Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-03-12

signed Tor the coal trade exclusively TRANSMITTING h'''
Of the mixed general traffic OF the country
and competing for the coal trade with parallel railway
it might very well prove failure.
Bet some eveu of the lesser canals cited by the gen
temn from Upshu- very far from sustaining MS po
sitiOn.
TIE Delaware aud Hudson Canal, according to the
verv article in Hunts Magazine from which he quoted,
"has paid regular aud good dividends to the stockho
ders" It transports annually, 100000 tons, just nal
million more than the tonnage Of any one Railroad III
the country
The Lehigh, though almost wholly coliery Canal Is
ENJOYING large and lucrative business
The same OF the Delaware and Raritan. Though IN
competition with level Railroad along side it sustans
itself both as to the heavy aud light trade
The Schuylkil is emphaticaily an exceptional case
Located parallel with the Reading Railroad whose grades
are a dead level portion of the way, and decent oil
from one TO nineteen feet per mile for the balance 1t en-
counters the most formidable Railroad competition known
in the history of American Railroads, because with its
almost doWnh grades the Reading Railroad can trans
port the highest possible amount OF tonnage with the
least amount of locomotive power Nevertheless, 1t Is
holding its own with the Railroad is gradually gaining
on it, The tonnage OF the Canal rose in three years
from lO5 600 TO 1924 900 tons while the tonnage OF
the Railway declined, in the same time, from 2,2lSouO
to 1920 tons.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal quoted with so much
triumph by the gentleman fran Upshur is most untor-
tuuate Illustration for him. Though in ample Or
der in consequence of the want of funds and though
peculiarly the victim OF accidents and misfortune II car
ries 70 Alexandria of the trade in which that city
reioices. Il takes TO our Potomac city, indeed, more
tonnage than six ofour Railroads together Six otthose
roads transport only $4,000 tons while the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal floats on its bosom $4,000 tons or $4,000
tons more than the six roads together.
And equally unfortunate for the gentleman's argu-
meut is the Dismal Swamp Canal Sir, that little canal
short as it is the very HES blood OF the trade OF Nor
folk Without it the grass would have been long ago
kueehigh in her streets And mad the gentleman from
Upshur stepped down into the Second Auditors Office
and sought his information there, instead OF consulting
the fugitive articles of the Northern periodical he would
have learned that this Dismal Swamp Canal paid, for
eleven successive years, per cent. to the State.
The examples then, cited by the gentleman from Up
shur do not make good his position that canals are be-
hind the age and worthless His only successful ustra-
tons are lew ueighOOrho0d canals, depending on a
strictly local tonnage which would naturally do but a
small business while those connecting whole sections and
forming important commercial relations might be abso-
lutely overwhelmed by the Offering ireght5.
And if the gent emau will cross the ocean with me,
and take look at Old England, he will be met with e1
ampes thai will triumphanty override all the experience
Of Ns,r England the subject of canals None, If any
Of the English canals pay less than per cent six Of
them average - per cent? while all OF them have par
ale railroads to compete with In some instances the
stock is several hundred per cent the original par
value And even canal incomplete as 1t Is, and
competing with three rival lines forwards more tonnage
than the Dluvle Central, Petersburg and Fredericks
burg railroads together.
And now. sir / propose TO submit a few examples on
my De of the QuestOu-examples they are, that shall
shacr into million of fragments this argument OF the
gentleman from Upshnr that canals are behind the age
In 1858 the Erie Canal gave transit to more freight
than the Erie Railroad the New York Central, the New
York Northern the Pennsylvania Central and the Balti
more and Ohio together demonstrating by the result the
more than quadrupe capacity Of the canal over the rail
road; and vet the gentleman from jpshu tells US that
L..
In tweuty-hree years, extending from SGT 10 sos,
the Erie Canal delivered tdewater % 600 900 Of tons
valued at SO per (which is low estlmate) This
vast tonnage amounts 10 the enormous aggregate OF ST.
S750plO0)-a sum which the gentleman from Upshur
could moi count IN life timc-and vet, with this marvel
Gus doing of single canal he to us that
canals behind the age This immense tonnage be II
remembered is exclusive of that which sent Westward
from New York into the wide interior, supplied through
her canal aud various lines of intercommunicat;on.
The tonnage of the Erie Canal derived from the Wcs-
tern States has increased in twenyhree years 1900
Der cent and vet the gentleman from Up,hur rises in
his seat and procims with oracuor dignity that canN
are behind the age.
In 1919 the imports into the city Of New York
SS9pO1OoO. In 1859 they had risen to S2l9,Oo0O0o
In 1919 her exports OF the value Of oO1O-
In $50 they had sweled 20 SlOj 100000. This extra
ordinary increase in her import and export trade, was
owing chiefly 10 the canal policy Of New FORK. Herrai
roads helped doubt, but il was her grand canal that
bo-e 70 her wharyes and warehouses the heavy tonnage
that form the basis Of her mighty commerce; and vet
the gentlemen from Upshur, reading from onesided
article in Hunts Magazine prOCaims TO the General As
senb'y of Virginia that canals belong past age and
that il would De the verest of loes 70 appropriate au
other dollar 20 the James River and kanawha Canal.
Sir canals are not behind the age, and they never will
be until some far cheaper Observation-Disclosures than railroads
shall have been discovered. And the gentleman from
Cpshur appeals the experience OF the country as the
test Of the souaine,s Of his reasoning eadyon issue
with him. BY the experience Of the country then, let
the point be determined
lie has given you Mr. Speaker, the experience Of GER
tain small caut.s-stunp-taI. canals would term them
but srargeto say, he forgot TO bring TO your notice
the iuscous experience OF certain great work in our
country whose history shiyers bis whole argument Into
atoms l undertake 10 supply the omission
Sir there is iu the Empire State of our confedeacy
certain grand magnificent public work. IL has been sty
ed and JUSTLY the eighth wonder Of the world. II had,
IN the start many and bitter opponents. When us Illus
rou- founder first broke 20 his cOunymen the masnih
cen. convention aui cluch. with prophetic glimpse the
rich core, that In after time, il would shed upon his
native land DE approached wild enthusiast and
riiculed as a mad man. The demagogues were down
unon him. "Wuerc will the water come from to I'll this
great ditch ~ IL asked aud that class who ever keep
tender watch The dear peoples money, responded
"Ah, never mind that-tbe tears OF the people Will
fu IT," Bat against the remoustrance OF the
q .m4gorues. aud The skeptcism OF those OF
little faith the great improvement was determined on
The genius and patriotism of Clinton, and the good sense
of the people Of New York triumphed, and the great
work was nui.hed and behold the wOudrous results,
ask NV worthy friend from Upshur contemplate with
ue awhile its dazzling experience IL daily business Is
900 tons Each year three millions and halt of ton
mage Aoat upon It's bosom. IL employs 5000 boats
which placed in a continuous line, would reach from
Albany 10 Utica-a distance of So miles. Six double
track railroads could not DO It's business. 1t would re-
quire ten thousand aud fourteen hundred engines to
send forward ITS trcjghs In ten ycarS-rom lS4l TO
r,ll-its tolls exceeded $4,000 900, and in single
wear $50 amount, 10 s. pOlo-euough, II mus APP
propriled 10 send the blessed Itlts OF education 10
every hut within the broad domain OF the Empire State
and 10 free her reople from taxation forever. The money
value Of it- yearly ireghs approaches S20oOOpO'o and
t is this vast tonnage that uniods the secret OF the
wealth and greatness OF the STATE OF New York, and that
has eutwued around her brow the wreath OF commercial
empire.
There. sir ia an experience for nv friend from Up
shur Let him ponder omit and am sure lie will not be
long coming 10 the conclusion that canals are not be-
hind the age and ;at when properly located, when con-
meeting great back country with the seabaaid, they
are AS atHcl channels of transport the safest the
cheapest and most reliable OF all, and that, for stimuli
ting the production awakening the industry and energy,
aud developing the prosperity, wealth and power OF a
people they are the surest and most potent agencies
known 70 the experience Of man.
Having demonstrated that canals are not TO be dis
cardtd rs agencies Of commercial transmission, hasten
TO seize position which, doubtless, will startIe my friend
from Cp.hu aud tna position 50 that The James Riger
Cuai sr,eH3c{ 10 the ohio Rusr, 1sH 10 precisely 10
Viryiaia rbat the Erie Canal has done for Nsc York
1t is high ground TO take, am aware, but | shall
dare 10 tread e. il is grad, almost sublime posi-
ton but plant myself upon it, and # do not main
tain IT, it will not be that it is not mantaluaoe, Lu hat
the powers Of him who undertakes its yudication,
are TOO feeble TO Sc, out great truth as It may be-
What is it. pray to know that has given TO tue Erie
canal its wonderful success as an avenue Of trade:--