Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-01-21

d to the old James river company, $21 ,O0
+ redemption of post notes, $892 IS, and il
t. terest on bonds guaranteed by the Stat
It $196. 275 65 making an aggregate of S21
: 1853 30-being an excess over the nett il
come of $48,628 4S. In the estimate
. receipts and disbursements for the currer
, year, the President anticipates deficit {
t $50, ,976 70. He states that the second d
vision from Lynchourg to Buchanan WI
, exceed the funds appropriated for the pur
pose, by at least one hundred and fft,
thousand dollars, and the cost of the tide
water, Rivanna and South-side connection
will overrun the appropriations for thos,
objects. Upon the third division (betweel
Buchanan and Covlngton) contracts have
been made for three dams and tunnel, ou
the funds appropriated 20 the subject are in
sufficient to complete the division, and it is
the policy of the board, to execute success.
sive sections and make them available for
navigation and reyenue,to the extent of the
means provided. In this embarrassing po-
sition Of their affairs, the President suggests
as mode of relief, that the State should
assume the guaranteed debts, and convert
their amount into stock of the company, by
which the nett income would left free, and
could be applied in the most appropriate
manner to carry on the work. But if this
plan should not be deemed advisable by the
Legislature, he proposes that loan in State
bonds of three hundred thousand dollars
shall be asked, or that the State shall pay
the interest on the company's bonds until
the 1st of July 1853. With the pros
poets of revenue, when the works IN pro-
cess Of construction shall have been complet-
ed, the President thinks the company would
be justified in undertaking to refund to the
treasury in five years, the sums thus ad-
vanced. The respectful consideration OF
the Legislature is asked, for these PROPOSE
tons, with view to the completion of the
canal to or near Clifton Forge, as before in
dicated, as its present terminus. 1t is not
improbable, that with proper enc gy the c.
nal can be completed to this point within
two years, when we shall have water line
of about 230 miles.
From this point most earnestly recon-
mend the construction of railroad, on State
account, to some point on the Ohio river
deemed most eligible upon full reconnois-
sance of the several routes heretofore con-
templa!ed, havingin view the valuable trade
of that river, and ultimately a railroad con-
nection with the cities of Cincinnati and
Louisville. In connection with this line, I
recommend that every proper aid should be
given for the speedy completion ofthe Gen.
trail Railroad from Richmond to the point
proposed as the present terminus of the
canal, and that from Alexandra to Cor
donsville. The railroad from the canal TO
Loup creek shoals would not exceed $50
miles, Ito which point steamboats, are now
accessible and from which to Guyandotte,
should that point be selected as the termi-
nus, it would be about 50 miles, making
232 miles of railroad. The water line by
the Kanawha would be about 80, and strike
the Ohio 40 miles above Guyandotte--thus
giving the section of the road between Loup
creek shoals and Clifton Forge the double
importance of being connected at both ends
with water and railroad lines. The best en-
ergy of the State should therefore be turned
to the speedy completion of this division of
the work. There is little doubt that the A.
lexandria and Orange railroad and the Blue
Ridge tunnel may be completed, and the
Central railroad and the canal be car
ried to Clifton Forge by the time the rail-
road from the latter place to the Ohio river
can be finished.
These works will give line of railroad
Should Guyandotte, 1877 miles below the
1, tor of fHa polt and n
hio railroad be the point selected, of 442
miles to Alexandria, of APT to Richmond,
and 800 to Fredericksburg, if we include 40
miles Of plank road from Gofaonsville. de-
signed ultimately 10 be laid with rails
From the head Of steamboat navigation on
the Kanawha we shall have line to Rich
mond of 382 miles, consisting of $50 ofrail-
road and 232 of canal, and also railroad
line Of 345 miles; to Fredericksburg line
Of 30S miles, consisting of 268 of railroad
and 40 of plank road and to Alexandria
$50 miles of continuous railroad. The ad-
vantages of this connection to the whole
commonwealth, in an economical and fnan-
cial view will be almost incafculable. As
connection of local works they will con-
fer important benefits upon half the State.
Terminating upon our Western border at
Guyandotte and Point Pleasant (the latter
81 miles below the terminus of the Balti-
more and Ohio railroad, and on the east at
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Alexandra,
in addition to the vast amount oflocal trade
and travel which these improvements will
accommodate, they will operate in whole.
some competition with the Maryland and
Pennsylvania lines for the business of our
northern counties bordering on the Ohio
1t is clear, that while a railroad across the
mountains can be made to operate as feed
er to the canal to the full extent ofthat por-
ton of trade which can be transported at
less cost by water, it can also distribute
upon the roads already constructed (and IN
which the State is deeply interested } very
large amount of business which by no pos
sbility could be effected by the canal if
completed-thus giving active employment
to the whole connection, sufficient to pro-
duce from the tolls alone a revenue that
will liqdidate the debts existing and yet to
be contracted. Very many travellers be-
tween the States lying East and West Of
Virginia, will be attracted to this hne by the
beauty of its scenery, the miidness of the
climate and the shortness Of the route
If we make Washington city always place
of interest) point in the line oftravel be-
tween the East and the West, which is six
miles from Alexandra, we shall have con-
tinuous railroad Except the six miles, Of
366 miles to the head Of steamboat naviga-
tion on the Kanawha, or 448 miles to Guy.
andotte, and thence by the best river naviga-
ton to Cincinnati l60, making 60S miles