Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-12-23
Naaoscr, Dee. Isl, 1881.
FuU TIE VINO.
=. @. O.


Dialogue 5etucen a Sea Captain and q Clifton
of Richmond.
Ci'izen.-Good morning CoPtain;-arc you for
the Steamboat to-day?
CGptGiR.-A pleasant morning TO you, sir
y cs sir. l am about returning TO my ship, and if
there is room enough in the hack, will tako n
berth with you to Rookotts.
Cifiacn.-wh all my heart Captain: and wo had
better be off. it wants only 10 minutes OF Chap
mans hour for starting. l find this carly rising
such terrible hurry that the fear or being left
keeps awake at least one half of the night,
whenever am about travelling with him. Do you
know way in which this thing be remedicdl
CGPtGin.-WhY as to that, sir, if You Richmond
folk. had half the enterprise of us Yankees,
guess could point out tho way in which trip to
Norfolk would be- pleasant excursion between the
ordinary brea ktast hour and dark.
Ct;ss"-Wc Captain, should really ike to
know this plan of yours.
Copfdin-Wc shall soon be aboard the steamer,
and then will with pleasure acquant yen with it..
They arrive board the boat, after which the
Citizen accosts tho Captain, with, We'll, here we
arc comfortably seated, and am quite impatient to
hear your project.
Captain.-T: is this, sir let a railroad be made
to connect tho city OF Richmond with some point
Immediately below Harrison's Bar-thc distance I
should guess will not exceed 20 miles: the country
being all tide water must be nearly level except
perhaps, two three ravines ut the different creeks
which the road would cross-I suppose timber
Throughout the route, to be convenient and the cost
may therefore be set down at the lowest possible
cstina;c-Then for the advantag es: FIRST as con-
corning travellers for the 80 cents which each of
lis paid this morning hack hire, would he con-
veycd from Richmond to the bar: We might take
our seats in Il car drawn by one horse 10 say
nothing of staam,) at 10, which would aoy us
time for comfortable breakfast before our Journey:
and You, merchant, might spend an hour at
bank & l. ship master, clear nj the custom
house, and VIC should then reach the bar before IL
,fI 1Arl i,ol, /
arrive at the same point today. Thence to Nor
folk is about a hours run SO much for travel
crs. Now as to commerce: Instead OF my ships
being mp James River SIX weeks, where shc has
received only part of her cargo, for fear of
sticking oil the bar, where may perhaps be de-
tanned week; and should we avoid that misfortune,
we Shall probably have 10 wait for favorable
wind, or nc at the expense of steamer to take us
over; after which VIC arc subject to another weeks
detention, awaiting the rest of on. cargo; which,
ii VIC should avoid, VIC shall be occupied about tho
samc time III getting it on board. Now, il! you had
but railway, locomotive would take down the
tobacco as fast as we could stow it away, and at
half the present cost OF conveyance. Az mer-
chant, you will o5gc me, sir, if you will, when at
leisure estimate the difference between the actual
expense OF my ships present cargo, and that which
would be necessary, if could receive il by means
OF such railroad. In making the calculation
90 not forget scamcn's wages, and tear of the
ship, and all proper cxicnscs say for at least six
weeks, together with freight for tobacco the bar
ut 10 cents per hhd and in-pppositon this, with
4 railway, two weeks would be sufficient, and tho
cost OF transportation would not exceed 80 cents
per hid.
Chi<en.-.Iolly Captain, you soon to be quite
enthusiastic on this subject.
CaPfan.-Not at all, sir; but being an old sailor
on these waters, know the evils to which ship
Is here subject, and wish thcv were removed If
we come Tor cargo in the spring, we are con-
SANITY exposed to frcshcts, when nothing can be
done; II we come late in the summer or fall we are
detained mp the river until ali hands get sick If we
come in the winter, it is an even chance whether
we do not have freeze. And, sir all these oh.
JcctIons Of ship masters would be removed by shin
ping our cargocs below the bar. There it scarcely
ever freezes so as to shut M the navigation; there
The river is not effected Ivy frcshes, nor should we
be IN the fall detained long enough to get sick
Indeed, sir, if such advantages were afforded MS,
VIC should make additional trip TO Europe
yearly.
Cti@er-But Captain, talk seriously of re-
moving the bar. q
Captain As to that. sir Won had better count
the cost first probably it will be sufficient to con-
struct tbs railroad. And suppose you had depth
of water enough, that would not strairhten tho
river. Now observe that COASTER laden, | dare say
with pods for some Of vour merchants She has
water enough, but left her Il week go in IIamp
ton Roads, as | came Up from Norfolk and now
here she if in the Devils Reach, with the wind
right in her teeth, and no man can saw when sho
VIII arrive in the Dock, where her consigneos 90
OF her detention Now, the fact is, sir Jamcs Ri
ver from the bar to tho falls is so circuitous that
no wind that ever blew is favorable all tho way IN
Had you but railway sir, the cargo of that craft
would have been in Richmond 4 or 5 DAYS ago.
Cjfi9CH.-Well really. you have almost inado n
convert of me; but what have you to say about tho
means, where are they to he had2
CdpInin.-As to that, such IL road could moi cost
more than 100000, and | would venture nv head
on IT, that its receipts, after the first year. would
equal S3O,OOO; for Won would find that your very
oysters would he transported on it. Only think
my dear sir! Oysters in the shell. only ono dav
from the rocks! Why, if you merchants were nm
willing TO engage in it, tho very oyster-hors-s
ought TO undertake il; and sure | nm that these
advantages will, before long, present themselves
TO some mon of enterprise, for such yon must have
among you; and undertake it whrn Won will. 7
guess the stock will he 50 per cent above par be.
fore Che work has been completed ono year
fH'zeH-Wcll Captain, 7 shall think Of thcge
things and hope your prediction will be verified.
For in truth our goods are frequently subject TO
very vcxatious detentions in the river. and il is
Tho interest OF us all to afford every facility to
Trade. Farewell, and successful vGyarc to Won.
CHp'Gi7-farcwc sir, and remember 4 brisk
trade should be Tie sailors and the merchants
motto.
-zs=--rs----=r--s
~ z a. g a -aruy6AHrG,