Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-07
RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
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THURSDAY MORNING., MAKCti u. 1901

THURSDAY MORNING;M MARCH u. 1901.
The remarks of Judge Mason and Mr. Russell on lucs-
,;on, before the Southern Rights Association, in refer
ence 10 the informal improvements OF Virginia. and tile CON-
o, with which they have to contend for the commerce
s , valley of the Mississippi have excited inquiry
m The actual condition OF things bearing upon the subject
. ri. ,in,e II appears follows From the Capes OF
virpnia TO Richmond by sloop navigation James River
40 miles; thence to Lynchburg canal navigation, llo
miles, thence Buchanan so miles by the CANAL which
will bs completed that point this year thence to Covng
ton a. miles by measurement baeaux navigat:on thence
the measured for the canal the Falls OF the Great
Kanawha l37 ito this point STEAMBOATS, have como In the
natural bend OF the Rver thence 10 Loup Creek Shoals
[,hs is accessible to steamboats,; thence to Charles
on 81 from this point large trade carried on by steam
boats with the country and thence to the mouth
Of the Kanawha Pon, Pleasant, 4s miles, making from
the highest point of soop navigation the James TO the
highest point of steamboat, navigation on the kanawha,
$50 miles, to Charleston, 46 and TO Point Pleasant i'o'
But 10 Guyandote 40 miles nd 4S below Point Pleasantly
tho distance from Richmond would DO 456 miles
If we look to immediate competitor on the North,
Baltimore find railroad in successful operation TO
Cumberland 63 miles, and the entire route from thence to
Wheeling 2ll miles, under contracts making 39i miles from
Baltimore to steamboat navigation on the Ohio river. From
Wheeling Pakersburg, the distance is los miles, and
thence Point Pleasant ST. making the entire distance from
Baltimore $50 miles by this route. But the Branch of
this road authorized from Thrse Fork to Porkcrsburg
which, il is said will be longer than tho Wheeling
Branch brings Parkcrsburg within 394 miles of Baltimore
thence Point Pleasant being 81, makes the distance
between that point and Baltimore 46l miles, greater than
the distance Richmond the Central named by
fpe miles only.
From Alexandra, by way of the Poomc Canal, TO tho
point near Cumberland where tho Railroad devergos wes
the distance Is lS9 miles; and thence TO the Ohio RI
yer by either branch of said road 2ll making by this
route 400 miles from Alexandria TO Wheeling or Par
kersburg six miles farther only than by railroad from Bal
tmorc and consequently eleven miles farther Point Pleas
ant than from Richmond, by the Of the canal above
described. Thus will be seen that if heavy produce COM
from the West be put upon the Potomac canal near
Cumberland withou, paying TO the Railroad Company dis
eliminating TOLL the cheaper carriage on the canal will en-
able Alexandria to fairly in competition with Baltimore
in the produce market likewise in The shipment Of goods
10 the West But this must depend upon the justice and
Hberaty VI the Railroad Company When this road shall be
completed Wheeling and Parkersbrg three hundred
miles will be in Virginia. and while it will form the great
Eastern high way of North Western Virginia. the
company ought not from selfish motives divert any por
ton of the trade of that country from Eastern Virginia
market by unequal charges The interests both OF Eastern
and Western Virginia. would be unusty impaired by such
course.
But wha, should bo the policy of Virginia this time and
in her present condon2 We that in few months of
the 800 miles of canal line between socp navigation the
East and steamboat the West shall have 1856, COM
pleted Buchanan. There will then be si miles Of unbro-
ken SOIL There no difficulty the speedy execution
of47 miles of this distance to Covngton excep; lack Of mo-
nsy; portion of the residue doubts still exist in tho
minds of many intelligent We alude the mountain
section. There doubt OF the practicabiIy OF
railroad. from CovDgon any point on the kanawba or
Ohio Then railroad the Falls Of the Kan1wha, l5
miles, would not be large undertaking for the State II 1t
cost 10000 per me it would amount 10 but Sil0OOO--
By the time this road could DO built the Kcnawha river might
DO locked and damned for boats like the Mononga
hela from P.burg Bownsvc the AZ miles canal could
completed and Central Railroad carried TO Covngton
We should then have boat navigation TO the Fals
equal 10 that on OHIO above the mouth of the Kanawha
We have that by Railroad and Canal we should have
line Of 243 mos OF Canal and l37 Of Railroad between
Richmond and the Falls and the Central Railroad which
would be from Richmond to Saun,on 1877 miles, thence TO
Covngton so and thence the Falls 3I milking 354 miles
These two lines could fairly compete with the Baltimore road
and they would wholesome upon chag
cs of each other II would then remain first extend the Rail-
road to Guyandote, about 76 miles, Ito point below the
mouth the Kunawha is bringing the travel from that point
Richmond entire Railroad line OF $50 mics while TO
Baltimore from Guyandotc there would DO l35 miles to Par
in all 500 milesgeaer than to Richmond by 90 niles.
As cars travel twice as fast as boats ascend the Ohio rvc
ia probable the passenger could arrive Buchanan EGO
miles on his way TO Richmond by the time he could reach
pckersburg on the way Baltimore and while he would
have but 27 this route he would have o94 on that
This fair and manly competition between the Baltimore
and Alexandria lines and those of Central Virginia. would
be alike beneficial to Eastern and Western Virginia first in
keeping down unjust monopoly of high charges which
either would inHct upon Western commerce. If alone and
second in keeping markets the highest point in the ci
Chesapeake by which Western produce would be
drawn in this direction rather than Philadelphia New
York.
After completing the railroad Guyandotte the profits of
tho work would furnish ample carry the canal
the boats; when Virginia would have but one
| real competitor for Western produce-New York.
If this scheme be approved another may be adopted
with great facility by making branch of the Virginia and
Tennessee railroad down the New River and Kanawha-
But not hvng the distances we canno, this time speak
with accuracy in relation it, would of course connect
with the canal at Lynhbug and the residue would be by
railroad. The whole length will not differ far from the other
! line.
People do not generally appreciate the advantages of
steamboats, for the transportation of pdce in these days
Of railroads and teegraphs II will be found by reference
charges on the Western waters that there is hardly
comparison between the cost Of transportation on steam
boats and railroads. where the former can be used and
hence great point be attained by Eastern cities is the
shortest by canal railroad between sloop and steam
boat navigation the East and the West While the freight
from Philadelphia to Psburg by Railroad and Canal 1896
mes is from so l2 per hundred pounds the
same ono hundred pounds of produce DO carried from
the latter place by steamboats, 10 ST. Louis ls0 miles,
lat from 81 TO 81 cents. So articles arc freirbtcd
from New Orleans to Cincinnati at from 25 to IS
cents per 100 pounds distance of ,5S5 miles;
while the same articles will pay, for transportation
from Cincinnati on tho canal Toledo Lake Erie 25
miles, the sum of 25 cents; and Sandusy by
railroad 2ls miles, they will pay IS TO 40 CENTS between
Cincinnati and Wheeling 403 miles, fieghs range from Is
TO 25 CENTS 1t could not be to the Falls of Kanawha
as the would be less by 07 miles, Add this charge
TO that New Orleans Cincinnati and we havo the
rate between the Falls OF Kanawha and New Orleans at 40
10 GO cents per hundred pounds line of 1881 miles of