The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1874-05-07
From the Richmond Wing,
THE JAMES RIVER AND KAMA.
VIVA CANAL.

4
had hoped aud had reason to expect, until
within u few weeks past After certain
developments, unnecessary now to make
public, the friends Of this Improvement
were fearful Of much more unfaVorablc
report than has OF last been made by Sen.
atOr Window. We we're well aware that
The proclivilics Of certain Senator's for all
freight railway lines, and the hatred Of
others 10 the South, coupled with Jealousy
Of Southern prosperity, would surely ar
ray them against the Virginia water.liuc;
but after The unqualified approval Of The
engineers selected by tue Secretary Of
War to examine aud report on the practi'
cabiIiiy of this route, we looked with
confidence for the support Of one who had
been reported as ayiug il the work was
practicable be would not hesitate to vote
three hundred millions Of dollars il neces.
sary to complete it. The position Of an.
other Senator is surprising. lie repre-.
sentS one of the States which had petition.
ed Congress to construct the central water
line 10 Virginia, and bad rendered to Con.
gress the right of way through her terri.
tory, and all her right Of property III the
improvement.
This Senator was regarded not only as
the friend of the water line, but as one OF
its champions, whose advice was sought
and whose counsel was followed, in the
long, weary and tOrtuous track from the
day when the Virgiuias FIRST appeared be.
fore the Congress Of tho United States to
within q brief period prior 10 the making
of the committees report. His change Of
'front.' We fear has greatly impcrrlled the
success of the water line, aud shaken the
confidence Of its friends in the professions
of favor by others, whose localities do not
exercise so persuasive an influence as
it was supposed that Senator's locality
would exert.
The conclusions Of the committee may
be briefly summed up as follows:
|. That for all bulky freights, such as
grain, &C., wa!cri cheaper than rail trans
portaton,
2. A canal through New York, without
indicating oOy route.
3. The alternative Of a wafer line, oral
freight railroad through Virginia, with o
decided leaning Of tue majority Of The
committee 10 the rail.
4 The same as 10 The Georgia line.
5. The Improvement Of the 0lio and
Kanawha rivers.
6 Further surveys.
1t is curious to observe that q canal is
preferred in New York to railroad
though the canal would be closed by frost
five months in every year; while in Vir'
ginia aud Georgia the preference is for rail,
though canal through them would be
open the year round If water be cheaper
than rail, by what mode Of reasoning
could the committee reach the conclus,
ion that while this fact obtained in Now
York, the rnle fund its exception Yheg
the, canAl wac to be located in virginia and
Georgia? Can any one inform Us?
We have heard it suggested for weeks
that the Loudoun and Hampshire road,
projected from Alexandria to Parkersburg,
was to be the base Of the ALBRIGHT rail
road through Virginia from Point Pleas
ant on the Ohio river, to QauntiCO, on the
Potomac river, route with grades far
heavier against the bulk oftrado than those
Of the Chesapeake and Ohio road. But
such folly we hardly conceive could be
committed by a committee Of Senators, il
mattered not whence they might hail, aud
more especially with the aid of S,uator
who had been charged by his State with
the special duty Of pressing wafer line
through his State to a successful issue, and
hence we rejaC: that suggestion.
This Loudouu and Hampshire road, We
do not remember its new nOmc we under.
stand is owned mainly in Boston, and VIC
cannot conceive what benefit is to be de.
rived from this road between Point Pleas,
ant and Quantico comparable with the re,
suits Of the canal from tho mouth Of the
KODOwha to the mouth Of the James
Rumors have reached US in this connection
not pleasant 10 be considered, but to which
for the present we give DO shape.
We trust that Senators and Representa-
tives from States deeply aud intimately in
tcrcStcd in cheap transportation will pay
more regard to the report Of their own en-
ginOers, aud of all others who have exam
ined the route, all recommending the cen
trail water line in Virginia, asserting 10
the strongest terms its superior cheapneS;
and capacity over a railway, and before
this Congress shall adjourn secure such
an appropriation as will insure the
speedy completion Of the water line from
the Ohio to tie Chesapeake,
From the Fnirmo>t Inlex.l