The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-02-05
A Moment of. Suspense.


her al. years to come: question tue oee'.
sion Of which Involves alike the people OF
the Mississippi Valley, and on the desefmi-
nation Of which the prosperity OF the Popn.
aation Of a considerable number Of the stsseso'
this Union essentially depends. Ethat dec'
sion shall be adverse, it would DC ''Ae 'He
cxtinarishmeut Of cherished nope, "'V'e
importance would have to ne est'nia.eo y!
the fact that It was entertained by the en-
frightened minds Of the whole co"at'!' "ao
sh., TIA f,iapooiutment would affect the well
f,re NJ several millions of people. Ii
il should be favorable, as we sincerely
trust will be warranted by the facts, it will
open to Virginia solution of all her present
industrial difficulties, will cheaper the food
of the East and the fuel Of the West, and
give an impulse to the Mississippi Valley
similar to that which led to the development
of the Northwestern States by the completion
OF the Erie canal in the year 1925.
We refer to Inc Board Of United States
Engineers, convened By order of Tie Sccre-
tary Of War ut the instance of The Senate
Speciui Committee on Transportation. which
meets in this city to-day. The duty assigned
to this Beard ia to examine into the cost and
Jracticability Of the Central Water-!lne
through Virginia and West Virginia. This
subject has already been aboriously III.
vcs.igated by a number OF distinguished en-
gineeers-McEEIL, WRIGHT, GILL, Elicit,
GwYH, FrsK, LORRAINE, CRAIGHILL, HURON,
TURPIN, HARRIs-el Of whom have re-
ported unqualifedly in favor OF the pracii-
cability Of the route. The last survey
was conducted in 1870, under the super!n-
tendenoe of Major CRAIGnrLL, of the United
States Army. In forwarding tue reports re-
ceiyed BY him to Brisadier- General Hun.
PnREYs, Chief Of Engineers of the United
States Army, Major CRAIGHILL remarks ::
50 The question of practicoJ,lity is settled
@ by the data furnished by the reports hereto
"attachcd."
There is tunnel, however, on this route,
100 feet above tide, through the Allegheny
m )untains, which will be rs miles in length
longer than the Mt. Gents tunuel-nearly
double the length Of tue Hoosac tunnel
while the estimated cost of the whole
work to the Ohio river is some S50,000,-
900. 1t is not strange, therefore,-it
was .eminently proper-that out OF abun-
daDt caution, in view Of the heavy
expenditure involved, the great elevation Of
the summit-level, the limited supply Of
water, and the length Of the tunnel, the
Senate Committee, who have been so faith
fully investigating the question of Transpor.
tation to the Seaboard, should desire even
further satisfaction on this point in coDncc-
lion with this central water-linc through |
Virginia. Before such work is undertaken
by Congress all doubt Of its feasibility |
ought to be removed; and if the Board /
which has been summoned shall ratify tue |
judgment OF the engineers who have pre-
eeded them, all misaiyings on the suhjec. must
necessarily be at an end.
We are gratifed, therefore, that these dis
tlDguished representatives of the scientific
department Of the United States Army (aud
that equally eminent civil engineer BESJA-
Mir II. LArRoBE) have convened in Rich
mond On this mission. AS gentle
men OF the highest reputation in their pro-
fession We welcome them to the capital of
Virginia and we may interchange mutual
congratulations that their errand is one
which is calculated to bind together by
Common interest the Ancient Dominion and
chat Northwest Territory which she sur
rendered nearly a hundred years ago as
free gift to the American Union. which, in
accepting the princely donation, provided
In the organic law "!hat the nayigable wa
" tiers leading into the Mississippi and the
ST. Lawrence, and the carrying places be-
4" tween the same, shall be common highways |
" and Jorcrcr frce"-suca 4 common and |
free highway across this continent as virgil |
MIA seeks to-day TO establish between tue |
gates Of the Atlaptic and the waters Of the |
Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. AS
a tribunal to whom has been referred the
dnal adjudication Of the claims OF the James
River and Kanawha canal as connecting |
link In the great water-line between the
Mississippi aud the James We welcome
them hopeful. almost assured as we arc, of
the result of their deliberations, and ready TO
bow, IS we are, because we know that it will |
be just, to any adverse decision.
With deep suspense we shall await their |
action, feeling, rs we do, that the veal or |
woe of Virginia is bound up in that result |
Our industry Is utterly dcmoralized and |
poralysed; our people are poor beyond the
power Of exaggerstion; our labor system is
In transitional state; our agriculture is un-
our minerals sleep III the
bowels of the earth; our cities are
practically cut OF from active business con-
mnnlcation with the West. We look to the |
construction Of this canal and tho improve
ment Of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers as |
the means Of accomplishing here what the
Eric canal accomplished for The State and |
City Of New York; while we should have,
what New York did not have, coal and iron
TO load back to the West.
The beneficial effects upon Virginia
would not be Instantly realized we should
have to incur the Inconvenience Incl
dent to q change of industrial pursuits.
The cultivation Of wheat, for example, we
should have to abandon. 1t has already
ceased to be profitable. We should get
cheaper food from the West, and ne should
learn to diversity our rural industry rs has
been done in New York and New jersey.
Our people would seek new occupations.