The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-01-08
..
Canal and the Kali.

We are certainly very iutCn 1lSSp sS fftt
the temper OF our esti,nable contemporary
Of the: Norfolk 'iirpiH;an towards this cits'
while weTegret that he entertains opinions
about the old James, River canal and che
projected, railroad that we do not think
based upon sound and practical views.
We .heg him sosrevise his conclusions and
square them with things practical and ideas
philosophical. At che Threshold We beg
him to discover the amount TIE, canal is
alleged to have cost from what be, upon. !
fair estimate, may think it is worth. He
says it cost $4,000, coo. Very well. What
would It sell. ior2 Did our contemporary
never know; "a piece d property that sunk
the money invested In it and would not sell
for anythingr z;.,' ~. .e' -
Is If the James River canal were put up at
auction ii 'Rould noe bring enough, money
to pay,tbe first mortgage upon it, No.busl-
ness.man in this city. believes that it'Wouid.
While the sother mortgages and the stock
are undoubtedly lost finally and forever:
Nothing possible can occnrto give them q tne
n =
az Therefore, when the editor OF the. pT-
otnian talks about selling the canai upon
the condition that 1t shall be kept in repair,
he proposes q condition that is impracti-
cable. The work could not be giuen away
upon any such condition.
We would be gratified if he, Us an intel
ligent and liberal gentleman, would give
this point little thought, and consider IN
his own mind whether, after the State ana
this city had decided that 1t would be nei-
ther wise nor practicable to repair the in!u-
ries to the canal, it could be expected that
anybody would buy it upon the condition
OF keeping it in repair? The idea that 1t
could be so sold is utterly falIacious.
1t has to be sold. ftbe contract between
the canal company and the railroad compa-
nv shall not he confirmed, then there must
be sale of the property under legal pro-
cess lit Is now in court; and rely upon 1t
that no condition for keeping it in repair
can be imposed, Or no sale with such con-
dition is possible. r. ..a ~
We say to our friend that it is as clear as
any engineering decision that the idea that
canal can be made from the Virginia tide
to the Ohio that Will ever be useful and eth
Client is faIlacy. 1t is out OF the question
TO suppose that Congress will vote any
money to building such work. The lock-
nge from Richmond to the Ohio renders the
scheme altogether impracticable.
We speak now the simple truth. we
were once the crazest Of canal enthusiasts
We are undeceiyed. The canal is dream.
The railroad must take its place; and it will
lift I'D Virginia in her middle latitude, with
her best of routes for its low grades and
admirable temperatures, TO position OF
greatest prosperity and most brilliant COM
mercia career.
We say most positively, from what we
know from our long observation and eApe-
rienee, that the canal is dead and beyond
recovery. Now the question is, Shall the
finest valley in Virginia be "tabooed y to
railway and left for all time in its idle and
anguishing condition, without prosperi-
ty and without activity or shall those
who appreciate its value and undevelopcd
wealth be permitted to build with their
money highway that will enrich them and
add millions upon millions to the riches OF
VIRGINIA and her own citizenss That Is
the question which our Norfolk friend Will
have to decide. And, having faith in his
public spirit and his fairness OF mind, we
are sure that lie will decide it justly.