The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-01-16
,y,,ro. y Q, january "a, 1878.

-, I.re.c roncoursc of congress
o,hor representatives from the
n w.. a,J Northwest in the room Of the
:. ro,mo;ttcc on Commerce this morning TO
hnar rho James River and kanawla canal
nraseuted. which was done in very able
argument by Colonel Charles S. Darlington,
president Of the work.
He commenced by saying, ~ hehaii Oh Inc
company he represented aud under INC
authority conferred by the Legislature OF
Virginia, he rendered this great WORK 10 the
Government. of the United states ~ inc
sr;rjt in which Virginia donated the mag
n;f;cent norfbwcstern territory to the Gene
mi Goyerpmcpt-not for herself alone, bat
in the interest Of the Northwest itself ana
every other section Of u common country:
l, wog 10 be completed by the Hatlona
f;ocern,neut. which. after indemu,fyln2 itseH
for nripci,,aI and interest advanced, was IN
declare the same free national highway for
ever That it was rendered by Virginia and
West Virginia for the people OF the United
States. ana i'm their interest alone.
Virginia had sl0,40o,000 OF stock III
this canal. which she had resolved to donate
absolutely to the United States on the sole
condition OF the completion of this work.
and THAT, too. contrary to The recommenua-
ton Of the National Board of Trade, looking
alone to the Incidental benefits which WohIo
accrue from the completion OF the work
The bill which bad been introducea1n the
House of Representatives 10y Geheiai Ncg'e!
had been drawn with e>peciiti ieielehe. ~
the wishes of the western and northwestern
S.otes as intimatcd in the resolves OF their
Legislatures and their memorials 10 Congress
in behalf Of the completion of this great cen
traI wuter.lipe. This bill, moreover, pro-
yidnd in obedience to the resolutions Of TIC
National Board Of Trade, that the work
should be done under the auspices OF the
Secretary Of War, and its management com
United to body Of commissioners to be
eIecied--one from each of The States Of Viz
GINA. West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, ana
PENNSYLVANIA. by the Legislatures OF lbese
States, and the Secretary nf the Interior 10
be cr-o6ico president Of this board. In re-
gard to the rights of her private stock
holders in the canal, General Negley>S
bill provides that they shall be eX1lnSuished
by payment OF s26 per share for same.
Colonel Darlington went on to snow
that the pending proposition for The
rompletion of this water-Iine by the Ma
,ional Government had originated and been
dcycioped under the auspices OF the States OF
the Northwest, such as Iowa, KANSAS, ONO,
Kentucky, and others, through the action oil
their Legislatures.
That this action had been induced on their
part under the necessity, now apparent 10
Mi ewes, that the vast grain crop OF theirs
required other avenues for getting to The sell
board markets than those furnished by OK
isiing lines. and was making itself heard in
such forms that Congress would have to re.
spo,,d to the same at the present session.
Hc showed TINT the remedy for this great
and acknowledged evil in the West was il
continuous watcr-linc. which, with tho cll-
Urged capacity of the Erie canal, should be
capable Of working the entire year, cNcmp;
equally from the snow and icc OF that work
and the humidity of the Mississippi route
through to the >cmi-tropics Of The Gulf.
These essential conditions of freedom from
:he rigors of a northern climate and heat OF
southern one were cmincntly blended i'll
this James River and kanawha canal.
lie then showed that this central water
line really commenced ut the mouth Of the
Ohio river. thence up that riverto the mouth
OF the kanawha-- rs miles; thence UP that
river to the Lykrn shoals So milcS-fly
open navigation Of same; thence up the
New river and Grecuhricr ii distance al
I23 miles. which is to he improved by
locks and dams; thence from the mouth OF
the GrernIir to Richmond by canal-a dis
tGnce If 20; then i2l TO Hampton Eoall$-
constituting il continuous water navigation
Of $3.50 !niItsllrc shortest, cheapest, and bcst
water-route from the centre OF the Missis-
sippi system OF rivers to the Chesapeake ct
the great central and most cumrnodous
halbor on iIc Atlantic.
He showed that the great advantages
which were to flow from THIS work were not
confined TO Richmond and Norfolk. We
would continue Ip the bay to Baltimore,
thence hy Delaware canal 10 Philadelphia,
theme by Delaware and Raritan canal to
New York, and ultimately inurc to the ill.,
tcreSt of New England manufacturers by
furnishing cheap food.
The feasibility of this continuous water
line across the Alleghanies had received th'
sanction Of such civil engineers as, Elicit
Fisk, aud others, of former day, and more
recently of that eminent hydraulic engineer
Edward Lorraine, whose untlmeiS aeath mac
deprived the State and country Oh Ills eihl
ncnt services here to-day.
Guloucl burlington here turned aside Tor
moment from his argument TO pay heauti
full and deserved tribute to him rs Il man ant
his eminent character rs an engineer, whose
reports would be constantly prominently be
fore the committee in the consideration OF
this subject. 1t was to his genius and bold
ness as a civil engineer that the great tunnel
fealled after hiT) had been adopted into the
line of this cilial--which had lc>Scned the
lock:gc lit over the mountains 4li feet
with saving of a distance Of toriy-thrcc
miles. This tunnel saved forty-lour locks,
and had been fully indorsed by United
States engineers.
Colonel {. ssid that the tunnel had been
used is buShear to startle and brighten the
tlmid and ignorant. In addition 10 the above
advantages of the line of this tunnel, the
snmmit-levcl Of this canal, and that It's con-
struction would put supply Of water on
this level beyond Il question. That the pro-
tit, Of the work would afford jet of gus
every ten feet, if necessary, TO lllmine the
darkness of the tunnel, and that the head
lights Of boats navigating the canal was all
that was elsewhere necessary in the darkest
night.
As to the expense and difficulties Of sucl,
work, practical men knew that after the
heading Of the tunnel was removed tho
d tticulties, except the expense of shaiting,
We're little more than III IN open rock cXcs,-
Walton.
lie said that more than 100 years ago there
was a tunnel projected on tho line of the
Grand Trunk canal Of England between the
rivers Mcrsey and Severn which not onlv
3. startled the ignorant Of that day, but the
great English engineer James Bindley was
: charged with fraud because he said that he
would carry this canal by a tunnel
through the intervening hill Of Hair
cistle, an extension OF the high ridge
called the backbone of England. After the
exhaustion Of every opposing effort which
ignorance and prejudice could devise the
charter Of the Grand Trunk canal was grant.