Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-02-23
To he Editors Of he Enauii,

10 me ban0r5 o. TIE enquirer.
RICHMOND AND YORK TOWN RAIL ROAD.
Messrs. Editors: understand that the bill 10
amend an act passed some years ago, incor-
porating Company TO construct Rail Road
from Richmond to York Town, has been seriously
opposed, because the amendment now asked, il
granted, would be injurious 10 the Dock. Whe-
Their this is the objection TO The proposed amend.
meni or not, cannot say positively, but if it be,
il seems TO me TO be the most extraordinary objec
lion that ever was raised 10 any bill presented TO
any Legislature In the first place. what is the
object OF the proposition now before The Legisla
ture z Simply 10 change The Eastern terminus Of
the road from York Town on York River TO
Ethan, on Pamunkey River, and thus shorten the
road about forty miles, as originally conlempla.
led. will not go into the reasons and propriety
of this change, as presume they are so obvious,
that they are fully understood by all. Bul will
merely meet the objections as made by the oppo-
nen,s of the present bill, shat il will, il passed,
aud the road be made, nluIe the Dock" The
profits OF The Dock are derived from tolls upon
produce only, and not from vessels suppose
no one will deny this. The termination OF the
road il made, is, understand, TO be a, Rockets;
then. does il not follow that all the produce which
now passes through the Dock mus, continue 10 do
40. unless The friends Of the Dock mean 10 con-
Tend that i, can be carried TO and from Rockets
cheaper than il can BY The Dock? Suppose |
concede thai, as things now are, Wilhou, The con-
nectiou between The Basin and The Dock, produce
would be carried lirecl from The Basin 10
Rockets BY drays, and back in The same way
thus injuring the Dock, as | concede such a
course would do-how would stand the case as
soon as the connection is made between The Basin
and The Docks The produce, presume, whether
| the Rail Road be made or not, would De carried
direct By the Canal boats 10 the Dock; il the
Rail Road be not made, il would be carried in The
Dock 10 be shipped; and il the Rail Road be
made, the produce must yet pass through The
Dock 10 and from il; and hence the Dock-owners
must get their tolls, unless, rs have said, il tie
cheaper 10 the merchant, and consequently 10 the
producer, 10 carry il some other way; aud II Il can
be carried cheaper surely will not be commended
that the producer shall be compelled 10 follow the
dearer route, merely 10 benefit The present Dock
owners. Ii the Rail Road should be able 10
carry passengers and produce cheaper, and better
than The present conveyances on James River, be-
low Richmond, the consequence will he, that
trade and travel will take that route, and fewer
vessels will come up James River and this ought
10 be so. But somebody may ask il the contem-
plated Rail Road will not injure The Dock? Will
il not inure any other INTEREST," In answer, say
yes-it will destroy your Towing Company,
which is the principal interest il will effect. And
how will il destroy the Towing Company? By
carrying produce cheaper 10 ship than the
Towing Company can; and il this he The result,
who should oppose in What benefits are 10 re-
suit from this road7 First, it will be a general
benefit. II will transport passengers and produce
quicker and cheaper than they can be transported
10 and from Richmond By any other route 10 the
Northern cities and Inc Ocean-Secondly, il will
greatly benefit the lower part OF Richmond,
which has heretofore no, been benefited by any
Improvement made in or about the City-Lasily,
it will benefit the lower country, and especially
that part which can never be henefitied in any
other way. For the foregoing reasons, it seems
highly proper that the bill now before The Legsla.
lure should pass. In these lfshdays, some body
may say The writer Of this is in some way in
teresed, and therefore his course. am interested
only as citizen of Virginia. | own no SORT Of
property which can be al all affected by the bill
I am sort of land butcher. have Farm and
Negroes which, under the management ofmany
might be made 10 yield handsome surplus, but
under my management scarcely make enough
10 eal-hence, never expect 10 send any thing
abroad. Ii were 10 sign my name, you would
vouch for all statements made by me in relation
10 mupersonal malters; but will do No such thing
as do not choose either you or the public shall
know me, except as \.