Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1859-01-25
From The Richmond Enquiter
ImproYemcnt of the EanaWha KlVsr.

SubMHteuE ny nlis isilcse, ~ ~. 49,
River aud Kanawna Company on his plan
Ri improving the navigation Of tlie Atss
,,awha. and incidentally Of the OhioIriver.I
hy. means Of artificial lakes.
We cannot appropriate either the time
III the space just now, properly g discuss
that important subject.
There is. however, one suggestion IN
tho report on which we may even At this
time, presseda As we are, offer orr opinion,
We altudy "a the Recommendation that an
application shall be made to Congress TO
renumerate the expenses which the Conn s
pany may incur in improving the Ohio
River. Without intending toadyocate or
favor tie proposition. We will endeayor=in
Justice to the author, and to the lCompa-
nv, 10 set forth the grounds Of the recon,
mendation,
The Company, it il alleged, will be
compelled, if they improve the Kanawha
River on the plan sqblpiltedsb y Mr.. lEllet
to improve the Ohio River also to much
greater extent. The proposed plAn Of
Improvement is. rs our readers are prob
ably aware. to form oie or more lakes
on the tributaries of the * ,nawha, by
constructing dams across marrow passes,
ii suitable locations !; and allowing the
winter waters OF mountain streams to ae3-
cumulate in the valleys aboy, The dams,
until they. are needed q repie:.ish theIfail-
ing navigation Of the Kanawha. Then,
in the summer and fsll,. TO draw 81 the
water thus stored, and allaw it ogbeIdis7
charged rapidly into the channel Of The
river Of which the navigation is to be i'm
proYed--in this case, the Kanawha. But
The total nayigable length.6fthe KanaYhs,
-when thus improved, will only be about
ninety miles; while lie wafer which
ii ID proposed d pour iato it, channel,
will pass on, according to Mr. Eilets de-
mopstrations, into The Ohio, and flow
more than 700 miles down5the chanrel 81
lthatriyer, improving ilsnayigation altthe
way to tie Mississippi and benehling the
Mississippi alsosi q very Pereeptible de-
gree below The mouth 81 the Ohio. He
maintains, moreover, and demonstrates
his position BY figures which We do pot
intend tp e9ntaat, that the single artificial
Jake which he proposes 10 form on The
head wasers Of Meadow River, willnot On
.ly greatly relieyosthe navigation Of lhe
Kama wha over a sFace OIL. 80 miles, anil
the Ohio. oyerfa space OF. 100 miles. ahd
affect the height even Of the Mississipp},
bit that il will serve, also. to an appfe@i-
able extent, 10 mitigate the floods in Ill
those streams, These great results are
claimed as inevitable consequences Of an
Improvement designed primarily to pre-
mote local interest. The ostensible Oh
jest of tie proposed Improvement is h
benefit the interests of the Kanawha: but
Its. incidental effects will be To benefit the
country at large UNNECESSARILY more than
il viii benefit the peculiar interest for
which il Is designed. u j
& Hence. II is very plausibly alleged III
the author, that this is a case where tht
company proposing 10 make the improve
ment, have alright to ask far national RI
compense. III case.they accomplish what
they Claim TO be able 10 do,
4 They do not pfopoea u ask Congress
To- enter upon the Territory Of Virginia
andNtake possAssion Of soil here, and con-
Hert X intoa lake, or any such thing.
Then do not propose 10 Ask for an ap.
in advance Of The construc
ton of an improvement to be let out in
jobs, ia tieNVsual style. II
They simply propose 10 say to Con.
gress-ft' We. WISH 10 make an improve.
ment which viii Ne valuable to portion
Of Virginia. but vastly mors valuable 10
the other Suites in Ne Mississippi Val
ley, than W Virginia. WA submit full
exhibit of our plans an(fs1padta!ions.--
II Congress thinks that whit we propose
70: do, viii when done, be worth the sum
10 the nation which we ask fHri doing il,
re will takeSall the risk, and advance the
money, and wait for our reeompsnss until
our work y -aecomplised. Ian
= /" We obtain our powers (ronl4he heg-
stature of Yirginia I; we are clothed BY
that Legislature with the ability To conn
tract; and, thus qualified, we offer to pro-
luce navigation 81 feet deep. during
low water, ION one Of the very worst bars
Of the Ohio river, for a period Of ten days
IN every year for the gross sum Of $780,
eoo--.o be paid whei NO have fulfilled
our engagement.
/ !" We claim that this will bs a just and
wise " contract, on the part Of Congress. /
list. Because theetfect which we PRO
pose 10 produce is wortE infinitely more
Than the sum which we demand. II
/" 2d. Becaure We take upon ourselves
III The risk Of what the country regards as
which. ii it succeeds, will
establish.a principle ofinestimable value
3D.. Because the Ohio river, flowing
between numerous States. is 4 boundary
between sovereign powers, no one oil
winch has the right to control its waters
without their common consent.
" 4th. Because tits no more than sheer
Justice. III this company can, by carrying
opt It's own purposes. in particularway,
greatly advance the public interest Of the
whole country.sit should be recompensed
or the great good it,proposes to DOLBY the |
We have thus set forth, in Justice to
hose who advocate this application 70
Congress, what we understand 10 be their
ustihcation Of that step. So much, we
hlnk, is due 10 them.
The /" Galiipolis Journal, Il we have AZ
vava M 80 :. a, !. :. =.