The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-01-20


largest class, will probably remain 20 for ages yet
to come.
Lieut. NJ, regarding the object Of the railroad to
be TO give 10 produce shipped from Richmond .
more speedy and cheaper conveyance than tnat
down James river, proceeds tn compare the I'D
vantsees of the two rivers. From Richmond 10
City Point Il so miles by the river. There sea-goina
ships are loaded from lighters, which take produce
from Richmond ct IS cents 20 100 cents per son or
for 1.2 to cents per ton per mile averaging 81
cents From City Point to the mouth OF the river
Il 70 miller and for that distance he estimates the
average rate of freight al 1-2 cent per ton per
mile, the rate that prevails on the Hudson river.
From Richmond to York river the distance 10 81
or AZ miles according to the point selected and the
distance thence to the mouth oil the river - 80 10
IS miles, The problem he assumes II to ma out q
route by railway and York river by which mer-
chandse can be transported cheaper and quicker
between Richmond and the Bay than by James
river-not cheapest SO far as railway 10 conccrneo'
but cheaper all things considered
Before making this estimate, however, he enters
mon comparison of the points of terminus which
have been surveyed. The river above York Town
he considered all harbour, and any OF the points
indicated he says would do, If no better could be
found. Upon reading the report OF the Engineer,
who studiously avoided any expression OF pre-
ference for either route, 1t. m confessess that his
mind YVES inclined to favor Ethan; but he had not
seen the maps and charts of the river. As soon as
he saw these and visited the river, he decided
against Ethan; because OF the very narrow chan
would have to be widened and Strengthened before
Ethan could be made available AS it is, mo
sci could sail through II without snubb1ng nor
swing to her anchors without grounding. Any
vessel at anchor in it would block the way" The
cost of moving this structure" and the danger of
increasing thereby the bar at COTS point and the
absence of such wharf facilities as other places
afford, throw Ethan and Parham . out of the cues.
ton. Kings creek and West Point offer more
wharfage, and Filbates' is competitor with them
as 10 grades; but Kings Creek is Ia or Is miles
further than either OF the others, and Zone mile
of railroad costs az much as hive OF river freight"
The question was then narrowed down between
Filbates and West Point; but before It. NJ came
to q conclusion he was reminded by Mr.. Claxton
that since the report before him had been made,
route to West Point via the white House" had
been surveyed, which shortened the distance to
that point so that il was only half a mile longer
than that to Eilbates and easy 10 its grades as
any of the routes This at once enabled him to
settle his opinion in favor of West Point es having
advantages of railway terminus few places in this
or any other country possesses.
1t. M. dilstes at considerable length upon these
advantages. West Point being between the two
rivers forming the York has a double wharfage
On the Mattaponi side there is perfect shelter for
coasters steamers and all light craft, while on the
other there are good accommodations Tor the larg-
est Indiaman. The line for wharfage Is so adrnra-
bly, disposed that 1t NJ. says the wharves can be
constructed upon the cheapest and most advanta
geous scale for ali the purposes Of loading and
loading in con- JUNCTION with the railroad.
From West Point is water enough to pass out to
sea any merchant ship in the country, cave the
Great Republic. On COTS bar, two or three miles
below West Point, there are IL 3 4 feet at low
tide and such is the SOFT muddy consistency OF that
bar, that Lieutenant Nj. thinks that vessels may
plough through 1t to the depth of IL or Is inches
Is would pass vessel of 20 feet draft. 10 "a feet
at low water is more by four feet than the Misss-
sippi admits to New OrleanS-two feet more than
Baltimore and practically as much as Philadelphia
can boast Of At low water, but eleeea feet can be
carried into Liverpool and seUeD up TO London ;
at these ports the rise of the tide is from I2 to
20 feet but at mean, West Point beats them
both. With the soft mud on its bar, it Is superior
to the 81 feet of the Sandy Hook bar with It's hard
sand and heave of the sea, and whose difficulties
caused great delay and danger to vessels until some
20 years ago, the Gedney channel was discovered
by Lieutenant 6. The depth of the water at
COTS bar and the smoothness of York river, com.
bine to make West Point one OF the most accessi
BILE OF por 8. Lieutenant nj. comments ct length
upon the general advantages of this terminus, and
expresses his qualification at finding that Mr.. Cax
ton had, in his own mind previously come to the
same conclusion
Lieut. NJ, then enters into calculation of the
business of the road and the of the river
Capt, Chids had estimated the tonnage of the road
the first year at 100 900 tons, but Lieut. ssupposes
the friends of the road look for much larger bust
ness The movement OF tonnage seward from
Richmond now he ia informed, reaches 300, 600
tons In five years, with the improvements in ex-
stence he thinks 1t will reach ,000 900 tons The
Danviile and Central Railroads. he anticipates will
be tiaished before that time, and between them be
conveying half million OF tens per annum and
the Lynchburg and Tennessee Railroad will be
adding enormously to the tonnage of the Canal.
Looking still further in the future, Lieut.. NJ
thinks we may contemplate the time WI ca Vir.
gnis, shaking off her ethargy and rising above the
maiign influences OF divided councils and ectional
iealouses shall put forth her strength and energies
and show herself, giant-like she is, altogether
equal 10 her position and great as she ought to be-
For, "let men say what they will, Gays Lieut.. NJ o.,
"ths day wiU come ,ohen the James RiUer Canal aoiL
be extended to the Ohio in some shape or other,
which will afford cheap transportation to millions
of produce" That day will bring with it the boon
which the sons OF Virginia have so long coveted
a direc, trade. With tie constant Intercourse she
will then maintain with the great West Virginia he
says, will regain her ascendancy and that moral
power among her sister States which once she
had
West point and York river, suggests Lieut.. NJ.
have the powers of expansion to satisfy all the de-
mands Of the commerce OF Virginia even in that
day.
1t NJ comments upon the laws of trade which fix
cities the head of bays instead of their mouthsat
points where by q sort of compromise between sea-
going vessels and internal craft modes of convey
ance, they meet, and the trsnshipment from one to
cpste city at West Point-railroads prove that ar
tioles of commerce may be shipped and reshipped,
and conveyed through may entrepots, without
ma gle wand whose touch is city" He points 10
City Point example, and asks why has not Rich.
mond and Petersburg moved down there?
1t M. taking for his guide the average freight
Oh the New York Railroads of q cents per ton per
mile, estimates the cost per ton from Richmond to
West Point by Railroad at 95 cents against 87t cents
bv lighter to City Forthwith this advantage at
West Point that the freight will be deliverable from
the wharf to the ship, whereas at City Point it must
be hoisted up the ships side. From these two
shipping points sat The rate of half cent a mile
the transportation the BAY s As to 49, 1.-THE dis
lancet 22t to SO cents, being 16k cents per ten
in favor Of the York river route.
It. Nj referring the strais htness of the York and
the crookedness of the James, says that 10 fair to
estimate the time of getting to in the COMPARE
SON between the two rivera The estimates off eight
by time vary from IL to 20 cents per ton per day.
Taking Is fair this would make the freight of
vessel of 400 tons $50 per day of $40 Sl20 and
2e0O tons $500. When the wind fails a vessel of
800 tons by taking tug, (which could make several
trips day to and fro) and gaining day. could save
freight while the smaller class ships of 800 or 400
tons that visit James River, cannot poy steam to
the advantage" little ships not setting the ssme
valae upon day that large ships do and conse
ones would in York. 1t. M. contends for the sddi-
tonsi sdvanage of York River over James that il il
straight and pilots are not required it, while on
the James they are. he says, 'ludispensable."
1t M. concludes with contrast between tt Q Erie
charge of the Erie road is merchandise $40 cts
mile The cost of the Erie per mile was S4S 600 and
if linz do 10 foak rs - "