
tribute, and from the darkest caverns,
mineral spoils will come forth more mani
fold and precious than oriental wealth.
Mingllng with the Ohio, it will make the
great West tributary to Virginia. Its
flowing stream will one day reflect popu-
lous cities where now are scattered villa.
ges, and smiling fields where now the for
est waves. In its healing waters, Virginia
will renew her youth, and from its margin
gather jewels to adorn her brow with more
than the glories ofthe Old Dominion.