The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-12-01
A Very Important Question.

commerce OF the city will be very much II
commoded in the mean time. OF cours
We take it, the public necessity will requii
that the canal shall be made nafigaoie
repairs more or less permanent; put at oes
we cannot expect they will be for the prt
sent very solid and durable.
But the ever-rccurring losses by preah
IN the canal and the suspension OF navlga
t;on which is caused by them are increasing
the public discomfort which has long ex
is,cd upon the subject Of the canal. 1t
slew progress and its long lingering so IA
away from any connection with trade
centre or with any line OF Improvement thai
could swell the volume OF its trade have
caused despair in place OF hope, and moss
reluctantly have the pursc-strlngs been
,oosed to repair its losses from the casual
ties Of which it is repeatedly the victim.
Then it has fingered so that it has afforded
time and opportunity Tor adverse railway
strategy to cripple its resources and cut of
the traffic which gave it strength and swelled
the prosperity Of this city. Last winter
the company failed to produce such credit
and energy as was needed to give faith in
its ability TO extend its work to Covington
as water-line, and it has been, as we COLI
strue, driven TO substitute the short railway
from Buchanan TO Clifton Forge. This
substitute we have not doubt will afford
more transportation for the canal. But the
resort to it weakens confidence in the canal
itself, whose ever-recurring losses and disa-
biities raise doubt as to its ability to an
swer the demand OF the great valley Of
James river for an efficient and reliable
thoroughfare for transportation.
There is a greater detection from the ar
dent advocates OF the James-River canal in
the past year than during any preceding
year, and now the question OF straining the
public energies to keep up the work is more
than ever matter OF deliberation and con-
flict Of opinion. We repeat that the con-
tinuation Of navigation Of the canal is at |
present necessary to our commerce; but we |
cannot shut our eyes to the facts, and we
are admonished that Virginia aud Richmond I
are compelled to deliberate upon the ques-
ton as to whether we shall go on with the
keeping up the canal or substitute for it |
railway along the river. The question call- |,
not be avoided.
Before the canal was begun, WYSDHAM !
ROBERTSON, Esq, now OF Abingdon, pro- |
posed the construction of q grand trunk |
railway from Richmond, up the James !
river. through Balcony Falls to Buchanan, 1
where there should be two branches: one |
TO GO off to the Shenandoah Valley, and the !
other enthusiastically, upon the line OF |
the macadamzed road to Abingdon, the |
main stem to continue westwardly to the
Ohio. The question was debated several
davs, and finally, we think, decided by the
vote of Richmond against the proposition.
Unfortunate was it for the city that the
railroad was not then preferred. we
do not mean to declare positively against
canals. The question between canal and
railroad is still unsettled, with the van
tace rather in favor OF railways. But the
James-River canal is not the best example
of canals. It is much crippled by many
locks. and it has utterly failed to do what
was expected OF it, because it has had 10
western terminus, so to speak. 1t has nao no
certsin focal point OF the accumulation OF
ireiehts. At one. time we thought we had
such point at Lynchburg. But under the
consolidated administration OF the Atsaatle,
Mississippi and Ohio railroad the facilities
for transferring freights from that road to
the canal were Observation-Disclosures by the
railway company. The road cut loose from
the canal, and thus Richmond lost the rich
trade of Southwest Virginia, which had
heen her greatest source Of prosperity.
We saw what every elderly gentleman OF
intelligence knows to be true when we say
that the canal has been the ready argument
AGAINST any plan of railroads that MADE
Richmond an objective point. 1t Is equaiiy
true that for long time the James River
and Kanaw ha Canal Company was so hostile
IN railroads that no such road was permitted
TO come within such proximity to 1t as 70
make ita competitor. Richmond has been
denriyed Of railroads because she had the
canal. and that has failed to give her any
thing that is to be considered as compensa
zion for SO serious deprivation. Indeed
a railroad has taken from the canal tn
chief trade which it had formerly secured t.
Richmond.
And now, when We have lost the Denen
Of the railways that should have cenere
upon Richmond, that would have increase
her population and wealth, and MADE IN
State debt burthen so light that non
would have dreamed OF reputation, "
are here in most sad dilemma. If the CT
nal were finished to Clifton Forge, and
the interchange OF freights with the Lynch
burg railways was such as we could ca
lust to Richmond, q very different. sta
OF things would exist. But the canal do'
not reach Clifton Forge, and it has been d
termined, as desperate eXpedient, to pie'
j! out with railway. So our condition
bad, while the commencement Of railWi
In the mountains, with no provision for il
continuation to Richmond, puts us in dal
ger Of copious bleeding from another Wit
point.
The period is critical, and clearly we ha'
to decide what shall be done at an early p
ROD. In bringing forth these facts and thin
ing as we go along, we may in timely ar
proper manner say that 1t is fortunate fl
the State and this city that we have foun
in Major JOHNSTON, president of the cana