The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-01-22

ON COMMERCE OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES,, JANUARY IL, 1873
Mr.. Chairman begin with the declara-
ton that no one connected with this appli-
cation has any other interest in its success
than that which he shares with the public
at large and that the completion Of this
water-line is a subject on which all parties
in Virginia are more thoroughly agreed
than upon any other subject whatever.
THE VIRGINIA PEOPLE LOOK TO IT FOR
DELIvERANCE FROM THE STATE
DEBT.
The great body of the Virginia people
would distrust any private auspices under
which this work might be placed. They
would doubt the ability Of private resources
to complete it at all.
The burden of the state debt afflicts the
public mind Of Virginia, and disposes the
people to look with favor upon any propo.
sition to convert state property into funds
with which to liquidate their public obi
cations; but the feeling toward the canal is
EXCEPTIONAL; they look TO its completion by
the national government for deliverance
from the state debt; and the news that
Congress had undertaken its completion
would Ell with rejoicing a land of sorrow;
would replace despair with confidence;
give new destiny to the state, and, by its
influence upon the popular mind, make
Virginia bonds as good as those OF the
proudest state of the Union.
DESCRIPTION OF THE WATER-LINE-
THE COMPLETED WORKS.
What is offered to the government is a
completed canal 1874 miles long, reaching
from tide-water at Richmond to the west
ern base of the Blue Ridge at Buchanan,
in Botetourt county, with several collateral
works in the nature of canal and slack
water navigations and bridges. These
completed works have cost about ten mill
lions of dollars. The present capacity
of the canal, as finished, is for
80 tons, drawn by animals. This capacity
is admitted to be inadequate, and the plans
proposed for completing the work to the
waters of the Ohio contemplate boats
bearing $50 tons, drawn by steam-tugs,
and involve the necessity of increasing the
dimensions of the present canal and locks
to the same capacity.
THE UNCoMPLETED MOUNTAIN SEC
TIoNS.
From the present western terminus OF
the canal at Buchanan, on the James river,
to the Greenbrier river, one OF the head
waters of the Kanawha, the distance is
764 miles. On this part Of the line some
heavy work has been done. at cost of halt
million of dollars. For this portion Of
the line two alternative locations have been
proposed. 1t was originally designed to
establish the summit-level on an elevation
of 1.9l6 feet above the sea. In this case a
tunnel of "a miles would have been en-
ployed, and the water of the summit
would have been supplied from artificial
reservoirs constructed for collecting the
rainfall of the surrounding country. |
believe that all scientific men who have
considered the subject professionally have
concurred in the opinion that the quantity
of water thus capable of being collected
would be sufficient to supply the canal
through all seasons of the year for lockage
purposes. But the popular mind has natu-
rally doubted the sufficency of this sup
ply, and partly in Difference to its incredu-
lily ali later surveys have placed the sum-
mit-level on lower plane, 100 feet
above the sea.
This latter location involves a tunnel
1910, say s miles long, which, however,
will be divided by six or seven shafts prac-
tically into several tunnels, each one tc
two miles in length. The greater portion
of the water of the canal located on this
lower summit-level, will be derived from
the Greenbrier river-the residue from res
ervoirs and all doubt will be removed o.
the sufficiency of supply. The latter loca
ton is expected to shorten the distance be.
tween Buchanan and the Greenbrier tt
about 70 miles.
THE RIVER SECTIONS.
From the debouche Of the canal on Green
brier river, the line will follow the chan
nels of the Greenbrier, New and Kanawh;
rivers to Point Pleasant on the Ohio--ove
a distance of 20S5 miles, but ten miles o
this aggregate may be cut off by tunnelins
across bends in the channels of the rivers
The whole length of this line of naviga
ton, therefore, from tide-water at Rich
mond to the Ohio river at Point Pleasant
will be 1921 miles, which may be reducet
to 467 miles. The entire cost of new worl
west of Buchanan to the Ohio river, AM
of enlarging the canal east Of Buchanan t.
Richmond, is estimated by the engineers a
$4S, 00o,O 900. If the cost of the presen
works be added, the grand aggregate of tn
investment will be fifty-eight and hall
say sixty millions OF dollars.
THE PRACTICABILITY OF THE LIN
SIMPLY THE PROBLEM OF CON
STRUGGLING A TUNNEL.
OF the practicability of continuou
canal connecting the navigable waters {
the James and Ohio rivers, | need So,
nothing. 1t is question for engineers
Civilians might wrangle indefinitively on th
subject without arriving at a result. Th
engineers of the national government
have examined this route, have not onl
reported it to be feasible, but given mi
mute estimates of its cost. The question il
therefore, settled by competent authority
and the unprofessional public may safel
accept the verdict of scientific and pre-
fessional investigation.
THREE WATER OUTLETS FOR WES1
ERN TRADE.
The present outlets by water of westel
trade to the ocean are the route of IL
Lakes and the Erie canal on the north, ar
that of the Mississippi and Gulf on Il
south. The Virginia route will be thir
and the central one. Fidelity to this rou
requires that its advantages over othe
shall he Mainly Stateds but its frieDt