The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-11-09
rhe James River Canal.

rr -. .i~nxs advocated Internal improve
~,..,. e.neeally the James River Canal and tho
C.a,ra, Railroad, upon which subjects We have
,.ar hammering without intermissioa, through
o,e medium or another, for the last seventeen
VAR. which embraces the period OF our eonnexion
With the virginia press. At that time the James
B,vsr Canal was at Lynchburg, and eviscod
strong disposition to spend the res, of its days
,h.re' Our hmeutcd friend, Toler, the editor OF
the Lynchburg virginian, was showing the cahHi
all the Inequalities of the place, demonstrating
with his cogent logic that IL might 80 further and
fare worse and exerting his great influence to pro-
veat IL from wandering of and losing Itself among
,hs wes,srn woods and the horrfd sssages py
,.ho, ,bav ware Inhabited Mr.. Toler was honest
In hi, belief that the further extension oil 'he "a
rs, xould prove Injurious 10 the puohc interests
I'm, thouUh he supported HE position with an Al
Communicative power unequallsd In the Journalism
nf,ha State we we're entirely unable to agree with
a., wien the example Of what the New York Canal
"a ao,o for New York. we thought We could see
r., ,he James River Canal under far more favor
ah,s circumstances would do for Virginia. We
accordingly heshed our maiden sword in behalf OF
che James River Canal, and, being then In the
green spring-tipne of existence, were verdant
enough 10 hope that We should live TO see the
waters Of the Atlantic and the James united in
fraternal embrace. In company with our brother
Canaliers we went through all the usual argu-
nents practcahlI;y, central position, freedom
from ice short distance, superiority over all other
routes IN every imaginable point OF view; we went
over all these subjects as frequently and elabo-
rateiy as the horses of the canal boats go up aud
down the tow-path and we find ourselves ever and
anon up TO this moment, taking the owpsth from
the sheer force of habit. Years have passed. away;
Al. s..,1l a.A l;uow,
pearei from the stage of life; the leading editors
OF that day. Richie. Peasants and Toler and the
more youthful, but promising, Darlington, have
Iado aside their armor. and sleep quietly in the
tomb: new faces are around, new men in the press,
new States have grown up. cities increased from
ten to a hundred thousand, the Union been extend
cd from the Atlantic to the Pacific, but the James
River Canal has inst crept over the mountains
We have not yet, however, given up the hope of
its ultimate completion and magnificent results
We still! entertain the confident conviction that,
after all the mud turnpikes, aud plank road. of the
State are completed after the present system Of
railroads, having one terminus in a city and the
other in the woods, aud running parallel to each
other whenever possible go to keep up lively COM
petition is brought TO conclusion. the James River
Canal will be extended to the Ohio. Admonished
by the experience Of the past, and chastened by
the fight of time, do not wish to be too ssn-
gune. nevertheless will hazard the prediction
that the end of the present century will witness
the contamination OF this grand achievement, and
that Virginia will then begin career of prosperity
which will make her the Empire State of the
South.
Our attention has been brought TO this subject
by lettcr Of Ex-President Tyler, which we have
already published expressing his appreciation Of &
mastery pamphlet which has recently appeared
in Norfolk entitled An Appeal for the speedy
completion of tho Water Line OF Virginia, and
through that of the great Central Water Line OF
the Union, which will reach from the wharves of
Norfolk, far into Kansas, and eventually to the
very bases of the Rocky Mountains We wish
this pamphlet could be in the hands of every cit-
aen of Virginia. 1t would convince him that the
water line ought TO DO carried at to the Ohio
and that it would make Virginia the first State, and
Norfolk the first seaport of the Union Putting the
cost at the very highest figure, aud nearly double
the highest estimate ever made by AN Engineer, at
ten millions of dollars and, as the pamphlet be-
fore US says, that would be mot one hundred uNd
hDertuth part Of the appreciation of New York
property since the Erie Canal built: not
much as the annual profits its trade would giyeour
State not oRe-iourth the increased value it would
give to tho railroads OF Virginia"