Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1853-02-08
Norsn River improVement-ito Rock
bridge.

and prospects Of the North River Improvement
;n,he county oil Rockbridge, and as II Is one
which is TO be not only beneficial tothe section
of country which il drains, butte throw an I'm.
mense quantity of tonnage on The James Ky
or canal, and secure 10 the eastern eli'cs
new and increased trade whatever ean lie
urged in its behalf should be aticntisely ex-
amined. IL is proposed 10 construct this canal
from the junction of the North River with the
James 10 Lexingon--e distance Of twenty
miles, 10 admit bouts of the same size "a those
that navigate the James River canal and To
give it facilities for transportation equal in
every respect.
Tie means in possession of the company
will complete it TO point within xix miles Of
Lexington, aud during the present year II will
be open that distance. Its application for aid
IS before the Legislature, and. from tho facts
which we viii briefly state we thinkit entitled
10 favor.
II is unnecessary To combat the general i'm
preston of the superiority Of Railroads over
s:--crcumstances--thc character of ton
mage and advantage ofspeed usually control
that point. This work il constructed at an
average cost Of sixteen Thousand dollars per
mile. The dams and locks are of stone erect
edinthe mostdesrable and substantial manner,
All the material is found at convenient points
on the line Of tho work, which IN q great mon.
sure contributes to the low figures that the
Board of Directors have announced IA cover.
Il.
Of tic work will sustain what No have sad;
our jecl at this time being more directly
aimed TO ascertain the tonnage it will receive
ard TO consider the advantage it is to confer.
There is 20 other county in the Stotc, per.
h1ps, which il 81 LARGELY blessed with the dou.
bic advantage Of Icing fine agricultural re
gon, and containing such me adjustable qanu
titles OF ores aud mnrrlIs. Il tht. time the
tonnage entered at the mouth Of the North
river on the James n, ct canal IS nearly double
that coming down from above. notwilbstand
ing the canal is open To Buchanan and the bat
teaux navigation from the walcr courses above
that town unobstructed. This is the fact in re-
gard to tonnage, at u time too " hen he non
interest has NOT recovered from the depression
1t sustained in this county few years since
The probability now is TIM, it will be engaged
In more generally, and from many circumstan
ces we must conclude that the price cunnoi
coon 60 down aud that tho onlorprisng IRON
masters of Tint county viii enter The field again
with the prospect before them Of growing
demand existing for yeas 10 como.
The furnaces erected and which are and
have been in Dlast ia Rockbridge and other
Counties whose outlet is the North liver, can
produce annually ten thousand tons Of IRON
which article alone will pay in the aggregate.
with tolls pruden;ly levied, greater amount.
for the space Of country from which it comes.
than will be realized any Improvements in
tho State, from any single product. This very
large amount can be made from sites which
have been improvcl,ond we leave It 10 be con.
jectured what the result will be, when tho
prospect shall incite enterprise and capital 10
The developement Of tho many unopened
banks which lie thckly scattered through thai
county. We will not speak Of the FORCES now
at work-of the great increase which must
metal-of the foundres in successful opera,
ton and of their increase as there are other
interests which we desire to look to.
The lands OF Rockbrdge by their assessed
value worth three and "A half millions Of
dollars and produce the following quanlit les Q
the chief staples annually:
Wheat l9S.553 bnsht4
Rye 1907
Corn 372,705
Oats 162,752
On the waters tributary to this improve