Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-03-23

| Two ranehipmenis, g.
| ~. ,,a u 9e
Profit on freight to New York through Nlrg''
~. 81 q
Or ssOo-in favor Of exports from Norfolk, q
50 DC
From Ciuc,uuati 10 Philadelphia ria PHtsburs.
Cincinnati, TO Ptsburg, AZ miles, river, at mills
NOR Inn mar mls 81 IS
Putsburg to Philadelphia. $50 mies railroad
at u cents. %
One ,ranshpment, but heavy grades, sll 80
To Phi,adelphis via Virginia route, 81
In favor Of trads through Richmond, - I'll
Cincinnati 10 Baltimore ria ParherSb"rs.
Cincinnati to Parksrsburg, 2S9 miles, river, AT d
mills, - 81
parkersbure to Baltimore, 3Sl miles, railroad,
at cent?, w
One transhpment but heavy grades, sll Ia
To Baltimore via Virginia route, -
In favor of the trade through Richmond, 81 ID
Cincinnati 10 Richmond RIA Railroad.
Cincinnati to GuyanGote, l53 miles, river at , mllls
no, Ton nor milo 80 II
Gnvsndotte 10 Richmond, 1870 miles, railroad,
at y cents, ~ 1t
One transhpment. but heavy srades, Sill -
r.o,x C,o;,,o,; ~ Richmond nv water, s a.
a.. o.0r,;ne SC us
NoTE-It will be observed that We have not mace
any difference in the rates Of transportation on eh'
the canals or roads. This is just, and VIII stand
funriDy siDcs Northern canals closed hVe mOhlhs
in the year The lockage on the 633 miles OF canal
in The New York route is nearly equal tn that on lie
Virginia route which is oaly 80 miles by canal
The above pretty plainly indicates that our resort
to rail roads to secure tho Western trade s taf"r
though il does not necessarily follow that those lnVs
liable improvements are failures. Indeed, 1t can be
proven that they are not since even the travel from
New York, and, consequently, all this eide OF that
point, can 90 to Cincinnati, and all the Southwest
over the Virginia roads providing the charges are the
same, chcoper and quicker than by any otNfr route
Light and valuable articles merchandise &C.,, VIII
generally take the rail road routes.
1t appears that the average odtue OF all the ar'i-
cles transported on the Erie canal, during the term
of four years. was siS GS per toni while those which
passed over the rail roads, running parallel with it,
averaged, for the came time. 1927 Al per ton
But, it ia evident to every practical man. that
though our rail roads cannot secure tbs trade our
wAryRLIsE Can. Hear what VIM. J. McAlpine,
the late eminent State Engineer Of New York, whose
authority s quoted more than any other lnans' on
such subjects, says He comparing the relative ad
vanages of the New York routes with therval routes,
in report to that State, years ago. and remarke
thus:
"Tae Virginia canal. If completed. mo2d reach tie
Ohio r1uer at Portsmouth dollar dseceny-fonr
CENTS per Ton cheaper than tie Nso York and OHIO ca
nnLs," viz: 1.-THE New York routeI
Wehave shown that freights can be taken by cur
canal to New York for 81 % per ton less than il
costs them to get It there by The lake ronte.
But. he adds. n n note
1.-THE Legislature of Virginia, at its last session,
decided TO abandon The water line, across the noun
taina aud rail road is now being built instead of
the canal This increases the cost of transportation
by this route. aud prevents its consideration as
competitor with the New York canals"
How decided is that last sentence. New York
could better then afford to pay Virginia tribute OF
$40 0O0 900 year, than have commended with such
rival route. That strange decision certainly must
have been source of comgratulation to our neigh
bors.
Another New York gentleman, Hon. A. c. Flagg,
1.-THE Virginia route, from the midness of the eli
mate, the shortneas of the distance, and its favora
BILE connection with the Ohio river possesses peculiar
nd vantages for the accommodation Of the trade Of
The Ohio"
He never dreamt that it would be abandoned
particularly when twoihirds Of it was finished.
But there are few who east the "frst stone
on the question of rail road rs. canals. we are
fast and progressive people generally, and rail roads
aud steam are types of the age. People were blind
ed at first with the smoke, and the roar. and the
novelty Of the thing, and did not take time to con.
,der that, though they are great and wise insti'n
ton, always useful, aud always the first in the march
,t progression and enterprise they cannot take the
place Of naturally located canals for heavy trsnspor
ation-as experience plainly teaches.
But only twothrds Of the canal lie finished; part of
t is abandoned, and lies idle in neglect and de-
,ay-its great end and aim unaccomplshed, and the
object desirable and valuable, still apparently
ar off as ever, though SlI O0O 600 are "ocked up
,fectuay in it. aud increasing too. at compound in
crest. II might hare tecn different. The Stale
ught to be receiving SD per cent. her investment
yet the enterprise is bound hand and foot and can
lot move; and, instead Of helping it up the State is
sepipg it down-actually straneling the enterprise
u des,h-preyins its own vitals Suppose The |
Bank Of England had acted with the same spir |
Ind c!osed its doors the continent American firm
Fho applied tor relief when the 'evil days" came,
gould have been wse or would it have been saie7
No. help TO carry out good speculation, or good en-
erpr'se' You have money III it, and you are sure OF
FOUR pay ard aili make it profitable to all concerned
nstead OF Tuinous. But il the enterprise is vslus.
+ss, foreelose the mortgages and bring down the
Sheriff.
The company owes to the Commonwealth on
oans and guaranteed bonds $513S ;s25, on which i'll
he oompsuy-has paid interest to the amount of
2, 3i3, 4s5s or enough to have flushed the canal to
,ovngton. "Had the State subscribed for stock in
be beginning" instead Of being forced do now
the company's expense, in order to herself she
'ould have saved the company the $2,A3, is5-psid
3 iutsrsst-of which 1873 96i has been paid 10 the
tate.
1t is impossible for the enterprise, arrested at ths