The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-06-11
BALTIMORE AND THE SOUTH.

zette of that city says thereupon
This is a very promising sort of project for
New York and Baltimore, as it " ill make the
latter $50 miles nearer the former than at pre-
sent, besides presenting a shorter route to
Liverpool for the new line Of Baltimore steam.
ers. Whether il becomes Philadelphia to as
sist this project may well be doubted, in view
of these circumstances. May we not, howev.
er, draw a lesson from the remarkable energy
and shrewdness displayed by this New York
company-(the Parker Vein Steamship Com
lacking on the interests of Baltimore to its
own, and thus combining all the influence of
two great cities in the effort to secure the char
ter for the projected canal.
In such field of activity and enterprise as
the United States displays, the laggard is soon
lett behind by his eager competitors. The
Parker Vein Company exhibits to us an in.
stance of that unparalleled enterprise which
our ell absorbing rival infuses into whatever
she engages in. With our acknowledged ad
vantages and immense resources, what might
we not make Philadelphia, had we but such
energy-such all pervadng vigor and readi-
ness-such nnhesitating promplitude!
We said, the other day, that Baltimore
never would be anything else than a retail
shop for New York, and it seems we were not
singular in our opinion. We have it com
pletely in our power to contest the prize of the
Southern and Western trade, and we shall be
we do not enter for it.
THE RICHMOND FIRE ASSOCIATION.
This institution, so long and favorably
known to our citizens, has recently applied to
the City Council for an appropriation of $2S00
to purchase 1000 feet of hose for the use of the
Fire Department of the city. Understanding
that the petition has been referred to the CON-
mittee of Finance, and that they have deter.
mined to recommend that only $500 be given,
we write this article for the purpose of calling
the attention of the Council to this report when
received, in order that, if good and sufficient
reasons be not adduced, they may amend the
report and appropriate the sum asked for. The
city has not been called on for a period of
more than four years by the Richmond Fire
Association for an appropriation for this pur.
pose, having, during that period, bought and
paid for, out of their own funds, $500 feet of
hose, nearly the whole of which is in such
condition as 10 render il very unsafe to pass
through another winter without new supply.
The city OF Baltimore appropristes, annual
ly, $500 to each Fire Company. The city of
Richmond has its whole Fire Organization
managed for less than one half-say $3.50 for
each Fire Company-and we can safely assert
that no city in the Union is as amply protect
ed, as quietly managed, and as satisfactorily
conducted as ours blythe present Fire Depart
ment. Should the City Counc il, however, diff
fer from US, we fear the result for it cannot
be supposed that any Insurance Company is
to furnish apparatus for the protection of all
the property in the city where other Compa.
MES are equally interested in its safety
Should this be the consequence, we may ask
our Council where is their or the city's fire
apparatus for we are credibly informed that
the city does not now own more than two en-
gines and two reels now in use. The other
engines, reels, and all the hose, are the proper.
ty of the Richmond Fire Association.
We hope the Council will carefully read
their petition, and if they should think as we
dc, will, without any hesitation, grant their
prayer.