The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1874-04-09
From the Richmond Enquirerl
WAsnlSOroS, D. G., March SI'

MAbHIhUTONt " VI pAe'SH N@
Isis ny privilege this morning to re-
DOR. through the Inquirer information Of
qres. interest to the people Of Virginia
The Senate committee on transportation
which has under consideration tue various
schemes Of internal improvement through
out the country, b,ve agreed upon re-
bort in reference thereto, which will be
submitted to the Senate 10 few days. 1t
will prove a matter Of much surprise that
the James river and Kanawha canal, Vir.
piuis's darling measure, is to b. reported
upon adversely. But it will doubtless
afford equal pleasure to the citizens OF the
Old Dominion to learn that 10 lieu OF the
canal the committee recommend the con.
srruciOn Of double track freight railway.
to extend from the Kapawha river tOsome
point on Underwater yt! to be determined.
lie /. estimated that this work will cost
$50, 900 700, and an appropriation Of that
amount for its construction will be recon-
nendtd BY tue committee.
10 connection with the above, it would
be well to state that The committee on
transportation has not been influenced 10
its action BY any doubt as 10 the practical
Bility Of the central water.line On the
contrary. this question has been set at
rest forever by the board Of engineers aP'
pointed by the Secretary Of War early in
the session. at the request Of the commit
tee. THIS board having completed their
examination of the route Of the canal, have
matured a report aud placed it before The
Senate committee The engineers are IN.
auimous 10 their judgment that The VIZ
giuia water line is entirely practicable,
aud the report 10 general is exceedingly
favorable They, estimate the cost at
100000 OOO which. as it is double that
Of the proposed freight railway, was no
doubt the controlling reason for the COM
mittec's preference of tho latter.
Thus i will be seen that the canal pro.
jrct is simply left 10 allegiance, the com
mittee Influenced solely by the question OF
expenditure. dpeming it eGpedient at pre-
rent to substitute the dOublc.traCk railroad
How this measure will b. received BY Con-
gress it is impossible yet to conjecture, as
il is not generally known that such re
commentator will he made. The friends
of Virginia who are in the secret warmly
approve Of the railway scheme as the best
that their State cau just now obtain from
the general government They thitk it
will eventually result 10 Virginias oblain-
ing two additional highways, ns they do not
doubt the completion of the James River
and Knnawba cauaI at some day, either
by public or private means tits probable.
therefore, that the Virginia delegation
will support. the bill for tho double track
line when it comes before Congress On
the other hand it is coujeCtured that it may
meet some objection FROM Western mem
bers. whose hearts are firmly set on unin
tqrtuptGd water transit through the Nir.
ginias. The necessity for the br(aEage of
bulk at the Western terminus of the pro
posed railroad will be urged rs the chief
obstacle. though the friends of the scheme
think this objection can he obVinted
10 addition to the above the Senate
committee will report favorably the follow
ing improvements and recommend aPpro
priaions to carry them out;
For the improvement Of the mouth Of
the Mississippi either by the adoption Of
the "Jctteo system" Of Col Fades, or by
the construction Of the Fort St Phillip
canal Also, for Improvement Of the
Mississippi from its mouth to st AnIho0y's
Falls. aud for a survey above that point
with view 10 future IMPROVEMENTS
For canal to connect the head waters OF
the Mississippi with the lakes and to eu
large and improve the Erie Canal from the
lakes to New York
To improve the Ohio river from Pitts
burg to Cairo; the Kanawha river from its
mouth to the great falls; the Tennessee
river from its mouth to Knoxville; and the
construction of q second double track
freight railroad from CUTTERS landing on
the Tennessee river, to some point on the
Atlantic seaboards The Committee est.
mate The aggregate cost Of the above men
toned improvements, at SIG, 0OO.Q 900.