The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1871-12-08

Duluth, and below that point, the
ridge is sharp, the headwaters of
the Ocmulgee approaching within a
mile of the Chattahoochee, and here
there will be no difficulty in reaching
the valley Of the Ocmulgee, by way
either of Atlanta or the Yellow Riv-
er. This valley affords very di-
rect and cheap route for the canal to
Macon, and from this point, an i'm
proved navigation will open the riv-
er at all seasons for the navigation
of barges aud small steam tugs
This completes the connection by
water between Savannah and Bruins
wick and st. Louis. But this is not
all; by way of the Upper Tennes
see, the Holston and French Broad
Rivers, it will open up the whole Of
East Tennessee, the western por-
ton of the Carolinas and Virginia
and give them a cheap and easy out
let, through which will float minera
and agricultural treasures of all thai
region to a market and the sea.
The distance from a point above
Rome, to which the river is naviga-
bic to Macon by this route, is 14S
miles, and this will probably repre-
sent the entire canal necessary. 1t
is believed, however that large
portion of this distance can be mad 4,
available by an improved or slack
water navigation but this can only
be determined by actual survey
Duluth, tho highest point OH the
proposed line between Macen and
Rome, is $50 feet above low water
mark at Macon. BY making the
ordinary deduction for gradients,
and a cut or tunnel at the summit, so
as to reduce it to the level of Allan
ia, or by going to Atlanta 1876, will
represent the extreme lockage, in
feet, from the summit to Macon, and
1886 feet the limit of lockage from
tho summit to a point on the Eto-
wah, where barge navigation be-
comes practicable.
This brings us to the point which
claims attention-the probable cost
of the work. Taking the data al
ready given and assuming the cost Of
the James River and Kanawha Ca
nal as basis, this canal can be con
structed and the whole water line
opened from to Macon, with dimen-
sions equal to the Erie Canal, for a
sum of eight million of dol
lars. Some additional expense must
necessarily be incurred in cleaning
out and improving the two principal
rivers connected with the line ; as
Stunning that this will require two
millions more, we still find that the
entire work will not cost more than
ten millions Of dollars.
Opening of this water course will
lessen distance and cheaper trans
portation. Estimating the distance
by it from St. Louis to our seaports,
at LOSS miles, and taking the
charges on the lake route, less trans
shipments as basis, a ton of freigh
can be transported over it for 81 56,
a saving upon present railroad
charges of $l1 "a, and upon the
lake route to New York of 81 20.--
Corn could be transported from st.
Louis to Savannah for II cents per
bushel, which would be again to the
farmer of % cents on the rates offer
ed by cheapest route in the. United
States, viz !: the Lakes and Erie
Canal. 3 -n
1t is such grand national high
way as this that Georgia offers to the
world, and if, through your instru-
mentality, it should become a sue
cess, to Georgia will belong the hon
or of having practically solved the
great problem of free and unob-
structcd water communication be-
tween the West aud the Atlantic
Ocean.-a problem which has for SC
many years bafled the skill of the
engineer and puzzled the brain o
the political economist. ~