The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-08-04
f~A subject which Is attracting SONS a"eN-
" a.. a..-sn, q pnad deal more

FR~ A subject which 10 sttrsea's
t,on-sud which ought TO attract coco oeA' mo
4, the scarcity Of water power IN tne 's'ae'
.nsE.nawha canal near Richmond All whokno"
v thing Of the history of the canal, kno" 'ns' one
=, Tho Grand arguments addressed by Its advocates
A. tho noon,e If Richmond, to induce tdem to SUD
.-;h. rheYsllv n the work, was that the cana
,,o,,,a .unnIv such a vast water power for the pro
.,1.ior 81 machinery. This argument was en-
n,oved with so much ability, that 1t had great Ell
feet Our citizens, by the help oil the ooid pictures
of future prosperity that were held up TO the M
couId nee the canal bank lined with mills and facto.
rio. from the basin for miles above the city, all plen'
,,a,,,v applied with water at moderate rates, and
,,ovss with unfaiipg regularity, pouring into our
,i,v their valuable fabrics, and adding immensely
to ito general prosperity. These bright ancpstion'
are not realized. The product OF the mouse from
the lsboring mosntsin is hardly greater falling
bs,ou ms, expectations, than the real amount OF
,-o,er mower afforded by the canal is short of the
nromises tina, were made to the people of Rich.
mond
The subject is one eff the deepest interest to our
neople. ard, we repeat, should attract more atten
ZION than it does. 1t becomes US now to inquire
vhy it is that the supply of water power for manu-
featuring is SO much short of that promised to US
10 quire farther whether 1t may not be increased
and then we ought to take the necessary measures
t. procure this increase. The advantage OF ele'a'
ton Is possessed by the canal in a manner that Is
seldom seen and If there was supply OF water
sufficient the whole river shore, for several miles,
might be studded with manufactures.
he from 10 imDreEs
upon our citizens the importance of this subject
They can well enough understand what Richmond
would gain by carrying her manufacturing cpera'
tons to the extent that she could, with the water
power of the canal were it as great as we were led
to expect it would be And with this knowledge,
we are sure they would not be siow in endeavoring
to remedy the defect if the manner of doing could
be determined on. And now here is a subject which
demands some of that consultation and interchange
of opinion, the want of which we noticed day or
two ago. Men cannot act without elaboration, and
they cannot deliberate unless they meet together
and express their views, one to another-and the
meeting and conference must be under circun4'
stances favorable to full and free conference and
calculated to lead to action. A hurried converse
ton on the street and casual interchange of opinion
at the fire side do not promote action. There must
be place to meet, and there must be something
like organic ation-so that after conclusions are
reached, there may be means of giving them effect.
Whenever our citizens do begin to take care OF
their own afa,rs-look into them and act upon
them,-here il one for them-the scarcity OF water
for manufacturing purposes in the James River
canal-that is hardly second in importance to any
that can engage their attention,