The Enquirer

Miscellaneous.

FROM THE 'DEMOCRATIC PRESS'

The following very able letter from the pen of General Washington, evinces his foresight: in fact more now realized than he anticipated. The Shenandoah obstructions are removed, the road he recommends from Cumberland to the Monongahela is almost completed by the appropriations of congress-and the state of Maryland has authorised lotteries, which will enable the Potomac company to make the river navigable every day in the year--125,000 barrels of flour have already passed through the Locks. On the Antietam which empties into the Potomac above Williamsport, there are 27 mills, which manufacture annually above 100,000 bls. of flour: an engineer has surveyed this stream: and estimated the expence of rendering it boatable 20,000 dollars, which sum the millers have agreed to advance, to be refunded by setting it off against their tolls. The Potomac tolls have already amounted to 18,000 dolls. this year on 730 shares: the stock therefore must become most valuable. Merchants already find their advantage in sending goods up the Potomac for Kentucky. Alexandria has encreased in the last ten years. The future increase will be greater, as the canals have but very lately been completed-The success of this undertaking when we had neither such scientific engineers, nor such resources, nor such population, nor such products, ought to encourage a spirit of enterprise. The canal under the superintendance of Mr. Latrobe in the city of Washington, will unite George Town and the eastern branch by an easy passage for boats, and must claim the attention of congress; it has been so economically and judiciously executed.

(COPY.)

Mount Vernon, Feb. 1st, 1785.

Having begun a letter to you, I will take the liberty of suggesting a matter for your consideration, which if it strikes you in the forcible light it does me, & is realised, you may profit by-if it does not, I hope at the same time that though you may arraign my foresight or charge me with being too sanguine, you will do justice to my motives. These let me assure you are friendly and pure. No doubt before this letter can have reached you, you will have heard that the states of Virginia and Maryland have enacted laws for the purpose of opening and extending the navigation of the rivers Potomac and James as far as practicable: and communicating them by good roads with the nearest navigable waters (for inland craft) to the westward -The first to be undertaken by corporate companies with public aid. The other at public expence. The tolls which are granted to encourage the first of these are in my opinion fully adequate to the purpose.- As a candid man I think them too high, considering the harvest which the public is preparing for the adventurers in that undertaking by opening a communication between the Atlantic and Western Territory. But the importance of the object considered either in a commercial or political point of view is so great: -the combination of favorable circumstances at this epoch so many and the ability of the two States under their present pressure of debts, so incompetent to a work of this kind even if it had been judged the best mode that to commence without delay, it was thought best to offer a productive fund to those who are disposed to labor therein.-And if I live to see the issue, I will, if it does not prove so, acknowledge myself more mistaken than I ever was before in any speculative point. I do not advance this doctrine, my good sir, to stimulate you to become a subscriber -for if I was disposed to this at the hazard of deception, I see no occasion for it in the instance before us, for it is more the present expectation that a redundancy than a deficiency will be the result of the subscription for this river--- and because your own judgment and convenience, can best determine to what amount, or whether to subscribe any thing towards the extension of this plan.--There are some things however of which some men have better opportunities to form opinions than others, and of the intercourse which this work is likely to open between the tide water of the river Potomac, and the greatest extent of back country within the U. S I have as good means to judge from, as most men ; and am fully persuaded there is no field in any one of them so inviting to commerce as this is; if extent of country, population and produce, with uncommon advantages in the transportation of it, are essential to the encouragement and support of it. But these want to be embraced. They cannot however remain unimproved long. A merchant's eye is penetrating and the first Capital House that is established, may form connections and lay a sure foundation (if it is on a liberal plan) of trading to the greatest possible extent from the upper sea ports of this river. No man who has a knowledge of the river Potomac, harbors a doubt of the practicability of opening the navigation of it from the great Falls to Fort Cumberland (about 200 miles) nor of doing it 40 miles higher; and but very few have any, of the practicability of opening it from the great Falls (inclusively) to Tide Water which is under 9 miles. The acts I have spoken of. are to encourage and authorise the undertaking of these ; and as I have observed before, sufficient privileges and immunities are granted for the purpose. From Fort Cumberland a good Road may be had to the Turkey foot, or three branches of the Yohiogany which will not exceed, I am told, 50 miles--from hence the Navigation to Fort Pitt (about 75 miles further) although there is one Fall in the way, can be made good at a very moderate expence. And by going up the North branch about 40 miles above Fort Cumberland, a portage may be had with the Cheat river which will not exceed 20 miles of good road from thence to the Monongahela, by land, or water may be about 25 miles more We have then as in the case of the Yohiogany communication open to the diffusive navigation (more extensive perhaps than is to be met with in any country upon earth in its natural state) of the whole western territory. And if I am not misinformed with respect to the carrying places between Cuyahoga (a Water of Lake Erie) and Big Beaver creek and Muskingum which disembogue in the Ohio, in different parts, there is no rout so short, so easy, and attended with so little expence, as those I have just mentioned, to bring the fur and peltry of the Lakes, even from that of the Wood to a shipping port. One of them (by the Yohiogany) is shorter at least 250 miles than that to either Albany or Montreal. and the way open when the others are blocked, and is besides more independent of the interference of foreign powers It is true there are some branches of the Alleghany above Fort Pitt which communicate nearly with the waters of Susquehannah and which by great exertion and much expence may be made use of at certain seasons of the year, but drought in summer and ice in winter will render them of little value. But to place things in a less favorable point of view : I will grant that a communication be opened between the Kiskemetas, Monongahela or Loyalhanna (waters most favorable for it) and the Susquehanna shall be opened ; and that all the produce convenient thereto shall be transported that way to the Markets below.- That the great Kanawha shall be found free from obstructions, and easy both in its navigation and communication with James' River, and that all the produce below the mouth of the former and as far up the Ohio as the little Kanawha shall be transported that way. There yet remains the thick settlement of the Ohio between Fort Pitt and Wheeling-all the settlement of the Monongahela and all that part of Yohiogany which constitute a very large majority of the inhabitants West of Laurel Hill to bring their produce to the markets of this river. In admitting this I admit in my opinion a good deal; but if the plan for opening the navigation of the Potomac should succeed (of which I have already said I have not the smallest doubt,) I will go further, and venture an assertion which I think, is founded on fact : that without any support from the western territory there is no place within my knowledge, to which so much produce, from the nature of things must be brought as to the shipping port at the head of this river. That this may not stand as a mere assertion, I will give you my reasons. At present Baltimore not only receives the greatest part of the produce of Frederick county (Maryland) and the counties above it on the North side of the Potomac, but a great deal also of that which is raised on the South side and this is by a long land transportation. Besides which, the produce of that rich and extensive country between the Blue Ridge and the Allegheny Mountains, for at least 200 miles South West of the Potomac is (for such part of it as will bear land transportation) carried partly to Alexandria, and the little Towns below it on this River--partly to Fredericksburg and Falmouth on Rappahannock--partly to Richmond, or Petersburg on James River and some part to Hanover and the highest navigation upon York River; but let the benefits arising from Water transportation be once felt. and see if men possessed of the spirit of commerce and large capitals should settle at the shipping ports at the head of this river whether an atom of all that produce will cross the Potomac for Baltimore: whilst every thing within its vortex on the North side will be sucked into and be transported by water. In a word, the Shenandoah, which runs through the richest tract of country in this state, the south Branch (of Potomac) which may with great ease be made navigable 100 miles- & the intermediate streams of lesser note which pour into the main river, will not only reduce the land transportation of every farmer & Planter in that country to the short distance of 15 or 20 miles; but in the upper, and more remote parts of it ( where scarce any thing but live stock is raised for market) induce hundreds and thousands, to grow tobacco, wheat, hemp, &c the transportation of which hitherto has amounted to a prohibition of their culture On the other side of the river. the Conococheague and Monocacy, though of less importance, may be improved to great advantage. The mercantile interest of Baltimore affect to treat the extension of the navigation of Potomac, as a chimerical plan; but you may be assured, sir, that it is not more easy, or more certain (comparatively speaking) to bring water in the common way by a race to a mill, than it is open the navigation from the Great Falls-which is within eight to nine miles of tide water to Fort Cumberland. If nothing therefore more is effected, the object notwithstanding is immense, when the field into which this would lead is considered, but I have no doubt of accomplishing the whole, if it is judiciously set about. Alexandria & George Town, are the highest shipping ports (if the latter can come under that description) upon this river. Having given you this statement of the matters which have fallen under my observation, and which intentionally is not exaggerated in any instance : I leave you to compare it with other information, and your own observations if you have leisure and opportunities to make any, & to come to such conclusions as your own judgment may decide. I have no other objects in view but to promote a measure which I conceive is pregnant of great public utility, and which may, at the same time, be made subservient to extensive private advantages. Were I disposed to encounter present inconvenience for a future income, I would hazard all the money I could raise upon the navigation of this river. Or had I inclination and talents for the commercial line, I have no idea of a better opening than the one I have descanted upon.-But the first has no charms for me, and the other I never shall engage in. My best respects and good wishes, in which Mrs. Washington's are united, are offered to Mr. M*** and the rest of your family I am, dear sir, your most obedient, And very humble servant GEORGE WASHINGTON.