The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-10-08
The New River.

The Esquirsv, Of Wednesday has an interesting
article on the subject Of the improvement OF New
River. Il speaks Of the size and ecauty Of "a"
river Of the resources Of the country It traverses
and the little our people know Of 1t. "Passing,"
says, .through the very heart Of Virginia, and the
great store houses Of her exhaustiess mineral
wealth; By and through Immense aud vide e1
tending coal fslds; BY mountains OF iron ores ana
vest deposits Of salt By regions Of lead and copper
aud ell the valuable aud useful treasures Of the
mine BY deep and outrageous forests OF gigantic
trees and through rich and fertile saiiies and up
land pastures, and by the most romantic and pic
turesnue scenes and pleasant resorts, whose pure
mountain air and vrtuons mineral waters make
them not only the store houses of Nature, but al
most an elysium, where many OF the evils we can.
not avoid in less favored places dare no. venture
Yet though associated with ell those qualities so
interesting aud inviting to the enterprising and
adventurous, New River is still almost terra in.
oynita. We have seen maps representing the
country, both at home and abroad, In which this
noble river of the woods IL not even deigned
place.
The Enqmrer expresses its qualification at the
fact that the fret effort to improve this noble river
IL begun. We have already noticed this enter
prise. We learn from the '.SJuth Vest" published
?earisburg, Giles county, that the hands are at
work the river, clearing away obstacles to nav
igation. The present contract 10 to open channel
from the Central Depot to Frensh's Min, distance
of about thirty five miles. The channel is to be
mot less than fifteen feet wide and two feet deep
the lowest water. The sum to be paid for it is
perhaps less than $4,000. The contractors are
gentlemen OF experience and means, and there can
lie NO doubt of the performance of their contract.
IL 10 supposed that small steamers may navigate
the part ot the river thus improved. The greatest
difficulty, or the greatest fail, is known as enc
Coy's Falls" which about four miles above the
New River White Sulphur Springs, or eighteen or
nineteen from the Central Depot. If steamers can
ascend that, they easily navigate the remainder
Of the part under contract-nay, with u channel
wide aud deep enough, they eau traverse the en-
tire river from Central Depot to the mouth o.
Greenbrier, about eighty miles, without the aid of
locks and dams.
The fall from Central Depot to the mouth of
GresnbTer river, 10 800 feet, about four feet to
the mile. While the river below, from the mouth
of Greenbrier to the foot of the Great Falls of Ka
,,awha, distance of 65 miles, has fall of ten, feet
to the mile. Should locks and dams be necess sry
however, above the Greenbrer, the places at which
they will be required will be few, and from the
nature of the bed aud the shores, they may BIO
built very economically.
Whatever be the tate of the present enterprise.
which deserves the good wishes of every one. and
which every friend 0f improvement should regard
with the deepest interest, we are satisfied of one
thing, and that is, that it will demonstrate the Ca
pacity OF New River for improvement. 1t already
presents the appearance of slackwater uaviga-
tion-a succession Of eddies and falls But little
labor or expense will be necessary to perfect the
system already begun 80 beautifully by nature
The eddies or stretches of slack water are often
very long-one, We remember, some six or seven
miles in length. The fails marked by firm
rocky beds and bold rocky shores, where dams can
be easily and cheaply built that will endure for
ages.
Let this river be improved and the greatest ben.
efts will follow, not only to the country through
which it flows, but to Virginia. The beginning,
now noticed, by tue enterprsing New River Com.
pany, We look upon as the entering wedge to the
navigation of New River. That will stimulate
and render certain the completion of the works on
the river below tho mouth of the Greenbrier to
the Ohio, good part of which is now under con.
sideration and q loan for which is authorized, ia
order to accommodate the Kanawha Coal trade
Let this be done and the completion of the water
line from the Ohio to tide water Virginia W i'll be-
come inevitable.
Should steam be practicable on New River as
practical men say it is, and should it be successful
ly introduced, great revolution will be wrought
upon that magnificent territory. Apart from tho
solid benefits in the improvement and development
OF the country, the voyage upoa the New River
will constitute the most delightful part of the
mountain tour in Virginia.