Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-03-26
For the Enquirer.
For Me EnqniTrr.
JAMES RIVER AND KANAWHA CANAL.

MeSsrs. Edtora-An article over the signature o
K" Common Sense appeared in your paper OF the 9tt
| instant in reply to a letter from James Lyons, Esq
| to Messrs. Deane, Lsyne and others. The writer
that article, without having ever written one before
for publication. could not resist the temptation to ex
pose its many sbsurditss and the greatest, the idea
OF carrying the canal TO CovingtoD and there ne ex
| pected the matter to end But 1t seems, there mus
have been sore truths in il, from the desperate
efforts that have been made 10 save Oh Its effects by
snsers dculs and bold assertion, for 1t has brought
out two pieces In opposition TO it-one over The .x
| nature of Basin Bank" in your paper of the 10th
inst. and the other on the 10Th, the signature Of
"Csnal." If the friends Of the james river improve
ment had, III years ago, shown ss mach zeal IN trying
to inform The public mind with regard to the value oil
their improvement. and the localities OF the country
We would not now have State debt OF S33, O0O, 0OO
aud their canal made worthless, by being rvaed from
end to the other, both North and South and the
Western end superseded by other improvements.
The advocates Of tue James River canal seem to
have but dsa and that is that the canal must be
carried to the CoviDgton and Ohio Rail Road. Now,
think, with all Difference TO their superior wisdom,
that might be possible to carry the rail road to the
canal.
have not as much time to write articles for
papers az the officers of the James River Company,
and would not now reply, but for Canals" having
made, in a very triumphant way an issus in regard
to facts. So far as made representations in regard
| to freights, made them from the record, which you
will find below, from one of the most respectable
boatmen know. did not 20 to highly respecta
BILE and deeply interested James River boatman to
get my information. Iu will find from the receipt
below that had over.esmated the freight in some
respects-that it is two shings per hundred lnstead
of forty cents rs had stated-and hemp at ~ per
ton the most precarous of all articles of shipment, and
for which the highest freight was always demanded.
Canal" knows very well who | am and If he will
call on me, can show him many more such receipts,
and receipts for Hour at fifty cents per barreli and,
it possible your informant knows the fact that Jo
! kaLr rrtnl
-four for very many years, for the Messrs. Warkeys
Judges Allen and Taylor, and Others dedueting sew
enty i've cents per barrel for freighs, tos, commits
sions and all charges. did not assert that freight
had not varied in price, but that shipments had been
made at the prices stated, but your $l3 to s2 per
ton freight. Bah.
I made my statement Of the cost of the James
River Canal from the representation Of Mr. Lyons to
Msssrs Dean, Layne and others. did not examine
for myself he u director and thought he ought
to have known. lfhis is an error am not to blame,
surely The article signed Basin Bank" says
anoher allegation il, that MIR. Lyons has stated the
cost Of the Canal. from Richmond to Buchanan, at
Sl6 900 0O0." This is q mstake-hs surely does not
mean to say, that Mr.. Lyons did not 80 state il. See
his letter, II can't tell what he means, but Canal"
Gays he meant that the James River and Kanawha
Company, in the construction, maintenance, and re-
pairs of their works, and interest upon their invest
ment and debts, for the last % years. have expended
sbou, Sl6,OgU 900. Now if Canal will allow me,
will chow him the aost b. adding to that sum the in
erest on S. 900 UUD the original capital for ~ years.
which amounts 10 $6600000 and which makes
S22 600. Now he gentleman show his skill in
making figures II 1881 miles canal, cost $2 500 OOO
what will tho canal, crossing the mountains by the
aid of rain water reservoirs, and pudded dana, sup'
posed without knowing the exact distance to be 230
miles, coat
the COS; OF the Improvement when you come TO make
your rain walter reservoirs. and dam and puddle a
whole region Of country. Canal" says that Tin place
Of entering the mountains al Buchanan, II ID exactly
at that point where it energies from the mountains
after having made the passage Of the Blue RIDGE
Where ID PuTgai5ry Mountain that commences at
Buchanan. running pretty much parallel with the
river until il onters the North Mountain which you
pass through, near the mouth Of Creigs Creekl You
then strike the squire Of the Rich Patch Mountain,
passing through it at Clifton Forge. Then you run
along the base Of a mountain passing through it five
miles below CovngtoD.
Canal" says there were greater difficulties to en-
counter 10 passing the Blue Ridge than any that will
have to he encountered between Buchanan and Gov
ngton. That tbsreis six and hall miles in the Alue
Ridge that is really built along "cds at every step
but he forgot to add that this was built by the old
james river company: It istrue the present comps
ny enlarged il INT the ditch ras there. and with all
Difference don't think the waling round the point
Of tho mountain squite six and q half mes.
Canal sage there ore hut nj inc and half niles be-
tween the month of the Cow PASTURE and Covlngton
to be built around cliffs Is there not great deal of
this that has to be built through deep water, in the
bed OF the river ?AHd would ask Canal" if there
is not good deal Of like work to be done between
Buchanan and the mouth of the Cow Pasture Z And
he forgot TO tell us how many tunnels and aqueducts
there between those points, which have always
understood WAS very expensive work.
As there is difference Of opinion between Us with
regard to facts, suppose you ssk the Legislature TO
appoint committee Of disinterested men, 10 view
the country through which tbs canal is to pass, be.
fore they paes the conversion bill.
Will Canal inform "a which lie to be the great
central Improvement in Virginia He claims il for
the James River Company, faDd think justly SOL
but the Central Railroad also claims that they TO
form the medium OF connection between the Eas and
West. and the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad claim
that they possess the best route, diverging from the
summit OF the Allegheny, near Chrisian-burg and
ctriking New River at the mouth Of greenbrier.
"RIcHAoSD. JUNE %. 1858. Reed dot 81 bbls.
-four account of M.ssrs. White. Huff = Co.
bags wool and bales deer skins, on account Of
Messrs Beirne H. Mun-ide kegs butter on account
Messrs Al, lander e. Coz IL ply lead ISIS, and ll2U
lbs bar lead making ,305 pounds account Of Alex
ander PIERCE bales hemp, rkin butter and one bag
of wool on account Of, all Of which promise to
deliver in like good order, TO COL B. P-yton, Rich
mond-he paying freight as follows. to wit: On -four
at per barrel, hemp end lead at ~ per too, and on
the balance % per hundred poundsand mountain toll
ifdeIivered with dispatch. Signed, WIN D. CavcH."
COMMON SENSE.