The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-06-03
JAMES RIVER AND KANLwHA.

L Uu[R auu tuo Oducs IlVe[ W puCu1uhu,
distance of 1861 milee, including 1885,
miles of canal and 35f miles OF slack
water navigation. all in good working
order. The cost OF constructing this
canal was SIC, ,436, 500. All OF this work,
buildings, dock. locks, &C.. virginia
tenders to the Federal Government as
a free gift, providing the Govern.
ment will complete the capal TO the
Ohio river. and, after reimbursing their
outlay. charge only such tolls ss are
necessary to operate the line and keep
it in repair. The generosity and fair.
ness of the proposition none can dis.
pute. Well did the pure and gifted
Michael Kerr, OF Indiana. declare last
winter in the House OF Representatives
that no scheme ever came before Con.
gress 30 clean aud 20 free from all job
berry and corruption as this The con-
troll and management OF this canal Vir-
ginis does not ask or expect The best
plan for this seems to be q directory in
which the great grain growing States
Of the West shall preponderste, and q
voice only therein to be given to the
two States Of Virginia and West Vir-
ginia and to the United States Govern
ment in such way and measure as Con-
gress may prescribe. Virgins, of ofcourse
does expect the large and Incidental ad-
vantage which will flow 10 her from
giving this cheap and cspscious outlet
for Western commerce through her
borders 10 the sesboard States and Eue
rope but in her princely tender OF so
large and costly work, in her relin-
quishmeut ot all management or con-
troll 10 the grain growing States, she
is but following out the same high.
broad and fsr-reaching policy which,
by surrepderipg the Northwest Terri
tory, laid the foundations OF The great
giant Empire OF the West.
THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS =.
10 be considered by the committee 10
respect to the canal. are: First, prac-
ticability; sscord, the expense; and
third, the relative cheapness and cspa-
city OF water transportation. The tes-
timouy Of the United States engineers
is decisive and emphatic on the fret
and second points, and 10 fortified by
the concurrent reports OF Hiward Lor.
raine, Walter Wynn, Charles Ellis and
other eminent civil engineers. No work,
in short, has ever been more carefully
and accurately surveyed than this; and
the more careful the review the more
certain and easy OF accomplish me- nt
does the work appear which long ago
received its most conspicuous indorse-
ment by George Washington. His
practical mind saw, even at that early
day, the advantages Of water connec-
tion by the James and Ksnawha rivers
between the sea and the Mississippi
valley.
THE PROPOSED EXTENSION OF THE CANAL
follows up the james river 10 it's tribu-
tary, Jackson river; thence by Fork
run 10 the main ridge of the Alleghasy |
mountains very near the point where il |
is crossed by the Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad; there the engineers propose TO |
cross the mountain by a tunnel 7 is
miles long at summit level OF LOO
feet above tide water. Here the canal
ceases, and becomes slack water to |
Lyken's shoals, on the Kanawhs, IS
miles from its mouth. First, Howard's
creek is to be damned and utilized, next
the free current OF the Greenbrier river,
then the New rever, and lastly the Ka.
nawha river. From Ricbmond to the
mouth OF Fork run is 262 miles; from
this point to Howards creek, including |
the Allegheny tunnel, 12 Clio miles;
from this to Lyken's shoals, on the Ks.
nswbs river, l24 milee. and thence to
the Ohio, So miles, making . total OF
some 4S3 miles from Richmond 10 Pt. |
Pleasant, at the mouth OF the Kama
wha. The plan Of the engineers con.
templates an enlargement OF the present
canal 30 as 10 give uniformly 10 feet
wedth OF water line, q depth OF seven
feet, with enlarged locks 100 feet long
by 20 feet wide. In order TO give the
necessary slsck water navigation on
the New, Greenbrier and Kanawha
rivers, some SIS dams will be necessary,
varying in height from IL to 40 feet,
and from 200 to go feet 10 length.
From Lyken's shoals, on the Kana-
wha, the plan 10 to have the fall OF
water equalized by low dams at regular
intervals, with sluices to permit the
passage Of vessels.
fHR TOTAL RsriNArED BxPESiB
of the work. including the enlargement
Of the canal already com mplstsd. the tun.
mel, locking and damming the New and |
Kanawha rivers is $47,022,2 ,262, and
this includes an allowance OF ten per
cent. 10 cover contingencies.
Having but q very brief time at their
disposal, Messrs. Casserly and Bsysrd,
accompanied by the engineers, weu, TO
the White Sulphur Springs by rail, and
from there to the town OF Charltstoxn
examining the line Of the proposed
water route.
THE CHIEF PRoBLExs TO Bz SOLVED
are the tunnel, the navigation OF the
parows oil New river, the quantity OF
water to be secured, asd, Lastly, the
navigation Of the Ohio. 1t is Q striking |
proof OF the feasibility Of the Virginia |
water line that the different Congress
men who bsve recently examined the
subject have all been satisfied In rsspsct
to the work from Richmond 70 the
Ohio river, asd seem 70 hesitate only a. |
70 The practicability Of improving and
using the Ohio river That the West.
ern States will allow this erea,
artery Of inland commerce TO remain |
much logger unimproyed 10 hardly
credible wbep il 10 considered that even
IN its present stste lie commerce IL oi
greater value than the entire foreign
commerce OF the United Slsiss.
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