The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-10-08
rne national water-Line.

y
meeting Of the st. Louis Board Of Trade
aas held on the LIST instant to consider the
:, .rao. scheme Of uniting the West With the
Atlantic blythe wa.er-iine along the ohio'
the Kanawha, and the James rivers, to the
Chesapeake bay. The st. Louis Rep'ol-
car. properly styles it as the Coolest. as an
.sinceptive proposition, Of oil the improve
"ments projected or accomplished IN inc
acountry; for WASHINGTON 'himseh sag.
a1eested i. more than eighty years ago."
Mr.. MONROE, of Iowa, presented the claims
Of the line to western support, and his argu-
men,s were entirely approved by the Board,
which. however, considering that Cincin-
na.; was more Immediately interested in
the project, and more peculiarly connected
with the Kanawha trade, suggested that an
application to Congress for aid would come
more appropriately from the Cincinnati
Chamber of Commerce. Mr.. MONROE ac-
ouiesced in this view, and indicated his
purpose to visit Cincinnati to urge the mat
tex: upon that body.
The Republican, which is the leading pa
per Of the place, thus speaks Of this "greas
national water-line":
ait is claimed-and, indeed, the map
shows the fact beyond dispute-that the
route is the shortest one that can be made
available between the Mississippi and salt
water; that the natural channels which 1t
employs are able to float tugs and barges as
large as those employed on our western
streams; and that the line, running through
a genial climate, below the parallel of
severe frost, would be open to navigation
during eleven months Of the year.
$50 certain are its advantages, ana 80
evident the enormous patronage IL "us'
receiye. that the idea of abandoning the
enterprise cannot for moment be enter
tanned. and Mr.. Monroe has entered with
zeal upon the mission Of laying its claims
before the various bodies Of the West repre-
senting commercial Interests for the object
of securing their cooperative aid IN an
appeal to Congress for material means.
aIt is very apparent that cheap trans
nortation must become more and more re-
auisite as the broad, rich acres OF the coun-
try are placed under cultivation. Every
avenue possible will have to be opened 70
accommodate the carrying trade-rallroad,
lake, river, and canal. Tidewater must
be reached economically and without delay !;
and the process by. which this can be re-
allied deserves the attention of the entire
country. Computations accurately made
show that by the Kanawha and james
River route freights can be very materially
reduced, and that an almost indefinite
amount Of tonnage can be accommodated
without hindrance throughout nearly every
season. To st. Louis this is On important
measure and so the directory considered
it."
It would be matter Of amazement should
the river cities Of the West-especially Gin
cinnati, Louisville, and st. Louis-longer
treat this great improvement with indiffer-
ence. They have been seriously checked
in their commerce and growth by the pow
erful drain of trade towards the lakes.
They must suffer more and more as the
growing power of the lake commerce pro-
crosses, should it meet with no opposition.
The middle route, across Virginia by rail
and water, offers thoseriver cities their only
hope of checking the exhausting effects of
this drain to the lakes. 1t is the only
means of protection now open to them;
and, fortunately for them, it is not only
means of effectual protection, but one which
will give them new stimulus to growth
and opulence which nothing can check.
This fact ought certainly to arrest the at
tention of the sagacious populations Of those
cities. They cannot fail to see the vital
Importance to them of the early completion
of the railway and the water line through
Virginia.
This middle line is the safest from in
terruption in time of war; which gives it
immense national Importance. 1t is very
partially subject to the effects Of winter, as
it is below the line of severe frosts, and IS
alike relieved from the exhausting hest
and baleful miasm of the southern latitudes.
1t is, therefore, the grand central artery of
the Union, which will swell the power and
strength of the centre, and thus secure
political advantage of immense magnitude,
as it will enable the centre, by its increased
force, to hold together more firmly and har-
moniously the extremes of the Union.
Ere long this middle line will be regard
ed as national necessity, and it will be
built with as much expedition as possible.