The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-02-04
ifhlmal lslalf
,.ann a. FEBRUARY 4, 1873 g g.
T.sE,a Canal


sss The Canal.
.,r,ha canal Is now open TO- Lyneh oufg,
thanks to tho nntiriug enersy o. fressaens3
IoHSsroE, and boats are running reguhis 'E1
,,sspeen that place and Richmond. Beyond
Tsun.sbnrg the canal is not only not yes IN
uarking order, but little or nothing bias
been done towards rs repair. II was en-.
tirely proper to put In order first the most
important division; and we have no.nins !,
I'd say on that point. luasmuch, however. !.
q Richmond ii again to be asked tc consrl.
bute Of her means towards paying the cost
Of the repair OF The canal, we deem u s nos
Improper to call attention to the presen.
state Of the work and the possible result OF
csrelessncss on the part OF this city
The resolution offered by w. w. COR
DON. Ess., in a recent meeting OF the stock
holders Of the James River and kanaW y. Ia "a
Canal Company, and adopted, reads 70 US
as IL 1t was intended to construct ara rsiiroa e
down the James River valley to Lynchburg
and no farther. There such road would
connect with a railroad leading directly TO
Norfolk, but with none leading directly TO
Richmond. TO such scheme as this Rich
mond must necessarily be opposed. 81 ore. !:
IL such road be constructed TO Lynch
bnr.s first, we may rest assured that Twill
never be extended down the James-RlYer
valley to Richmond. Richmond will never yer
have a railroad by way OF this valley TO
Clifton Forge If the road be built hrst pc
tween LynchbuEg and Clifton Forge. ihe
temptation for LTnchburg to oppose IT'S eA-
tension to Richmond would be too strong
to be resisted.
By the way, the same remarks may ne
made as to one OF the charters now before
the General Assembly for n railroad from
Richmond to Clifton Forge along the James
River valley. 1t seems TO be the INTENTION
in this case also to construct first that part
Of the railroad which will he between Gill
ton Forge and Lynchburg. We take It TOT
granted that Richmond will never subscribe
another dollar to aid in building ralroaa
TINT is not between Richmond and some
where else rather than between LynchburS
and somewhere else. Every dollar that she
nut into the Virginia and Tennessee Rail-
road Company under the impression that
that company was going to construct road
leading directly to Richmond was worse
than lost. 1t went towards diverting the
trade OF this city away from here. So it
would be il she were to assist In making
railroad from Lynchburg to Clifton Forge.
Once finished to Lsnchburg, the road would
be all that Lynchburg desired. 1t would
connect Clifton Eorge-indeed, the great
West and Northwest Of the Union-wlth
Norfolk. but not with this city. While
human nature remains what it is it would
be inexcusable folly and blindness In Rich
mond to contribute OF her means TO the
construction of railroad west OF Lynch
burg.
But we began to write on the subject OF
voting sum Of money to aid In the repair
OF the canal; and we have not changed the
subject Of our remarks, Notwithstanding
what we have said about railroads.. The
point we set out to make is that it would be
much better for. her own interests, and
much wiser, for Richmond to con-
tribute, to the repairsof the canal above
Lynchburg, seeing that the canal comes all
the way to this city, than to aid in the con-
struction OF railroad between Lynchburg
and Clifton Forge. The canal does not end
at Lynchburg. Such railroad would, we
think; and certainly there is reason to fear
that it would. There would be powerful
influence brought to bear against its further
progress il it should ever get to Lynchburg.
We conclude, therefore, that if Richmond
decides to contribute any money to the repair
of the canal land we are not sure that she
is not under sort Of moral obligation to
do SOY, she ought to give it upon the ex-
press condition that the canal is to be re-
paired forthwith all the way to Buchanan.
We would rather give fifty thousand dol
lars to insure this. result than twenty-five
thousand to pay for repairing canal which
is already open to Lynchburg, and which
will do us more harm than good II it is not
extended beyond that point, since it will be
sure to cause the. James-River Valley rail-
road to be begun above Lynchburg and fin
ished first to Lynchburg, which point once
reached, that railroad will be made feeder
to the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio rail-
road, to the total neglect and injury OF
Richmond. .i& 49, %e
IF cncfs more IN hrino sack Of salt from