Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-05-11
NO. XVI.
James River Canal.
GBY REQUEST


The result of the recent meeting Of the Stock
holders of the James River and Kanawha Ccmpa-
ny is but an additional instance of the little wis
dom with which most of the affairs Of this work
are managed.
| It had been the reasonable expectation Of the
friends Of Internal Improvement, that all iInpedi
ments to the construction of the Covington and
Ohio Railroad would be withdrawn, by an aban
donment, at that meeting, Of the water line at the
point designated by the Board of Public Works
for the eastern terminus Of the railroad.
For reasons, purely personal, the writer Of this
card was not present at the meeting. But few
words from him would have been necessary 10 dis
abuse the meeting of the false impressions produc-
ed upon it by garbled quotations from his reports
on the railway survey.
But few plain statements are necessary ior
that pnrpcse-and that error may MOI be coDse-
Grated by remaining without contradiction. they
are now presented TO the public in condensed
FORM
The adhesion Of the Stockholders to the water
line policy was effected by statement drawn
from several detached portions Of the Railroad re-
ports-professing to show the superiority Of The
route through MonrUe county, IN preference to
the preferred line through the county Of Green
britr.
The facts exhibited to the meeting. viewed by
themselves, were well calculated 10 produce the
very effect which they did, 1t was correctly stat
ed that the Monroe line was estimated 10 cost
between two and three hundred thousand dollars
less than the Greenbrier line-but II was careful
w disguised that the same line would rquire an
additional capital to the amount OF $437 ,OUO,
more than would be necessary on the Greenbrier
line, to transport the smallest amount Of tonnage
and passengers which would authorize the work
at all. An equally important fact in the railway
reports was Kept out of view, viz: that on the
most important passenger railways, proven by ac-
tual returns, the number of passengers estimated
prior to the inception of the works, was not more
than tenth Of the number transported ina very
few years from their completion. Such result
on the Covington and Ohio Railroad would make
more than four millions Of additional capital ne
cessary to work the Monroe lne-quite sufficient.
should that route have been unfortunately chosen,
to authorize new railway on the Greenbrler
route, even if the Monroe line was never thereai-
ter to produce one cent of revenue.
A statement was also made, and one also ia it.
self true, that the maximum grade on the Monroe
line was bat 90 feet or the passage of the Ale
ghany, while ON the Greenbrier line the mountain
gradient was los feet to the mile; and also that
the maximum grade adverse TO the movement Of
the traffic Eastward was less on the Monr e than
on the Greenbrer lne 1t would have suited the
object to be accomplished at that meeting to state
that the Monroe line presented three submits,
each nearly four hundred feet higher at grade than
fhe single grade summit of the Greenbrier limo
that the heavy grades extended through thrice or
four times the distance, and that consequently ,np
on an equation Of distance for grade, the Green
brier route was shorter by an equivalent of z2s
miles.
It was Also stated, upon authority which IS not
admitted to be correct, that the Monroe line is ca
pabe of being shortened three miles: but do at
firm, on my own authority, and that Of MIR. Ell
lett, who preceded me in these surveys, that sa-
wing of five miles can be effected on the Greenbri
er line by tunnel at the Great Bend on Green
brier River, ,chich ,oiH certainly De made if the
work remains in my charge. The Monroe line
would then, even admitting the possible shorten
ing of three miles, be 6 4-l0 miles the longer in
measured distance, and 27s miles in equated dis
lance. No shortening of the Monroe line can,
however, be effected without a corresponding sa-
crifce in the grades, and the consequent economy
The decision Of the James River meernrg ucuc-
fited no interest, not even that of its own work
its only influence is to retard some SIX moaths.
or perhaps year, the completion OF the great
work, and to keep the public in state OF racilla-
ton.
This short statement is simple oblation on the
altar of truth. Let those who are interested IN
this subject accept no partial statements, but tead
the three consecutive reports of 1851 and 1907 on
Railway surveys, and judge for themselves.
CHAs. b. SHAW.
Oh. Eng'r Gown and Ohio r. X. Go.