The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-08-20
-, sES m essrTy MlssffnE or Mer-
! :ssssn.s. MSinufsesurcrsa and others, 20
J son.idar me EsDposiitan OF tine EA-
soaoton n Ire Canal tetaiffon Forge.

seaotan RI Canal tc41iffon Forge
- aitory Dispatch Mr. STARTS letter TINS
morning places the clatms OF Tue Gana..e ),
ienIiop from Buchanan TO Triton roIse ~
7 . Hut1t. soscaear to the commercial ana H1anu
fact;,rinp interests Of Richmond NOTION,
and, II ahburs- that It would be a WOLF VI
en- nereropation to add TO it.. 1t Is time,
ho ssever chat some practical step was .taken
n eonyeig pc the public sentiment OF the cures
mantioriei or, "a measure which VIII lead 10
lid ;cnnsi rictiolnu.. The friends of this canal
extension went before the last session OF sne
LEGISLATURE aud urged such 4 modification 10
me mode Of taxing the sense OF the people
as would insure fully the concurrence OF q ma
iorjtV of property. holders with 8 numerical ;
majority or tide voters, giving, very properly,
In The property- holders q negative TOT a SUI
serinto, or guarantee of bonds for this pnrs-
pose. ...;.,-g ..;oo,;or, fro,,,n
any mIarter to taking the sense OF the people
ON THIS the most important OF all the pro
iects which have been mentioned Tor the pre-.
seryation and extension OF our trade noe
only with the finexhsustiole coal ana IRON
beds living along this route. but our connec.
ton with the Iceming productions 'oi 7lhe
Ohio and Mississippi basins. ~ II
1t has now been ninety-one years since
this MAGNIFICENT conception vas slartea .oy
General Washington, Mr.. Madison, and other
leading minds OF the State of that day, Tor
connecting the tides at Richmond with the
Ohio and Mississippi by route running
along the valleys of the James ana hana-
Wba: for nowhere from New York to Geor'
pia does this vast Allegheny chain OF noun
taips allow its lofty ridge TO open up a aod.
.ter.oate to western trade save along the val
-leys Of these TWO rivers-M the James and ia.
,na,rid. rf.5.o .s..l.l. -. ~. ~ hs"3
Who can doubt that if the State had concen.
trated all Of her scattered expenditures 10 the
past on internal improvements, amounting to
over $50 ,000, 900, on this great water project,
that to-day we should have had at Rich
rnond city as large as Philadelphia, and at
Hampton Roads the commercial city of the
continent! And to-day Virginia would have
been as far ahead Of the State of New York
in population, wealth, and political power as
that State is now ahead Of ours. t..
The State and her citizens have already eX.
pended S30,000,000 On this great central
line, composed of Water and rail-Sl2, 50O,-
900 on the canal, and SIS, 000,000 on The rail.
road west OF Clifton Forge-and have now TO
fill up thirty.od miles between Buchanan
and Clifton Forge, on which she has eX-
pended S500,000; and we are told that ii
will require only 100000 to complete this
great central line. .... 3D.
If the Legislature will authorize our able
Governor, whose opinions are known to be
abreast OF the most advanced friends OF this
great Virginia work, to use the 700 or 800 con-
yicts who now are charge to the State, their
labor can become most profitable to the State
and can be utilized in digging this canal. and
save not less than 100000, or one-half the
cost of mpletion-lelying only $500, 900 to
be provided for by the James River cities.
Richmond alone cap, and doubt not, IN
view of her great interest, would, guarantee
S40O. 900 OF these bonds-Lynchburg and
Norfolk 100000 each.
Richmond could. by proper economy IN
her present vast expenditures, save the S24.'
900 interest on these bonds without an addl'
ton to hei present taxation OF one cent.
Can there be property.holder in the city
who for one instant would dissent from
diversion for such work sum now col
lected of them and used for vastly inferior
purposes.
Let us, therefore, have an early meeting
of her merchants, manufacturers, and other
businessmen, say on the oath Of this month,
to consider scheme so lraught with her
highest interests.