1836.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



309 



From the head of Pugh's falls, almost to Dan- 1 will engage the attention, draw out the energy, 

 ville, there is no rapid equal to the falls of Knfield I and stimulate the enterprise of the enlio-htened 



by several feet to the mile — there are but three 

 which can be considered as opposing any real dit- 

 ficulty — namely, the Horscford, Butcher's creek, 

 and the llyco fulls. The llorsefbrd has 8.95 feet 

 Jail in two miles, Butcher's creek has a fall of 

 5.62 Icct in one mile, and 5.591eetin the other, and 

 Hyco has 12.89 lijet fall, in one mile and three- 

 quarters. The only fall on the Staunton below 

 Brookneal, of any magnitude, is Tally's (alls, 

 Avhcre the descent, in one mile and three-quarters, 

 is 15.23 teet — making in all, only tour places to be 

 overcome, to render the rivers accessible to steam- 

 boats (or largely upwards of one hundred miles, on 

 the Roanoke and Dan, and about fil'iy miles on the 

 Staunton. If nothing else could be done but to 

 rescue these portions of the rivers from the state 

 of comparative uselessness in which they at pre- 

 sent are, would it be nothing? It appears to me 

 that these improvements, (if indeed any are re- 

 quired to be made,) can be done by the company 

 in a short time, and with but little expense. I am 

 sensible that tlie Board of Directors, at their last 

 meeting, directed that the work should be com- 

 menced at Rock Landing ; but I think the policy 

 of beginning at the head of Pugh's flills, and be- 

 stowing the first labor on the Horseford, Butcher's 

 Creek falls, Hyco falls, and Tally's falls, is so ob- 

 vious, that you ought to do, what 1 am sure the 

 Board would do, had they now to decide the ques- 

 tion again. Our policy is, certainly, to apply our 

 labor so as to open as much ot the river as we can, 

 in the shortest time, and with the least expense: 

 in what other wa}^ can it be done? 



Let us consider lor a moment, that these four 

 obstacles are removed, and sleam-boats can navi- 

 gate the rivers as above supposed; there would be 

 an immediate, easy, and expeditious communica- 

 tion between Danville and the Gaston rail-way, 

 by running stages a short distance down the river, 

 from Danville to the boat ; and from the head of 

 Pugh's falls (about 7 miles) to Gaston. And 

 there would be nothing to prevent another boat's 

 running from Brookneal to the same place. I do 

 not think it improbable, in such a state of things, 

 that a toll of one dollar for each passenger, would 

 give the company more revenue, than all the other 

 tolls put together. 



As to die falls between the head of Push's falls 

 and Rock Landing, and those high up on the Dan 

 and Staunton, they would be attended to, after 

 these four places should be put in order I think 

 it not improbable that the 12 miles below Pugh's 

 falls, will require more labor and expense than all 

 the others: if so, the river being improved above, 

 would give us ample revenue to work on, and re- 

 move these obstructions. 



But suppose we find some place on the river 

 which steam-boats cannot ascend ? If steam can- 

 not overcome it, machinery may ; and to view it 

 in its worst aspect, should we be obliged to change 

 boats, and have passensers and baggage carried 

 around such a place, still we shall have accom- 

 plished much. 



All these remarks apply to passage boats: they 

 are found to be capable of ascending worse ra|)ids 

 than tow boats. The latter, however, would soon 

 follow the introduction of the former; and I have 

 litde doubt they can be turned to good account. 



May I not hope, in conclusion, that this subject 



and patriotic sons of those lovely and fertile val- 

 eys'? Ardently hoping it may, 



I remain, dear sir. 



Your obedient servant, 



E. B. HICKS. 



For the Farmers' Register. 



WHAT IS THE BEST ROUTE, THROUGH CEN- 

 TRAL VIRGIXIA, FOR A RAILWAY TO THE 

 SOUTH-^VEST ? 



Among the great works for facilitating transpor- 

 tation, yet to be commenced in Virginia, no one is 

 more wanting, or will be found, when completed, 

 more important, than a railway to connect James 

 Riverand the north and south line of rail ways, with 

 south-western Virginia — and ultimately with Ten- 

 nessee and the great railways which will connect 

 Nashville with New Orleans, and Charleston with 

 Cincinnati. The vast importance, to Virginia, of 

 this particular improvement, is strongly impressed 

 on the mind of every man of observation and 

 judgment who has given attention to the subject ; 

 and the discussion of its minor features, has recent- 

 ly excited warm partizan feelings, and the array of 

 opposing interests of the towns and other corpora- 

 tions that hope to have the general scheme made 

 to bend to suit their difierent purposes, and to serve 

 their particular interests. As is usually and un- 

 fortunately the case, the scheme of a railway in 

 connexion with the south-west has not been viewed, 

 by the advocates who have entered most warmly 

 into the discussion, so much in relation to its bene- 

 fit to the producing back-country, and to the state 

 at large, as in relation to its bearing on the sepa- 

 rate interests of the several towns, through or near 

 which the route may he made to pass. Now, as 

 the general good is made up of the amount cf bene- 

 fits derived by the several parts of a country, it is an 

 important public and general gain, as well as par- 

 ticular and private, that either Richmond, Lynch- 

 burg, Petersburg, Farmville, Danville, or Abing- 

 (lon, should derive increase of trade and wealTh 

 from such a public work. But I protest, in the 

 outset of my remarks, against the interest of either 

 of these, or any other towns, being considered of 

 importance at all comparable to that of the pro- 

 ducing back-country, and still less, to the general 

 interest to be promoted by the construction of this 

 great work. To build up all our growing towns 

 and suitable places for trade, is highly important 

 to the interest of the several producing regions ; 

 and more especially is it important to all Virginia, 

 that Richmond, her metropolis, and principal com- 

 mercial town, should be benefited as much as cir- 

 cumstances will permit, without a sacrifice of ge- 

 neral interest to that end. Still, it is proper that 

 all shoidd consider this great work in oiir charac- 

 ter of Virginians, and not merely as inhabitants or 

 property-holders of one or other of these several 

 towns, or of the particular region of country of 

 which any such town may be the market. What 

 is wanting, is the cheapest and most perlt?ct- 

 ly available means for transportation between 

 tlie tide water of Jf.mes River and the south- 

 west part of Virginia— and the more towns, 

 or places for trade, that this route can pass through 

 or near, or can give benefit to, without damage to 



