Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1857-08-11
Internal improvements.


q I former article We cndcayorcd III
show, that q great State without great
ci,ies was adj anomaly in history, both
sncisnt and modern; and further, thai
treat cities could not exist without great
commerce, and that concentrated On . few
points by Z Of capital, enterprise
peculiar locality and commodious chan
peis Of inter communication
That WI hayea great State, 70 far as
THE natural advantages are concerned no
one can deny. In position, Virginia has
10 equal; lying as she does, il the centre
81 the Union, washed onHone side By the
Atlantic ocean, and on tho other By the
great river Ohio. She has noble bays and
rivers inviting commerce. she Y alike
free from the icy letters of the lr'F
AID TIE parching heat 81 the southern
skiea. she has mountains, hills and val
l..ys and vide spreading plains; with soil
and climate unsurpassed in fertility and
salubrity.
The land Of promise 10 the children q
Israel, Aoving with milk and honey,
nossesssed not half the charms lavished,
by the hand Of nature, upon this opr
native State. She has an area largo
enough fpr An empire; and 4 people who
l,aye a~chieredfas high a place IN the po-
~iitieal and moral world as any other N
their day and generation. An And yet, SO
fsr is respects her national wealth and
physical development, she y far, very
fir. from occupying the high position in
lie business world to which she Y en- =
titled. AS Virginians, we long to see
hsr first in power, as she has always been
ID influence ia wealth as in glory Y
strength as ii. honor. And that when
hor votes IRE counted, In the c~ouneilso o.
the nation, they maybe as numerous as
they are weighty,
But how can this be done. is the great
question; and one that i often asked
with an in eredulity in the possibility Of
its accomplishment not less striking than
unaccountable.
Let Virginia pursue a policy that will
plant q long line Of large inland towns
like Imile-posts BY the highway and build
up great commercial emporiums Of hel
eastern and western borders, BY turning
the golden tide Of foreign and domestic
commerce, swelling as it flows into and
through Virginia, and the work is done.
but the Icroaker will say-and he be-
longs t 4 numerous class-there is No
such commerce in existence, nor likely
soon to be-. to which the proposed direc-
.tiop can 30 given.
lfthe great Central Railroad Of VIII
GINA and the Union, were now completed
from shore to shore, with her finest har
Boil On The continent boiling and smoking
with the fires Of the world steam-ferry
riding there in safety, waiting for 4 ricl
cargo Of freight and passengers from tn
vest il Is very certain the delay in por
would NOT be longer than the time requir
Cd for loading. The Western State
would furnish the passengers, and I'll
lakes and western rivers the freiyhts fas
Ter far than needed. And y few warehouse
and commission stores would be require
to hold the surplus LII the next trip.
But one croakcr says that although thi
road when completed, will furnish faci
tiles ind advantages far beyond Any OH
On In the Union, yet that there is NJ
trade and travel sufficient in the countf
10 make it pay, and he is opposed to 6
ing i'd debt to make aroad that may tut
out 4 failure. or AZ least an unprofit'
bls experiment.
&Et kEF -
But in answer TO the croaker's obje'
ton, wepropose to show that the capac
ycf the country and the commerce
furnishes are ample to a~nswerthe end
view. III DEBows Industrial Resourc
of the South and West, it is stated, aft
giving tho different items. 'sthot the
focts ii reference to the commerce Of q
lakes and Western rivers, justify the f
lowing conclusions
lst, That tile net moneyed value Oft
commerce of tho lakes and Western II
era, including the passenger trac
amounted for the year 1916. /.
nf the lakes III S63, 164,9I0
Of the Western rivers I83, sos, 725
Aogregate. S246, 776,635
end, That the population dePenPi
upon the lakes and upon the Weste
rivers, as = means Of communicating "
! market was. for5the year 1916,