The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-03-07
Canal Bill.

-s~a The Canal b ..-'1s,''-.-sr'
The bill Tor leasing and extending tine
James River and Kanawha canal to- Cltston
Forge passed the House Of Delegates yes
serday, and now goes 70 che Senate. q. " :
3 ara more ,t,a and more satisfied that 1t y
wise measure. We trust it may pass enc
Senate, and thus put the subject at rcst tor :
:. tirne.s The canal has been the great hope o. O
Virginia and OF Richmond. II has oeen
standing theme OF the Legislature io ', wy
wears. More than ten, millions have pesn
exhausted In, its construction, and Y Is nos
vet tasen 10 terminal point at which any
considerable amount OF freight may '.
.sh,oyvnispon It to increase its revenues o1 su''
! ,n,s.sr,a,ly,to thetraae OF Virginia at mas
paused in the woods, az 1t were, !" na -
the, cost OF keeping it in repair mas DseA ~ - :
!, great as It would have been had u pest i
eontuit 0, an immense amount of :tpn ne
: ami ~ trade. WHAT'S worse, at has NOT met
its expenses, and the State OF virginia sno
Eichnond together have been called upon
! OF different times to assist it out. OF !oitn-
Guilty. 4s,. .i,,,te.s ..,at "a.
: I,nouestionably it is time that something
xrsrs done to change the tenor OF aus nus
!, tory. It had reached o point %nen 2sne
ouestion whether or not it should De alto
pether abandoned was seriously presented.
TO stand where it is, with no increase lci'S
8, of business, is fatal. aud yet 10 re-
sor. Il; the expedient OF piecing out us
!. connection with a terminal point Of Clii-
ton Forge by railway seemed oniy'o DC
one way to abandon it as hopeless. Such a
mixed line could not secure the advantages
that belonged to either style OF improve
{ura,eent when used continuously, and the cost
Of the railway being thrown upon the canal,
only tended to impose upon it "a burthen
with no, adequate remuneration therefor
and thus to bring it into increased dlfhculty.
nv the bill. br lease the extension to Cliff
ton Forge is assurede audi there the Waeer.
line. will lind q, TERMINUS, which, i none OF
the best, willnevertheless assist to settle
the question, as to the usefulness sof the
canal and its ability to sustain: Itself ana
!. give TO, the commerce Of Virginia any ma
.terial addition. After fifty years Of trial
and hope, is not tue canal deserving OF this
= opportunity to show whatlit may do h
~ 1t is something for Virginia to have q pc
Rod OF rest with regard to this improve
ment-something to-; tryHa, new expedlent
to test its utility before giving it UP in de
spair-something to. extend it little west
ward while the navigation upon the west
ern division Of the central water-Hne is adj
vanclng eastward, and thus diminishing the
gap in the mountain section OF Nlrglnla.
ANY new proof the value Of the canal that
may come Of the extension will only stimu-
late the early completion OF the gap. Yes,
: it is something to do all this, and the Hegis.
: aature may wisely pass the blu in the eNpec-
:tation that all this will be done. -"21,,
= There is another matter Of great moment
in this measure, and that Is that such will
be the deep interest OF highly-practical and
experienced men in increasing the business
on the canal that all their ingenuity and
vigilance will be employed with the great
est sagaeity to sadd to the transportation
upon It. This transportation has been SO
important that VirginiaI has expressed hel
:; Willingness to give up all she has expended
upon the work to have it extended tc
the Ohio 'iriver, with the view OF: ac'
curing" tic immense additions to hel
commerce that would follow that Eek.
tension. The lease promises no such great
; return, but it promises the material addi'
: ton that will be acquired by the terminus
at Clifton Forge; and furthermore, the in.
crease that will, we confidently hope, be
added by the shrewdness Of the lessees in
establishing communications and regula.
tions that win draw trade to the: conduit
they win have in hand. Whatever increase
may be secured by the energy and eSpe.
rience Of the Iessees will rebound to the
advantage OF the State and OF this city,,
We trust it may be the pleasure OF the
Senate to pass the bill and afford the oppor.
tunity OF testing something new in the
long, tedious, and wearisome career Of the
James River and Kanawha canal.
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