The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-01-11
IF0r the Dispatch.1
tOr the DSEIICI.J
ss,.I. "a Railroad Substitute the Canal?


-
For the DispatclI
Shall a Railroad Substitute the Canal?
This in all OF its bearings to the city OF
Richmond, to the valley OF the james river,
and to the. State at large, IS question
which should not be acted upon or dlsmlss-
ed hastily, lest great mistake lee made.
Undoubtedly this is the proper time for the
consideration of the subject and full dis
cusson thereof. 1t is q subject upon which
much NAV Justly be said on both sides. The
idea OF this canal was conceived by think
ing, patriotic minds long before it was be-
gun, and favored By many OF the best
minds OF the State ever since; and 1t IS moi
wise to cut loose from the teachings OF our
fathers without mature reflection and Tor
good and urgent reasons.
The idea OF canal transportation is one
which should not be lightly thrown aside,
since upon this view the State has invested
many millions. But ii this be only view
of the past, true either in theory or fact Tor
other days, then we should not remain
welded to it, lest the spirit OF the age ana
of modern civilization pass by and leave us
feeding upon the thoughts and views Of
men who, while acting wisely upon the
|
forecast the whole future and fOretell
what would be wisest in days to come.
we hold that new conditions have arisen
entirely dissimilar to those in force fifty
years ago, when the advantages OF the canal
| were pressed upon the consideration OF
the State. Let us look little into the his
tory OF the canal and the causes which led
to its construction. 1t appeared clear in the
early DAYS OF Richmond that canal should
he built around the falls for the double pur-
nose OF supplying water-poWcr to the city,
and also to enable boats safely to escape the
rapids at and above the city, and to bring
the produce OF the valley at all seasons to
market. Accordinglya canal was construct
ed for few miles. Soon it was determined
TO enlarge this canal, and to extend it to
the Maiden's Adventure dam, distance OF
thirty miles; and so the " old James Riue1
COMPANY" grew up to this point, and as il
should in wisdom have remained, as 1t did
until 1885, when the State was induced to
take up the subject with the view to con-
meet the waters of the James and kanaWha,
and so secure transportation to the ONO,
a cherished view Of Washington and oil
,,,ny ntbere in Ietar tirnns This enhnmn
was further stimulated by the Hudson and
| Erie canal, completed about 1925. OF this
canal and its success we wish to say more
farther on in the views which we desire to
present.
Stimulated to emulation by this canal, Mr.
Joseph &. Cabell, man OF great energy and
| fixedness Of purpose, and one we'll able to
| impress his views upon others, used every
effort in his power to commit the State and
the property-holders along the line Of tine
proposed route to the idea OF canal. We
will not pause here to discuss the question
whether it would not have been wiser then tc
have concluded to lock and dam the river.
This view did not escape the consideration
of the men Of that day. Suffice it to say,
the project OF the canal YVES decided upon,
and for a time pressed actively ana eIpen
siUely, by the State-|ith what dement, To
the city OF Richmond and the lands along
the valley Of the James river let us con.
slider. True, the city OF Richmond received
benefits from this project, but, as we al
know, never commensurate with reasonable
expectations, or even tolerabIe return
for the money expended. And, strange as
it may appear, the lands upon the river
never advanced at all, nor did population
seek this valley stimulated to make invest
mentA along the line.
No stimulation has been given to business
by the presence OF the canal. Lands retro
|
speak adviseGly, and the reports OF the
sales OF lands, as OF record in the various
clerks offices, will bear US out in our state
ment. The many little villages upon the
line Of the river, atiording local centres to
the surrounding country. declined and Ian.
guished, and now only afford shadowy
evidence Of their former existence: and
the canal itself has in ali respects been
disappointment to town and country. The
question naturally arises 10 every rejecting
mind, Why is this? Why, since so much
money has been expended along route
has there been no commensurate advantage!
The reasons are manifold, and in the an.
swer to this question is involved the an
swer to the question, What shall be done
with the canal?
The project OF canal along the line oil
the James and Kanawha valleys acaS begun
TOO late IN the uorId'S history Besides
being q long-cherislled project by some OF
the statesmen Of Virginia, it was, as we
have stated, worked up, and that against
great opposition, by the activity OF Mr
Cabell, man who, having once conceived
an idea, was able, by his enthusiastic ener'
CIV. to press it to its accomplishment. The
success of Dewitt Clinton stimulated hin
TO do as much for Virginia as had been done
\ for New York. Having adopted thE
scheme, he was unable to see the many
! objections to ii-obiections pressed upor
the State at that time by other lead
ing men-obiections entertained by many
OF the landowners along the route; %
that from the commencement the canal nae
to face bitter opposition-all OF which wa:
overcome by the energy OF one man. NOW
let us remember that the Hudson and Erit
canal was constructed before the days o.
steam-it was completed in 1S25-and ths
tolls received during the first year were
over a hall million OF dollars. When W.
realize that in 1920 the first locomotive wa
run in America, and this only as an experl
ment. we can see that at that day the though
OF railroad had never been regarded Us
practical thing, else no cdnGt acoatd eoe'
hare been constructed along that Tine.
But in 1885, when the canal from Rich
mond to Lynchburg was put under con
tract, the world was waking up to tue al
yantaees of steam; hence one OF the oDlec
tions in the Legislature to the requisite up
preparations for its prosecution and com
pletion. -.
In n word, the James River and Kanawh
4 canal was born too late.
4 Although The State was committed 70 I'd
project, yet at each and every point u me
opposition because the spirit OF the age &c
manded the locomotive; and although
was hard to bring the friends OF the scnem
and the State itself to the abandonment OF
..1f 4 a., n an npe nd nv the exNrpSse