Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-01-18
Value and Capacity of Canals.

Value and Capacity of Canals
The Richmond Dispatch contains some facts
com piled from report made by S. H. Sweet
ESD, OF the proposed canal between Wash
iag,on and Annapolis, which illustrates very
forcby the relative capacity and cost of trans
portation between canals aud railroads. From
condensed sketch of the operations of the
Erie Canal, from its commcnrem4nt to the
year 1864 1T shows how constantly the decrease
in tolls was accompanied by a corresponding
and more than compensating increase in its
business the effect OF which was to reduce the
tolls and freig ghtS from an average oF three
cents per ton per ulile In 1880 to one and two
teo;hs per ton per mile ia 1862, and this great
reduction was effected in the face Of an expen.
diture for enlargement and repairs Of upwards
OF S4S, 900. This immense expenditure
was advocated and iocurred on the estimate OF
the engineers that the company would thereby
be enabled to lessen the cost OF transportation
fifty per cent. The result proved not only the
accuracy of the estimate made, but also the
wisdom OF the policy which dictated the meas
ure 1t will be borne in mind that the Erie
Canal does not enjoy monopoly of the carry
ing trade from Buffalo to Albany, but that the
great New York Central and Erie Railroads,
ruu parallel to the canal, and at very short
distance from it for the whole route.
4 comparison OF the freight business and
receipts of these railroads with those of the
canal, fora series OF ten years, exhibits the
following results:
lhe total Dumber oEtons ofireight
carried over one mile Of the New
York Central and Erie Rail
roads, from 1854 to 1864, both
ioclusiye, was 4,719, 545, ,626
Total receipts forth same Sill, AIT
The total number Of tons of
treig ght carried one mile over
the New York State canals from
1854 to 1864, 10th inclusive, ..-s.
was S,l75,S03, ,O65
Total cost of freight, including
tolls, STA, 800, ,SO3
These exhibits show that 10 ten Years the
canals transported As per ct. more freight than
the New York Central and Erie Railroads
combined, and at a cost of 34l per CT less
The average cost Of transportation over the
railways being % times as great as over the
canals
These statistics should teach US an impor-
tant lesson IN reference to our own canals. -
1hey demonstrate that when properly managed
NJ railroad can compete successfully With them
Tor tue transportation OF irelghts especially
those OF a heavy Character. .-LWlchburg. AelcS.
\ PRIMITIVE REGION The Wheeling Nv.
V. lnteliigeucer has the following:
MIR. Smith Trent, a Sheriff of Mcdowell
con"ty, Was II this city yesterday, engaged in
the payment OF taxes into the Auditors Office
lo conversation with Eim touching matters
ant things In rhat region, We learned some
curious facs concerning the remote county
trnEn winch he cones. We use the word
remote, not 10 its literal sense 0! distance but
in the State, Mcdowell, one OF the largest in
territory. is the least in population and
improvements Of every kind. 1t lies on the
extreme "order, touching. Southwestern Vir-
gnia. The population was never anything but
Spa,se. lheTe ls..:ot 4 cost Office Ia the coun-
ty, nor a town, nor a village even in the most
dmleuHve proportions; there are but few
roads, and they are Indifferent. The Court
House is log cabin here is not a lawyer or
doctor 10 the county, and as a consequence,
the people are healthy and free from litigation.
1t Is four days horseback travel from kanawha.
1t IS practically as tar from here as England.
Ioe most convenient outlet is down to letFer-
sonville, in Tazewcll county, Va. on the Vir-
gnla and Tennessee railroad. Itis difficult &c
hnd menZln the county who have sufficient ac-
qualotance with the arts Of modern times tC
Ill the various county offices. Some OF them
have to employ deputies on this account, and
Que gentleman who happens TO have enjoy cd
unusual advantages, ,acts as deputy to some hal
dozen Of them.
IHE UsURY LAws.-'rhe only way, il is be-
lieVed, in which our people can ever regsir
their prosperity, is not by trading on foreign
capital and working like slaves for the bene6
otstrangers, but by the gradual accumulation
OF capital at home This must come out of tht
soil or the bowels of The earth. The process
may be slow, but it will be safe. As it ac
cumulates, it should be expended in perma
nent az. Improvements, such as factories, thu
,pullolns up home industry and home mar
Aet' Whlle we neglect TO DO this, and carr.
on our business by paying exorbltant rates o
Interest lor foreign capital, we are submltun:
10 system OF punder, quite as eifectua, onl.
!hs another form, as that which existed il
iha'a m under the government6of the East lndl
company. Men of large means will drain u
VI our resources, and in g few years return
'a9obs 10 their own country
Let Us not be ha>ty to remove the old land
marks depend upon it, they were establish
"a. "a IN wisdom. We hear much about mone
oslng worth what it will command, just a
mqch as cottoo or tobacco. But money has II
Val vaue IN Itself; it is only the representative Q
;aa!ue; and to make it the subject of trade as
:. :. were one OF the products of human labor,
::ooerange and disorganjze the whole system 0
INDUSTRY, and produce everlasting iuctuatiol
ID prices Petersburg Erpress.
RuGKWHEAT FLOUR.
~ BUCKWHEAT FLOUR.