Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-03-25
RICHMoMD, MARCH 90.
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
BALTIMORE RAILROAD

BALTIMORE RAILROAD.
My friend g Rockingham may rest well assur-
ed, that am neither unmindful nor unthankful
Tor the notice he has taken of mel have been
much occupied, and have not had time to notice
his remarksin the enquirer of the llth inst. I'M
ii! this time.-He is in search oCtruth is DESTROYS
to promote the interest of the State, and OF his ma
tive Valley OF the Shenandoah in particular. 1 am
precisely IN search of the same thing.-My land
cd interest IS at present small in the neighbourhood
OF Richmond. IL is rather larger at Siaunton and
in Rockbridgc, tho small in both places.-AIy
greatest interest Is on the Roppahannock: | am
native OF the Valley, and have not forgotten the
land OF my nativity; nor am Indifferent to the in
ierests OF those who aided my youthful struggles
in life.
My residence in the lower country some years
past; the kindness with which Ihaye been treat
ed, and the interest now have in that section of
the State have not, think, on the score of para
ity, Gf was in other respects competency rem
dered me an unfit umpire between the upper and
lower couLtry.-The truth is, their interests are
one and the sane-and as 10 the peculiar subject
oil which we are treating. it may be said that you
cannot improve the condition o; one without i'm
proving that of the other We have number of
inc rivers TO improve, and fine and fertile coun-
try, through which they flow, aiiorting abundant
SUBJECTS oil transportation, capable of paying for
the improvement. These rivers lead to our yari-
Gus SEAPORT, or tde-water towns lin the lower coun
try; and II the trade is opened 10 hemthey will be
enriched, whilst they, in return, will pay for the
produce OF the country, and enrich the planter and
farmer. And we have situation near the Ocean
Tor large seaport town, equal to any In the Unit
cd states; and commanding as large a back coun-
try as any other, New Orleans excepted unless.
indeed, Virginia thinks proper to surrender her
command over that trade.
These are facts that kind Of jealousy which has
hitherto improperly existed between the upper and
the lower country, and between one part of the
latter and another, has hitherto prevented Us from
seeing have good reason TO believe tho that
the loves countryis beginning 20 open her eyes to
her true interests. The actual loss-or the ifnme-
diate prospect OF the loss of great blessing is ant
10 open our eyes TO its value Ii only requires some
degree OF reflection to satisfy every one, that a
large emporium at the mouth Of the Chesapeake
and (even TO those who have not faith. enough 10
believe in that that the furnishing condition Of our
towns at the heads of our tde-waters must great
iy benefit the lower country, as well as the npper
Depressed as Richmond is, strike her out Of exis-
tence, and where would our farmer, our planter
our graZier, horse-jockey and our hor-driyer
Ind better market than u generally found there?
good deal otieaousy,& some little of it appears
IN your remarks, has existed as TO the influence OF
Richmond in this matter of internal Improvement.
There never was more ialiacious iiea-I know,
these people wel-they have neverwitha sew ex
ceptons taken any interest in this matter-they are
baltimore people You may rest assured Thcy arc
their G3tlP0des in this respect-pT.nters and all
NO aid have had from the latter, except tayels,
admission into thcir papers of my incubrations
am exclusively entitled 20 the whole odii0i of STIR
ring in this matter. III had ten such Baltimore
ans as could pick out TO take tle lead in this bu
sincss, no; only Richmond but all Virginia would
in iveor ten years at most from this time be worth
100 TO 200 per cant. more than it is now.
You complain that the Potomac section of the
State has had none of the public money. If |
could even get some one who would examine the
public offices and find out what money has been
laid out by The State on the Potomac and what on
the James Rivcr-what the Stock of each is now
worth to the State, and what each has brought
into the Treasury. and is likeiv TO brine ;n !,
would be desirable ting-not by way of mimi
ois contrast, but for the purpose OF putting an
end to prejudices injurious TO the welfare of the
whole State and Of bringing us together as friends
and BRETHREN TO consult for the interest of ALL
have Just turned TO the Statute Books since benin
ming these remarks, and on examination of the
Acts OF 1854 and 1885, on the subject of the James
klVeT and Potomac Companics, | find that the
state took an interest; and has advanced monies On
the shares originally taken, TO the former, to the
amount OF $4,000 and to the latter OF alout
| Sit,iH. The former paid considerable dividends
on this stock, for number of years prior TO the
| compromise with the James River COMPANY
Since that II per cent. has been received on the
stock, and 1t VIII soon pay 10 per cent; so that the
value OF the Stock may now be set down at $50
above par that is TO say, there has been clear
gain to The state, above the original costs OF say
$50 600, besides what she has gained on the stoc,
she has purchased, OF which she holds not little
o'CS uie compromise, IheTe has also been an an
nual sum coming into the Treasury, after payiup
| the agreed dividends on the old siock-which ha.
| been iuctuating but which, for the last wear,
have understood was little short of $50 600. Thi.
will greatly increase if that riveris ever improved
as II ought 10 bc-setting itdown tho at the above
as the minimum sum forever, and it will yield a
sum which would pay the interest of S500,000
| Such has been the prejudice though against thr
/ James River; but this compromise has been rppre
sented as hard and injurious contract 10 the state
hazard these estimates what / at pre-
sent neiieYe TO be correct The public archieves
/ accessible to all, will correct me, If I err
! IL the Potomac hal yielded as much TO the state
I 1t might well be said, that having repaid double
| or four fold what she had received, she had
right 10 complain that more was not extended L
! her. The precise reverse though understand, has
| been the unfortunate fate of that Cornpany.-'The
/ Whole Capitol is sunk and incunberc d for money
borrowed, beyond the power OF rederaption Instead
then, Of realisng to the state tie original cost, 6,
loo per cent on it, equal say, to gil 600, ana
/ large dividends FOR many years past, and extra d
vidcnds to come, worth half million all has beer
| sunk.!--So that, compared tciH James RiUcr, j
may be said, that half a million has been advanc
/ cd to that section. Why has this happened? he
cause the trade ofthe Valley from the banks oftha
/ river, on both sides and far South Of it, has beer
drawn off 20 Baltimore and below the mountains
/ by turDpikes, and 70 Alexandra and George
| town, and whereas the james River has been u
\ sed, on both sides, from Richmond up.--Nothinc
VIII retrieve the trade 90 the Potomac but pOor
! navigation, either by a continued Canal, or lock-
and dams, 80 as to overcome this competition.
| think the former, being very expensive under
taxing, VIII be hazardous, especially II liat river
\ by means Of the railroad, shall loose the Western
trade which belongs TO il. Let Us suppose tina
] Baltimore, ny going towards Wheeling which 4
| her most probable route, shall expend eight o
ten millions in making q railroad, and thus take
4 10 herself that trade, and il IS found sufficient n