Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-01-25

Hu0Ay Aorn.n9 $1,000. 81 =.
The CsnGral Wassr-LaAe q tfsi1fA- {
The figures We pahlisAsA ysasrddg rslsaivs =
the incrsass Of trade upoa die Erie Canal Of New
York and the psri pssss advance Of New York
city in wealth. population. and Importance. Dc.
m0asr1ss besasr than any other argument could
do the policy Of extending the great central water
li6s Of virginia Let US briefly review those fig
urss, Md psfposs Of learning fully the lessons
they tsach-
In 1895 the business upon the Erie Canal was
not ouite two hundred thousand tons. In 1857. Il
wa rvxLys HunsasD THOUSAND TONS! The ton
mare upon thie great central line Of ccmmunicA-
tior increased SIX FOLD in thirty-two years-
The population Of New York city and Brooklyn
in 1895 VAS one hundred and seveaty-6ve thou
sand. L. 1867 Il Wa one million! Tho popula-
ton in thoss thirty-two years. increased SIX FOLD
The value Of rsAl aud porsousl estate in New
York city in l82s vas oae hundred and six mil
lions Of dollars. In 1857 Il was six hundred and
twenty milliens-a fraction within SIX FOLD In
crease.
HssS thsn we Sc tho remarkable fact and the
remarkable coincidence that New York city has
advanced in population and in wealth PRECISELY
IN TEE sAnR RATIO as the Increase OF the tonnage
upon her canal. Nobody will pretesd to say that
thin il N accidental circumstance
To ..sks the proof more conclusive VIC will ad-
duce other figures. The value Of the tonnage
upon the Erie Canal in 1857 was one hundred and
thirty-vs~en millions Of dollars. The value Of tn"
exports Of New York to foreign cooatr'es for that
wear. was about the same. TINS We sec that the
tonnage Of he Eric Canal alone fhrnishe' TIE basls
of tie erpon trade Of The idrgssf ersEfisg city 81
4Ie Lsioa-
Now, IL anybody show any reason, or any
shadow Of a reason. why the Virginia canal it
extended through to the Ohio would net exhibit
the same results as tie Erie Canal, after II WAS
extended through to the lakes, we wcsA be glad
to zee the argument Like causes, under The same
circumstances. invariably produce ike effects.
We are prepared to show, however. that the Vir-
pinis water line would have immea.sralAe advan-
tages f completed, which do not aPpertain 10
tina. Of View York Ii would drain q larger sec
ton Of country would be nayigalae greater
portion Of the year--it would he saUter-it
would be more economical in every respect Why
should Virginia hesitate and stand T,lll. and tim
idly look on when there ia httk u doubt and
Of uncertainty in the prospect before herf
The paise Of the tonnage upon The Eric Canal
in 1857, - We have said above was one hundred
and thirty nillions Of dollars. Dne hundred
and tAirty-ssveu millions Of dolisss' worth Of NOR
.chandiss and produce flowing through the State
of New York in one year Is there not some
thing captivating In the idea that the SANE sKs Its.
II NOT oakArRR, CAN n sEcr BED FUR sUs Own OLD
ConxoNwrALrH or XIRorsIX! The fabied Pacto-
lian stream, the sands al which were saij to be Of
gold, would scarcely distribute among us " much
Of wealth and prosperity {. would stream Of
merchandise flowing through Virginia every year
to the value of one hundred and 8fty millions Of
dollars!
Look 1t the Commune rc,ai statistics OF Richmond
city. The fact is shown ,ha, tho tonnage received
by the james Rivcr'Cana,, though it now tcrmi-
mates in the woods, is eaud to thst received by az
tie rdiiroods cembiacd. As it is extended " est.
this tounaee,wii increase--but wil re-
,oeive the full fruitioa Of ase benefits u the work,
,unsa Il touches nsvgabae water On the other side
of the mountains. As long Is q mile of it re-
mains unfinished, it will be local enterprise
alone. n mast Be ersesded Ai~ssgI 10 the OHIO
Rie~ 6ssre IL becomes q evos< sslissai CONNER
.cial artery, acting Tie cend~it Of tie trade from
the foot Of tie Rocky Mountains 10 the shores q
Chesapeake Boy.
Ws.rePaat what We have said teaHe--that this
shonld - made an isane in every county Of Vir-
ginia, in the selection of members Of the next
Legislature. The policy Of ina"ion will do no
longer. We must wake up. The mississippi
Valley u growing in population. aud increasing
its productions every year. Every year it is con-
rtributng more and more to the exports of the
country. Soue channel nnst be provided by
which ths exports Of the Mississippi Valley may
reach the Atlantic ahore- They eaasot bear the
ezoassise costs # '-asl-ssd 'tra'.psrtatio". The
only remedy lies in tho ons rLx1Inr " The GREAT
CENTRAL wATER LINE OF Virginia!