Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-02-22
H'Iokl tut lilC DpeClatUT.
Virginia Canal-MO. q.

! Odudl-NO. x. .-s-...s
| No need of Canals Railroads can carry all
| the freight u! ,..,
| There are two great errors contained in this
! expression. Railroads cannot carry all the
freight, nor will all freight bear the charges of
! Railroads esf.eaa \
| Much OF the products of mines and forests,
| and of agriculture will only bear carriage by
| Railroad few hundred m les, hence in the abb
| sence OF water carriage timber is destroyed
| wherever the land is required for use, and the
| mines remain dormant, while only the most
| valuable products Of the farm can be marketed.
| This was particularly the case in Ohio, In
diana. and Illinois until they made their Canals
! from the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to carry
| their products hundreds of miles up to the
lakes to get the benefit of the Erie Canal as a
| means of reaching market
Now IT the Virginia Canal vas opened to
! the Ohio River, freight would come down those
Canals TO market instead Of going up, but un-
| til the Virginia line is opened, it will continue
| to go up over the four Canals to the lakes,
thence by lake to the Erie Canal and down the
| Hudson River to New York, the route being
greatly increased in distance above the Virginia
| route, as well as in charge, and the risk four
| fold more.
| This is the way large proportion of the
| trade OF the W est is compelled to find mar
| ket from year to year; and how are things GO
ing on this side the Oho? Why the mines
and forests mostly stand a. they did ages ago,
except what has been estroyed or used in their
immediate vicinity. .a,5.=a.
| But am told we viii have Railroad now
| admitted, and with double track that will be
| found unable to move much from the forests or
mines, even if it would bear carriage by rail
through freight and travel will occupy most of
| its capacity, while millions Of tons Of coal and
/ Iun, ,!,ora ofl,a or ft,nf ba
reached. a.f-.
| But [ wish TO show that Canals can carry
more freight than Railroads and also cheaper,
! The contrast is very clearly exhibited by the
three great Railroads froui the lakes to New
York and Phadelph phia, &c, each exerting it.
self to compete with each other, and as if all
we're striving to compete with the Canal the
fullest returns that have came to my notice.
was for the year lS62-lS63 for the Pa. Central
See statistics Of Foreign and Domestic Com
/ merce of the United States. communicated by
the Secretary Of the Treas in answer to a
resolution OF the Senate, March 1868, pages
| 1875 to 10 aau e-o
Erie railroad total Eastward through TONS.
Ireight looZ.... 4lU go
| Way freight estimated at........ $50, 500
| Total way and through Eastward were... 721 l54
N. Y. Central way and thro' Eastward. 840 l52
The Pa. Central stood thus for 1858
Through tonnage East.........40 1856 $40 q.
! FIR way stations to Philadelphia 355.2l3
| From Pttsburg to way stations, u, 1874 9l9,2l7
Total freight carried East on three great
railroads for Boston, N. Y. & Phila., 2, ,4S0 523
Now look eli the tonnage over the Erie Canal
| in 1862: sa5a- TONS.
Through tonnage Eastward, -...........2, 594 837
| Way tonnage including lateral canals, 492, 721
Total freight arriving at tids-water from
49, tons <
Classified thus:
Products of forest. 953, 920
Products of agrculture....... "..2, lO4, $50
All other l2o,o4o
Total freight over Erie Canal in 1862. "a, ,O87, ,558
Here we find one Canal in seven months mo-
wing GOT 900 tons more tlan ALL THREE OF the
great Northern railroads in twelve months, and
az a cost of less than one-third of the charges
| by railroads. Men ought to look at the facts
and think over them, before they speak against
the Virginia Canal
In order to compare the various freight char
ges, see the following rates Railroads often
charge two or two and hall cents per ton, per
mile, but say one and hall.
Common canals, generally about mills per ton.
Erie and other large canals.....4
| River charges generally liy.......:.o
....... ..'''''''.' "
lOcean. ..........l2
These are about the lowest Irel2nt charges
hat prevail in moving Western produce to
market, and when we have the distances we
can know the charges from any point to any
market. counting each transhlpment ten cents
additional per ton
From Point Pleasant to Richmond 4o5 miles, at
mills per ton, per mile 81 .9a
Richmond to Norfolk-H. Roads l20 miles
at mills per ton, per mle sc
Charges from the Ohio River to Hampton
Roads, 6l0 miles...... $2. 81
/ Add 903 miles for st. Louis ut mills, which
shows the freight from there. ~ n
And one transhpment.-...-' II
From St. Louis to Norfolk-H. Roads,. SIS /:
But St. Louis, being on the Mississippi
wants no better outlet to market" This i.
said by those who know not her difficulties. al
though she has choice OF four canals leading
, up TO the lakes and the Mississippi beside. anc
thcy are all far more hazardous than the Va
route would be. The routes are longer, the de
) lay greater, but the danger of cargo being ex
posed to gale on the lakes is often a matter
of more consideration than all the freight char
ges, and the Mississippi and Gulf route still
*See Report National Board Of Trade, &c.
pnblished at the request OF citizens OF the
Western States by james River & Kanawh;
Company, Richmond. for much valuable mat
ter.