The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-11-01
JAMES RIVER AND KANAWHA CANAL

JAMES RIVER AND kANAWlIA CANAL. |
We ask tie attention of our readers to
the communication. of -. L. H." which |
appears in our columns this day, though |
we have little hope that the public inter-
7 lest will befoused sufficiently to carry out
| the Suggestion of our correspondent-that a
convention assemble representing all par
ties in the State, not as politicians, but as
citizens having one common interest and
object in view-the speedy completion of
the Great Central Water Line of transport
tation from the Atlantic seabord to the
vast West. aifb
b. In former issues Of our paper we have
presented our views upon this question, and
have asserted, what we now repeat, that
the advantages which would accrue to Vir-
ginia from the completion of the canal, are
so various and substantial that moderate
calculation would present such astounding
figures and facts, that those who have paid
little attention to the subject would reason
ably look upon them as impossible exager-
atoms. t.,.t
When the canal reaches the navigable
waters Of the kanawha, it will tap a wealth
Of commerce as vast as it is imexhaustible
as vast and nexhaustible as the waters of the
great lakes which find outlet over the falls
ofNiagara !; when the waters cease to flow
over the latter, commerce will cease to flow
through the James River and Kanawha ca
n &c
once established between the head
waters of the James, and the Ohio.
In view of the stupendous increase of
production and population in the great Mis-
sissippi basin, and the growing necessity
for quick and safe transit Of heavy freight
to and from the seaboard, this work as
sumes national aspect, and should be
pressed upon the attention of the people at
large and their immediate representatives
in Congress, and strong united appeal
: made to the government, to adopt the
canal as a national work, and push it to
completion. i Ist
Professor Maury has studied the matter
critically and thoroughly, and is firm
believer in its practcability. Professor Mar
tin. of Hampden Sidney, one of the few men
who combines classic eruditon with sound
practical business common sense, advocated
the claims of the canal, upon the West, as q
> national work, specially beneficial to West.
ern interests, when he attended CONNER
cial convention at Louisville, but his earnest
> exposition fell apparently upon needless
:, or sceptical ears, for nothing has been done
in the matter, and very little said. A dis
> tinguished engineer, Mr.. Exams, native o
= this State, but who has spent much of hi.
life in South America, as contracting engin
= ecr, amassing fortune and fame, speaks o
this canal as a national necessity but say,
: his only hope is that English capitalists
= will be induced TO acquire what is construct
y ed, and complete The work. +. .s ol
. Surely when railroads are not only pro
jected, but completed, from the Atlantic t
/ the Pacific across vast continent, tn
II United States cannot hesitate to accept tn
s. generous, yet judicious offer Of Virginia
II receive the works constructed as DO
% nus for continuing the canal from its pre-
y sent terminus to the Kanawha; and W
le cannot but believe that the government
y would promptly respond to general an
- earnest expression of popular sentimen
upon this question. loi i7i ~
That there are engineering difficulties, al
: admit, but when Mt Cents no longer pre-
% sents instrmountable obstacles to the pas
- sage of locomotives from the northern t
= the southern slope Of the towering Alp
u (science placingin the the hands Of the boil
u workers the pneumatic drilling machine
Z which furnished more powerful means @
y drilling for blasts than the most skill
l. full workman, while the air which pro
PEELED the drill, escaping after it
ie stroke was dealt, furnished ampl
!" and necessary ventilation for nearl
! four miles of driftway) we need not fea
y unless the original projectors Of the cana
" were mad in their plans), but moder
y science will pilot our hardy WORKINGS
- through any difficulties which may inter
!" pose on the proposed route.
" We shall recur to this subject, and re
peat some of our statements as to tn
" vast interests involved, not those of Win
y ginia alone, but of the entire country, es
y pecially the middle tier Of States.
~ uSEND III iO-.Theodore 'riltou