The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-04-18


Rtrfa treasury. t,us been able TO meet tbs
preat raiI Tcad Ill tacik upon The gotnr-
trolIcr Of the stnte Of New York "a DE an
ntal report 10 the Legisiat ure OF January l =,
sssThere are nnougst us those who say |
flint; canals have outliYed their usefu lness-
That thew belong to a past and slower gene |
ration. On all occasions they are ready 10
condemn them-not by arguments ma 1acts,
but by vituperasion and abuse. -,
i. The water route carried grain from Cni.
lcaeo to New York during the year LOT esyt wy
cents per bushel, and the railroads lost
money on every bnshel they carried az ssa-
teen cents. IN view OF this TACT are y, we
ready to admit that the water rouIe mas ios'
its usefulness
at the ports OF New York, Boston, Port-
Iand. Montreal, philadelphia, Baltimore,
and New Orleans, from January TO NO
yeuber q, 1877, were 1S5,55I 1853 bushels,
against lei, Os3,s9O bushels for the CORE
spondinp period in 1876, being decrease
Of 10,526, 032 bushels.
"The deliveries at tide-water by the Erie
aud Champlain canals from the opening TO
November %, 1877, were in -four aud grain
equal to 43,712,5O0 bushels against 2S,S4!,-
100 bushels for the corresponding period IN
1S7e-being an increase of 1887, 400 bush
els. There was q decrease OF $3.50, 104 hush
els in the receipts at western lake. and river
ports, and a decrease OF 10,526;032 bushels
in the deliveries ut the same previously
named seaboard ports; get there has been
an incre1se in deliveries at tidc-water by
the Erie and Champaign canals, in 1877, OF
1881, 400 bushels. Can 1t be then said that
the canals have lost their usefulness ?"
In this same report the Comptroller OF the
State OF New York states that in the first
week OF December. 1877, when the water
route was open, New York city received
twice as much wheat and corn as Baltimore
and Philadelphia together. But in the sec.
ond week of the same month, when the
water route was closed by ice. she received
about one half as much as both OF these
cities; and in the third week. with the ca
nal still closed, instead Of receiving over fifty
per cent OF all the wheat and corn sent to
these three cities, as she did the first week
when the canal was open, she only received
thirty per cent. Of it.
| With the water route open, New York
received 91S,924 bushels and Baltimore
| S7,304 bushels Of grain during the first
week Of December, 1877. With the water
route closed, Baltimore received S67,740
bushels and New York 55G,945 bushels of
corn and wheat during the second week OF
December, 1877.
| Baltimore has only sinslc-track railroad
to depend upon, while New York has the
Erie, which is substantially a double-track
road, and the New York Central, which has
four tracks, to supply her. The Comp
troler further tells us that the year 1877
has been year Of returning prosperity to
| the boatmen. ,"
The Auditor OF the Canal Department OF
New York, IN his annual report for 1878,
saws 6 We are in possession OF an artificial
water course connecting the western lakes
with the Underwater Of the Hudson, which
will always remain the cheapest route Tor
the transportation OF property from the
| East to the West. During the
season of navigation it will regulate the
freight charges by our railways, so that
trade cannot be repealed by eXtortlonate
rates or by combinations with roads OF other
States" Gas for cheapness, the
water route by lakes and canals is beyond
successful competition"
have thus, by the highest evidence OF
the most undoubted correctness, shown
that water navigation, Including that OIL
properly constructed canals, is incompara-
bly, cheaper and far more preferable for
slow, heavy fEsights; that it is practicable,
il the Federal Government will supply the
means, to make the James River and Kama
wha canal ship canal, with seven feet OF
water, connecting with the Ohio river. with
eight feet OF water, the year round; that
this great central water route has been sur
veyed and reported favorably upon by 4
board of the most distinguished engineers
under authority Of the United States Gov
eminent; that committee OF the United
States Senate, after most protracted and
thorough investigation of it, has reported
favorably upon it; that it will be
the nearest, cheapest, and best route for
100000 Of our people, nhabittng about
100000 OF square miles OF the most fertile
lands OF this country; and may add that,
under authority Of the United States Gov
crnment, that distinguished engineer Colo
mel Craighill, with a corps Of United States
engineers, during the last year made another
full and accurate survey Of this route, and
his report of the result corroborates COM
pletely the report Of the board Of engineers
made in 1874. Business engagements will
prevent me from recurring to this subject
again for month or more; but / intend,
Mr.. Editor, with your permission, to say
something through your invaluable paper
about the benefits that will result from the
construction Of this great waterway, and
why the United States Government may be
induced to build it. A. Il. BLAKEY.
Charlottesville, Va, April y, 1878.