The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-12-25
Tear over the Work Of Our Fathers
The names River and Kanawha Ca

a Tear over the work Of Our Fathers
The James River and Kanawha Ca
nal.
Editors of Dispatch: The late ffeshet mas !
aroused our people to an unusual degree OF
interest in the james River valley, anu dc.
termined them to urge the construction o.
n line OF railroad from this city to Ci1ton
Forge-a line along which, II we are wise, al
no very distant future will cause to flow the
vast trade and tonnage of the Mississippi
Valley. It would seem, In view OF rlght
determination OF question involving such
vast interests, to be not inappropriate TO
refer 10 the teachings Of that great VII
gilman Matthew Maury on this subject
man whose philosophical mind llitmined
every subject that it touched, ana whose
scientific contributions to the WINDS, inc
waves, and physical geography OF the seas,
has laid the worlds commerce under It's
greatest obligation. He says cit is almost
childish to compare the cost OF transport by
rail against water" in his report IN connec-
ton with the facilities OF the Erie canal De-
fore the commercial convention at Cincin-
natl. .
A Cincinnati steamer. with her tows laden
with coal from Pittsburgh, bound for New
Orleans, distance OF 1000 miles, with a
cargo consisting OF $4,000 bushels, weigh
ing 13,44O tons, could lie transported for
s1S,440, which would be n remunerative
rate for both barges and steamer; yet TO
carry the same by rail would take fifty trains
or /, 344 cars, at 5000 4 car, which is lower
than the usual railroad freight for such dis.
tances, making S26S,000, as against aoateT
freight OF S13.440-gan by water, S254,56O.
The Erie canal, apart from Its agency in
building up the great commercial me-
tropolis OF this continent, has not only paid
its original cost, but the cost also OF its en-
largement, and is now the creditor OF the
State of New York by more than $40,-
100000.
The disappointment which Virginlans,
on the other hand, have realized from THEIR
CANAL, is due to the fact that 1t has never
been given an OBJECTIVE POINT, such as it
would have il extended to Clifton Forge.
1t is like magnificent temple unroofed. 1t
was stopped almost in sight OF the bright
anticipation Of lis projectors, and its func-
tions have ever been confined to draining
the valley Of the James alone of its produc-
tions. A year ago the friends OF this great
work were congratulating themselves that
their then long deferred expectations were
al last to be fulfilled, through the a0iSe ac-
ton Of The Legislature, in extending this
canal from Buchanan to Clifton Forge, a
distance of thirty-thrce miles, which has
been truly characterized as the aoater-gate
of VirginiQ, and. looking ultimately TO a
continuation OF this work by the Federal
Government, by which the Atlantic and
Mississippi systems OF routes would have
been united.
In this they were doomed to disappont-
ment.
The great question of the hour is, Can
this fatal step be retrieved?
think it can, if the Legislature will de-
Lermine to exert all the power it has under
the present Constitution by putting her
entire available convict force on the work;
and also to take such steps rs 10 amend at
the earliest day her Constitution so as to en-
able the State to appropriate money from
her treasury not only to preserve the pres
ent line OF canal in all Of its former eflicien-
cy, but to give it a connection with the
and Ohio railroad ut Clifton
Forge, where the coal of the Kanawha and
the other tonnage of the west may be thrown
on it.
Unless the State at once dctermin to
adopt and pursue this line Of policy, char
ter should be, as requested few evenings
since by the upper branch OF the City Coun-
ell, applied for for the construction OF what
has been familiarity known as the Straight
Shoot from this city to Lynch1urg. and
from thence up the valley Of the James to
Clifton Forge. This may be done along the
tow-path OF the canal or along an airline
to Lynchburg, as the question OF grade and
cost may determine, ever keeping in mind
the incalcutable advantage Of low grade.
One or the other must at once be adopted
if the central water policy Of the State is to
be abandoned. The necessity OF such
work is not only apparent for the protec-
ton of Richmond, but demanded by the
highest interest OF the State, in view OF the
early filling up Of the gan between Blu
chanan and Lyncbburg with a railroad-a
bill for which is now pending in our Legis-
lature.
If Baltimore gets possession OF the Vir-
ginia and Tennessee railroad westward, and
the future purchaser OF the Chesapeake and
Ohio railroad gets possession Of the railroad
between Clifton Forge and Lynchburg, and
then buys the Southside railroad to Nor
folk, where will the city of Richmond and
the future manufacturing power OF this
Commonwealth be?
This question is now arousing degree OF
intelligent discussion and concern in this
CITY which has not been witnessed for many
years; and well it may. Your most watch
full Journal, Mr.. Editor, has sounded the
alarm. and not one moment too soon, that
something must be done. b.
THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY.-The rc0rgan-