Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1852-01-22

Il - lLtrll
Or the Importance 70 the State OF the Great lin
from tdewater on 1anies river to the Ohio /
indeed, y were Originally with6ut merit. The ex
penuiture Of ten millions OF dollars u the las
thirty years .or ne improvement, would tx q
interest there which We coeld not disregard :
Bot the extent and value Of The works complel
ed, the original merit Of the scheme, and III
sums Tor which the Stale Is already responsibl
on account OF the Improvement. give il an i'm
Poriance ia our deliherations, Which We canno
Disguise il NE wooid. Bur how far Il is prone
to continue The wases line. Is question upol
which an honest dilefence OF opinion NAV wei
exist among the most enlightened and patriot,
statesmen.
While | have no disposition 10 dispafaee Ii,
Dement'S Of canal, am not fnsensible 10 II,
many advantages which well CONSTRUCTED rail
road possesses over any artificial water improve
ment nor do feel il necessary to discuss m,
relative advantages OF Disadvantages Of the tr,
species adapted 70 thss line. other Than in thel
ptactlcal seiaSion e. existing Circumstances =
From many imposing examples Il has heretoIoS,
been urged with zeal and ability, that raiiroa d
have become necessary appendag es 10 the canal
upon most oil the great lines OF travel and trans
por,ation. u this view be correct and II we have
duly estimated The msenitude ofthe service which
the business OF the James river and Kanawhs
line will at no very remote period of time require
| prosement may be m4uded and when that time
shall have arrived, both can be safely aud adsan.
tageously constructed Bur until one or The
other shall have been carried through the
| entire line, and large amount OF travel at.
,racied 10 1t, strong Necessity for both cannot
exist.
A canal across the mountains would satisfy
the present demand for the transportation OF pro.
| duce, but the railroad would, in addition, accom-.
modate large amount oitravel, the iransporta-
tion ofthe mail and live stock, aud consequently
| ensure speedy and ample remuneration Tor The
cost OF construction. Involved as we arc, the
shortest lime within which a renunerating reye.
nue. can be produced is proper subject for con-
sideratlon; and if 20 insuperabe objection TO
such course exists, The improvement by which
this object can be firsttattained, should be first
| executed. But in the execution the work should
be so constructed as not TO preclude the con
slruciion of the oiher, along near the same
line, should IL ever beccemed expedent 10 do So
With these general tlews.ot the subject, tee
much confidence in recommending continuance
of the water lineto Clifton Forge or to the near
est point upon the proposed line atwhcHia juno
ton can be formed with the Central Railroad, and
that the Legislature make provision in the most
suitable manner to complete the work alan early
day. The report Of the President OF the James
River aud kanawha Company, having charge OF
this important improvement, exhibits the entire
income OF all their works, in eleven months end
ing 30th September last, al 1921 $50 10 and the
disbursements within the same period for gene.
raj administration and repairs on the works, at
SS2 020 81, leaving 4 nett income OF $l69 ,539
81. They disb1rsed aisu ioT anhuny il The old
James River company, S2l 900; redemption oil
OF post notes, $500 IS, and interest on bonds qua.
ranteed by the State, 81 90 ais IS ma king an az
gregate OF $2lS,168 30--beng an excess dser
the nett incomeoi 8 lS, 628 40. In The estimates
Of receipts and disbursements for the current year,
the President anticipates deficit of $50 ,97S -.
He states that the second division Grom Lynch
burg 10 Buchanan) will exceed the fund sap
propriated tos the purpose, by NJ ieRst one hun
dred and ty thoreand dollars, and the cost Of the
tide water, Riyanna and Southsitie connections
will! overrun the appropriations for those objects.
Upon The third division between Buchanan and
Covngton) contracts have been made for three
dams and tunnel, bultihe finds appropriated to
the object are insufficient to complete the divi-
sion, and it is the policy Of the board to execute
successive sections and make them available for
navigation and revenue, TO the extent Of the
means provided IN this embarrassing position
ofitheir affairs. the President suggests as mode
of belief that The State should assume the qua
ranteed debts and convert their amount into
stock of the company, by which the nett in.
in the most appropriate manner 10 carry on the
work. But i'll This plan should not be deemed ad-
vsable by the leg stature, he proposes that loan
in State bonds of three hundred thousand dollars
shall be asked. that the State shall pay the in
terest on the compaDy's bonds until the | ct Of
July, 1853. With the prospects Of revenue,
when the works 10 process OF construction shall
have been completed, the President thinks the
company would be justified in undertaking 10 re-
fund TO the treasury in five years the sums thus
advanced The respectful consideration of the
Legislature is asked for these propositions with a
view 10 the completion Of the canal to or near
Clifton Forge, as before Indicated as its present
terminus. II is not improbable, that with pre-.
per energy the canal can be completed 10 this
point within two years, when we shall have a
water line Of about $50 miles.
From this point most earnestly recommend
the construction of railroad, on State account,
to some pnnt on The Ohio river dc emed most eli
CHILE upon 4 full reconnaissance Of the several
'fonies heretofore contemplated. having in view
the valuable Trade OF thai river and ultimately n
railroad conljecion with the cities OF Cincinnati
and Louisville IN connection with this line,
recommend that every proper aid shonid be given
for the speedg complexion OF The Central Railroad
from Richm9nd to he point proposed as the pre-
sent terminus Of the canal, and from Alexandra
| To GoYdans YALE. The Railroad iFnm the cana
10 I.oup Creek Shoals w"ud moi exc. ed f60mes,
| 10 which point sieamboai< are now accessible }
and from Mtacn 10 Gaynndotte, should that point
be selected a. the terminus, il would be about 81
miles. making ABB miles OF railroad TIE wafer
line by the KaBawha would be about 80, and
strike the Ohio 40 miles above Guyandotte-thus
giving the sertion Of road between Loup Greek
Shoals and t;hftun Forge the double importance
az being connected al both ends with waller and
railroad lines The best energy Of the Slate
should therefore be tnrned 10 The speedy compile
lion 81 rhs division ai the WORK. There is little
doabt that Tie Alexandria and Orange Hailrosd
and the BTuT Ridge tunnel may he completed. and
| the CentralRaiirnsd and the canal he eafriedto
| Clifton FORGE, hy the time the railroad from The
latter placeio the Ohio river can be finished
These works will give a line Of railroad
| fshould Guyandotie f27 miles below The south
ern terminus OF The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
| be The posnt selected Of 442 miles 10 Alexan
| dria, q AT to Richmond, and 800 to Frederlcks.
burg. il We include 40 miles Of plank road IRON
/ GordonsyiIIe, designed ultimately 10 be laid with
rails. From the head bf steamboat navigation
| on the Kahawha We shall have line TO Rich-
! mopd o. s82 miles. consisting ef l5o OF railroad
! and 235 ~ ranai, and also railroad line Of $40
m,les; to Fredericksburg line Of 3OS % IL,
| consisting Of 26s Of Fzilrnad and 40 % plank
road and 10 Alexandra 300 miles o. fontiuntif
railroad lhe advantages O this connection e
Il tba whole Commonwealth, 10 an ECONOMICAL and
6,iariat new. III b. almost incalculabH As
! cnnuectjon oflocai works, they will confer i'm
n.r,a,,t b3.,efii. upon halt tie State Terminal
81, au,n bur western bnder At Guyandoiie and
Poin,pleksant, (tLe latter 81 mileF below The ter
m'nas osshe Bal,snare ard Ohio Raisrcad-) ant
O, the phSl IA Rchm nd, Fredericksburg an.
q sex1ndIAa. IN addition 10 Tine vast amount OF to