The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-15
Ras,road and Canal.

5S Railroad and Canal.
n sesr,s 10 lis when we dream An gu,
waxing hours that we have been STRIVING anu
,ssrnsne. and working and toisfng, and hop
inr and desppaairing, and writing and lighting
.vsr she james River and Kanawha canal LOT
ore burdred years. We began TO take on tne
steam oi progress in the earliest perioa %
tas project, and gave heart and hand 20 sle
vorf when JosEpH C. CABELL was trave.'
NM IKE pilgrim over the State and WIZ
che neal Of The pilgrim, preaching % nu ~
tudea concerning the new heavens ana TUG
,.,v eorsh for Virginia that would come
from the proposed cana!-the sea'lzae'on
.os sahe patriotic dream OF E"AshISo1Ys
q connecting the waters Of the Cnesapeas.
nth the waters OF tile Ohio. That man OF
yenerated memory-JosEpH {. CAsk.L
was our apostle Of improvement, ana we
sn,onp.t his most pious disciples. The
peopfe were enthused by his earnest ano
persuasive appeals, and the material neip
given to the enterprise was great ior those
.slnes,,., :,
we have since followed with weary ieet
the career OF this long-proiected work. We
have hoped with il, and sometimes almost
desuaired with it, but never quite. we
confess that never did its prospects seem so
clouded, to our perceptions, as at the pres
eut time. -
The debates OF this winter have absolutely
sfafcted us. They have been little calc"-
lated to throw light upon the path before
us. and have left it, dark and repuisive.
There has been this strange feature In the
Improvement strategy over this "time-
honoredn canal that its friends are dis
-nntine over the matter Of continuing the
water-line forty miles further or OF pieclng
ont that distance with o railroad--a sort OF
.etail-piece," we must confess, as inappro-
-srr;afe to the canal as would be the tail OF
the wolf spliced to the neither end OF the
sheep - ! 500 y5g Il.
Last year we were so anxious ; 10 see &c line
OF efficient transportation clear through 70
the Clifton Forge depot Of the Chesapeake
and Ohio railroad, to give transportation TO
che James river ores to that point OF connec-
t,on with the railroad to the Ohio, that we
said. II che canal could not be carried
thither by reason Of inability OF the com
many. we would rather see it pieced out with
arailroad than that the gap should continue.
THAT was our position then, with this quail
feation: that we could not well see no " the
canal company could not build the canal to
Clifton as easily as railroad.
But the renewed discussion OF the present
winter has perplexed US, as it has perpleXed
great many persons. The tight between
the renewed effort to continue the water
line to Clifton Forge and the railroad from
Buchanan has been damaging to both sides,
, and exposed the weak points and objections
70 both. We still adhere to our old
view OF the absurdity OF this spllce ny
railroad in the mountains and its UNIT
ness US q tailpiece to the canal, and cannon
dream OF its toIerableness except rs Tor
lorn hope.
Over the canal the projected railroad from
Buchanan to Clifton Forge has no adTan-
taees whatever. None for the State-none
for Buchanan-none for the company.
While the canal would be far better for ali
concerned, and especially for this city.
Therefore, we repeat, the railroad Is only
tolerabie as thing unavoidable and lndls-
pensable in the exigency. - =, -
We are from all this certainly in no very
pleasant mood as an old canal man-a man
who has sympathized with it In its bright
est hours and mourned with it in its days
of sorrow. We take it that the proposed
continuation OF the water-line, from all IN
dications, is defeated. AS to that scheme,
the financial processes relating to it were too
much involved for clear understanding OF
them, and we are decidedly Of opinion that
the problem with regard to the incongru-
Gus finishing-section by rail to Clifton
Forge Is not greatly more encouraging.
We are satisfied that wise and proper fore
cast would justify the legislators in tho
roughly revising the railroad bill before
passing 1t. Certainly no new embarrassment
should besaddled upon the venerable James
River and Kanawha Company. The pro-
perty existing in the name Of the company
Is in fact the property OF the State, and
when the Legislature does that which IN
creases its debt without adding proportion
ately, to its income it morally violates the
Constitution, which prohibits further APP
preparations to works Of internal improve
ment. If that company issues third mort
gage bonds, isaIable at very great sacrifice,
it cannot be considered that its pros
perity is promoted much thereby. There
fore we are Of opinion that the State
should see to it that what is SO clearly
| tie property Of the State as is the canal
should not be put In peril of further de-
probation. '7. 20. '.'~
We cannot look upon legislation on this
: subject as anything but critical. The canal
property is beleaguered with trials and un-
certainues. Encountered as it is. q, false
step might be fatal, not only destroying all
chaneesof Its continuation to the Ohio, but
placing it.in danger Of being gobbled upby
spectators, who would be impelled by no
other motive than desire to improve their
own gains, and 80 far as they might be in
harmony with the interests Of Virginia or
this city those interests would be benefited,
and no further. ~. 81.
The, pieeing out the water line with a
short railway that would not be favored by
the Chesapeake aud Ohio railroad unless
the piece belonged to the Chesapeake and
Ohio Company would be no great, achieve
ment for. anybody. y But there; is ., question
Of momen. that should take precedence of