The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1869-02-24
Tho West Virginia Water Line.

Tho west virginia wafer Lillc'
The following, written, we suppose,
By y citizen Of the kanawha Valley, we
clip from tho Wheeling Mtettigence',
Of February 18th:
have taken no part in the leSiSla.
ton Of the State. hnvc been more
disposed to look OH. rs spectator.
and quietly pay my taxes and attend to
nv private affairs, than to minglc in
the strife. But, as Il tax payer and CIT
izcn OF the State, ! havc been rrXcu
and griercd 10 sec tho Legislature
making princclv donations, and not
receiving even a mess OF pottaEc i'll
lieu thereof. When that charter to the
New York company was granted, TO
improve the navigation Of the han"wh"
river, my heart burned and my fingers
tIngled TO express my disapprobation 1
OF the measure. fUrborc, seeing the
time was short. hoping that the COM
panv might iin.cr until their charter
expired aud that the Legislature might
revoke what was 80 inrautiouily done.
II has expired tho Legislature should
not lose one hour In So declaring. and
repeal the charter. No new charter
should Lc granted Tor the present. The
State, by all mraMs, should hold this
great natural thorou.hlarc in its pres
cnt condition and under its own con-
troll.
The Kanawha river is worth three
railroads Of equal length. ~ far rs II Is
improbable. 1t leads into. and vii!
be the outlet OF. what is destined to bG
one OF the wcalthicst sections Of the
world. Tho development OF the sec
lion does not depend OH III ephcmeral
Improvement that may be made no" 70
enrich few Individuals: but i, de-.
prndS upon leaving that great channel
rs free rs possible for the present. SO
that when wealth may seek the section
To bring forth it, hidden treasure il
will not br frightened away by seeing
"a small corporation h"ldin" the chan
mel Of thr river. the outlet of It's prod
uct<, ready to lay it under i contribu.
ton oneron> and offensive. y rail.
road can never afford M ontlrt for the
thousands OF millions OF tons OF cna!
and iron TINT are going /" he produced
IN the kanawla Valley Tor c"n>mInp.
tiuu in the great West. II YOU want
to rubarra-S that country amt rctard
its growth. pr0rrrd with %rantIn:
charters to close up its natural outlet
for private speculation. Public attrn-
,iun il only beginning To br attracted
TO the sections. That river is i part o;
the great line nature has formed con-
Meeting the Atlantic States with the
great WrSt-nuw bnl one hundred and
forty miles of overland portage lies be.
lwrcu the klnawha navigation and the
james river canal. New England. the
"rca, West and Europeans are interest
r,llr lunkim. To this line. both rs \ rail.
rua,l and water line. The question
may b" asked, why have they not
looked before: Vhr answer i, simple
the tine was not h"u ,u'l"'l Tn"
wealth of the country was not Suili-
rirul to make ii. The Erie aud Penn
>vlvania canals first attracted roinnlrr-
rial attention: then the. New York
Central. the Erie, the Pennsylvania
Central aud Biliimurc and Ohio Kali
road attracted attention. But. rs the
great Yves, is being filled up with It's
vast productions. all the outlets are
Iuuud Inadequate tn r"muncrate The
producer aud satisfy the rapaci,y OF
the private corporations who c"ntr"l
the roads. This fact is calling attcn-
ton to this great line through our new
State, aud | have not the slightest
doubt that in u short time the attention
OF the national legislature will br
called to this great line, by ut least
twelve Western and ten Eastern States.
All the Eastern States. from Virginia
to Maine, are deeply Interested in this
line. | shall not here Indicate the
manner Of this Improvement, but il
will be done on Il scale commensurate
with it's Importance. But what do
say i. this, that il is y matter of the
first Importance to the State that no
legislation should be had upon the
subject Mt this time, but leave tho sub
jcct for future development, In order
that the State may, at the proper time.
rive such grants rs may inurc 10 its
lasting benefit. This Kanawha river
is by far the most valuable franchise
in the gift Of the State. and through
your columns l implorc the mem brrs
OF the Legislature not in the goodness
of their hearts 10 give it away. lfthey
do they will only have the balance OF
their lives in which TO regret the folly.
The improvement Of the navigation Of
this river is so easy it should be madca
source Of rast income to the State.