Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-05-06

and Is carried over the Erie, Hudson River,
and pennsylvania central lines amounts to no
less quantity than 900 millions of bushels of
corn and potatoes, worth, at 65 cents per BUSH
ell 5o5 millions of dollars. From the heart of
the Mississippi valley at the mouth of the Ohio
to the sea by the james and Kanawha Canal,
is 779 miles less than by the Northern lakes to
New York. The present rates of freight thro'
the Illinois and Michigan Canal, the lakes and
New York Canals, amount to prohibition on
corn grown 40 miles west of Chicago. Report
of Mr. Albert. United States Engineer Corps
The central water line of rail and canal being
the Chesapeake 4 Ohio Railroad and the JAS
River and kanawha Canal, both now approach
ing completion, will bring the whole, or the
greater part, of this traffic right through the
Vlrginian lands comprised in this scheme; for
this reason-that the present routes are usually
blocked up for five months in the year by ice
while taking an average of 20 years. Maury
assures US that the Virginian canal has only
been closed by ice Is days in the year. This
is explained when we consider its latitude, ly-
ing as 1t does mainly between 81 degrees and
40 degrees North. 1t is neither suggestive of
fierce wintry blasts, nor torrid heats in summer.
Compared with the changeable climate of Eng
land 1t is much more enjoyable-more like Italy
for the salubrity of climate, and similar to De-
vonshire in its wooded combs and knolls of va
ried scenery, while game of every variety make
it the very Paradise of sportsmen.
Volney calls the calcareous valley of Virginia
the garden spot of the United States and gra-
nary Of the country. 1t is fine grain and
grass growing country, produces the finest wheat
and preference Is given to the -four from it in
the United States army over that of any other
part. 1t is well watered, thickly inhabited,
and most prohtably cultivated. Its mountain
streams afford ample water power for thousands
of factories. and its hills are stored with mar
Bile, iron and other valuable minerals.
In paper on European immigration, read
before the Social Science Congress at N. York,
Oct. 1869, by. Frederick Kapp, one of the COM
missloners, he said, in natural advantages the
N. w. is much inferior to the Northern States
of the South Middle and South Virginia are
gardens of Eden which cannot be excelled by
any State in the Union. The completion of
canal will make tributary to Virginia Water the
whole OF the photographic basin of the Missis-
sippi, as far as the Rocky Mountains, and the
Upper Mississippi to the Falls of st. Anthony.
This line will make communication from Fort
Benton, 3l00 miles above the mouth of the
Chesapeake Bay.
The Central and Ohio Railway runs through
country beautiful and rich in coal and iron,
salt and petroleum, and valuable minerals
from ST. Louis. They brought back 16 000, 900
dolls. in gold. 1t is 1905 miles from the Ches-
apeake, but the freight by water will not cost
one-half what it now does to go by rail to New
York In fact, by the canal the farmers in large
portions Of Ohio and Kentucky could send their
grain via Norfolk to London at less cost than
the railroads now charge for delivering them on
shipboard at New York, for the grain markets
in all the river towns from St. Paul to New Or
leans, from Mobile to the Rocky Mountains,
could deliver produce at Norfolk at from 7c to
SOC the bushel cheaper than they can now send
it to New York.
Taking the average of the whole. the canal
would save % cents the bushel on the transpor-
patton seaward of the agricultural produce, and,
besides, would enhance the value of what re-
mains behind for the supply and demand are
nearly an eQullbrio, and by lessening the cost of
transportation both produce and commerce
would benefit, and counting 900 millions BUSH
els this saving in cost of transportation would
enhance the value from 100 dolls to 200 dolls,
and increase the rental of the land that produce
them.
Enable the farmer in the valley of the Ohio
to put bis grain on board ship In Hampton
roads for los the bushel, and those of Missis-
sippi for 15c, and Western corn will be cheap
est in the food market of England.
Besides all this, the Illinois and Michigan
canals freeze an average of l10 days. The Erie
canal,closes regularly five months, SO that to
leave Buffalo by November for New York, the
western farmer must have his grain in Chicago
not later than October 20, but Cincinnati is on
ly 2l4 miles from the canal by the Ohio river,
which is open for navigation generally 10, often
II months in the year.
As the lands contemplated in the English
Colony lie along the borders of this canal, Its
future becomes of immense importance to them
Negro labor never having advanced beyond
hoeipg the ground, the oldest plantations have
never been furrowed by an English plough
The soil six inches below the surface has never
felt any kind of shear. At this depth it is new
and virgin as any wild prairie that pastures
Bufaloes beyond the Mississippi. EogIish far
mers would make new world of the whole
State. La variety and capacity of production,
it exceeds (says MIR. Bunett) any other on the
Continent. Virginia was the favorite State of
George Washington. Seventy five years ago
he wrote to Sir John Sinclair Of the advanta-
ges which this State offered to enterprise, cap
ital, skill and labor. It's coast indented with
harbours, roadsteads. and bays; its rivers nav.
igable and numerous; its climate healthy for
Europeans above the head of tide water. Be-
low this line he would not recommend settlers
from this country. Beyond this district there
are beautiful, healthy regions, especially in
Western Virginia. Its mountain ranges vary
ing downward from 5000 feet of elevation, en-
bosom valleys and piateaux of wondrous seem
cry, lands of unknown fertility, scarcely as yet
thoroughly explored, much less occupied. Its
Piedmont countries situated between the Allie
ghanies and the tide level have an undulating
surface like that of our inland counties, and Ca
pable OF supporting large population, with
lands suitable for the production Of farm pro-
duce of every scription-graZing lands adap-
ted for cattle and sheep on immense scale.
In winter there is just sufficient frost to make
it seasonable, and snow enough to protect the
grass and grain, besides affording the means OF
moving the heavy logs of timber by sleigh to
the canal for transportation. 1t has rainfall
in seed time ample for the preparation of the
SOIL and diminished supply in gentle showers
during the latter growth.
The COMMUNIST MONSTER. The develop
ment of the communist element in the Spanish
troubles adds new and ominous phase to the
perpl@ties of that country 1t becomes evi.
dent by this as we'll as previous indications tha
communism is not confined to France. Its or
ganizations probably extend through all the
European States, and wherever it achieves q
triumph, we may expect repetition of the
horrors lately enacted in the French capital
The worst enemy that repubcanlsm now has
in Europe is communism, or the fear of it
Kings and conquerors have only to evoke this
spectre to make all the subjects who have inter
ests in society dread any change of govern
ment which may introduce communism. Thus
it is deadly hindrance to that rational pro
gress of political freedom and well-ordered lib