The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-02-09
e74O.OOO sl.567.o0O

issa9....... 10000 100000
100000 sl,567.coo
From this It appears that in thirteen
wears, the date OF commencement OF tne
work, the James river has had appropriated
| $4,000; and in nine years, the date OF
commencement Of the work on its improve
ment, the Kanawha river has had Sl,5G7,-
900, very nearly double; or three times az
much, il we count the appropriations to
each from the start OF the Kanawha I'M
provement In 1871. Why is this?
make TO complaint Of the sums that
have been voted TO the Kanawha improve
ment. j recognize the propriety OF de-
veloping and encouraging water-lines rs
the only successful check to railroad eXtor-
ton. But, thinking james river ought to
have more than she gets, respectfully ask.
What are the relative merits OF these two
| improvements?
Within the limits OF the one improve
ment--tbc Falls of Kanawha to its mouth
at Point Pleasant-the distance Is 96 miles.
On IFS south side railroad runs TO Hunt
ington and beyond; on the north side
railroad runs from Point Pleasant TO
Charleston, and is in course OF cOnstruc-
ton to Che falls. Almost the entire freight
Of the Valley OF the kanawha is coal,
which thus has three outlets. The scheme
Of improvement contemplates six feet depth
OF water by lock and dam, OF novel con-
struction, q work requiring constant re-
pairs. and takes that depth, at an estimate
cost Of Ss.250, 900, OF which 81 ,5Gl, 900 has
been appropriated, leaving only S433,000
to complete the work, to the Ohio, which,
instead OF six feet, has often less than three
- H.. -. In Of
know, but have seen men get overheard
and wade TO find water q feet deep. SO
this Improvement OF 9G miles involves u
further expenditure to improve the Ohio,
upwards OF geo miles, from Pittsburgh TO
Cairo, ut cost of millions.
From the lower end Of Richmond bar,
three miles from Richmond city, the dis
lance TO the sea, at Rock-Lan ling shoal. is
Sc milcs--l24-3S 20 the above point. See
United States Engineers Report, p. IS.
On the south side OF the river the Rich
mOnd and Petersburg railroad, uniting
with the Norfolk and Western at Peters
burg, runs TO the sea at Norfolk. On the
north side the Chesapeake and Ohio runs
to the sea at Newport's News. The freight
is much more valuable now than the coal
that will run down the Kanawha river; it
is increasing daily, and will be incalcu-
lably more valuable when the proper trans
continental and western connections shall
enable us TO draw trade from the Pacific,
and from the Red river Of the North, 800
miles west OF Chicago, the wheat, and from
Texas, Colorado, and the nearer West the
beef and bacon that are TO feed the Eu-
ropean peoples and reyoutionizc the
world. For this pTodieious freight, as yet
in the infancy OF its development, that now
demands transportation from the seats of
production, and finds It's present outlet 10y
the New York Central, the Erie, the Penn
sylvania, and the Baltimore and OhiO-all
inferior in climate, grades. and distance 10
the James-riyer terminal route-this
freight, with the coal, lumber, and iron Of
the kapawhs, will rush 30 this line when
it is opened.
To meet this expected demand the
present scheme OF the Improvement con-
templates twenty-five feet dCpth-44 times
the K9nawha depth-Iy simple and final
dredging TO the sen. at an estimate cost OF
g, OBS, 4l3.39, Of which $4,000 has been
appropriated, leaving 81, 2S5, 1850 to COM
plete the work.
Under these circumstances and cOndi-
tions. thus contrastcd, the telegram OF the
DiSpQtch'S wcl!-posted correspondent tells
us that the Kanawba river will get, 10y the
river and harbor bill, 100000. and the
james river $4,000, or about the same
proportion Of one third that has been all
along voted.
think have shown that il the relative
claims were considered the proportion
would lie reversed. Ii so, then comes
again the question: Why is this? do not
think it will lie found that the blame ought
10 he visited on Congress, or charged to
i'll luck: it lies nearer home; rs usual,
at not In our stars
But I'm ourselves that we are undeilngs."
In giving the true reason, though there |
by l expose myself to misconstruction. |
which both despise and defy, beg leave
to preface that it is vain to expect a repre- |
sentative, though he be as vigilant. |
ms active, and as devoted as Mr.. |
Wise, to attend to everything that |
his district requires his duties are
too varied. For instance, mt this session |
the internal-reyenue tax and various items |
of the tariff claim a large share OF bis pres
ent attention: he needs the aid OF special !
advocates OF particular interests, such as |
are now watching the tax on tobacco in the |
interest Of Richmond manufacturers. Still |
harder Is II on him when he has TO watch /
and flank or conciiate the opposition OF |
rival railroad or harbor interests. And it |
would he silly in him TO rest upon the |
merits OF his case. For the most expert |
enced legislators know that except il be !
upon purely political Issue, il Is the rare,t |
thing in the world for measures to pass
upon their merits. But OF this our people
seem never 10 think except when special
personal interests quicken their apprehen-
SION. Intent on private gain, they close
their eyes to public measures, and get let
out In the cold. How many OF them know
the significance Of this brief news item
clipped from to-eay's Dispatch?
The House Indian Committee reported adversely
que and intor.Occan Company TO construct rail-
way thoui The Choctaw country.
Yet little inquiry would satisfy them
that it was u blow aimed by JAY Gould at
every Atlantic port south OF philadelphia.
The reason, then, why Richmond fails to
have her due share of Federal appropria-
ton Is to be found in her want OF public
spirit and her failure 10 take proper stems
TO have her interests attended to and her
advantages impressed upon Congress In
the only WHY in which members OF Con-
gross are, as a general thing, approached
on such questions. PLAIN TALK.
Virginia Postal News.