The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-02-11
The Weather and Business.

A correspondent of the Norfolk Argus writing
from Richmond who seems to be long suffering
from cold and hunger, refers to our ice bound me.
iropolis In q manner which would seem to Indicate
entire oblivion that the present somewhat ex.
traordinary winter has interrupted business and
produced soma inconvenience and discomforts in
other parts of the world beside Richmond. Such q
winter as the present has not been seem here for
sixty years. and, it would be strange ifrivers frozen
over, railroads blocked up with snow, and even
ocean transit suspended, had Rot interrupted in
some degree, the supplies Of sugar canvass
backs" and Lynnbaven's," though happily, we
are still spared the neeessaries and comforts of ex
istence
The Baltimore American of Friday las. has an
article upon the weather and business and for the
purpose of enlightening those who, like our Nor
folk friend think 50 the great seaport" of Virginia
Ii the only town in America which has suffered
from winter unparalleled for half century, we
give some of its statements of the effects of the
weather in the great city of Baltimore well az
other places. The memory Of that ubiquitous in.
dividual the Oldest inhsbitanf says the American.
will scarcely serve TO recall period when trade
and travel have undergone so long and SO enforc.
ed suspension from the weather.
THE cold has not been less remarkable In the
extent of the country over which it prevailed than
In Its severity. Whilst doubled in hyperborean
intensity at the North it has been almost as Sc
yerely felt in the far South. Tie st. Lawrence
that divides us on the North from British America
and the Brazos that marks our separation on The
South from Mexico have alike yielded to the Ice
kng-the Mississippi has borne the same letters as
far South as Memphis and the Ohio from its source,
TO Its outlet is a continuous field Of ice There
Is scarcely State in the Union that has not had
Its natural channels OF trade INSTRUCTED and the
artificial facilities have been in scarcely better con.
dition
all the appliances of modern skill and energy have
hardly kept the railroads In serviceable state -
vast snow drifts upon the tracks have made II q
matter OF very uncertain speculation when train
VIII reach Its destination, whilst the action OF tbs
Intense frost upon the machinery has Greatly In.
creased the liability to accident and made the ;opr
ney of q few hundred miles entered unop yr;tbnn,
Thought and accomplished with almost clock wort
regularity NJ other seasons, matter not To he nm
deriaben except upon the compu lsion of strong na
costly, and only completed through exposure, dan
E'1 and fatigue. - ~"A
The harbors Of the great Atlantic cities have
aIo been put under the same blockade and the
etagnation of our internal commerce increased by
The suspension Of ocean transit Under such cir
cunstaaces our people peTforce stay at home and
cultivate the amenities of their resdes our hotels
are bare OF guests railroad trains but spectral
representatives OF their usual thronged appear
ance, steamships, steamboats,, and sailing vessels
ne tole at the wharves, merchants open and close
their stores and look in vain for customers, even
the retail trade languishes, and the active, goahead
haots Of our people are for the time changed into
those of enforced ideness, whilst patient endurance
ispractised because the evil is one that can neither
be removed nor avoided"
Should the thaw that commenced yesterday con-
bnue and become general o short time will work q
vast change in the appearance OF things. Trade
and travel will spring up with renewed activity
business become rife with energy and life, and the
time lost be reclaimed by more earnest devotion TO
Its interests. The immense masses of freight de-
tayed In the transit or wanting an opportunity for
transshipment win crowd every avenue of trade
and give the fullest employment to all the facili
ties VI the country. IL may be too early vet 10
look with Cor fdence for the entire removal of the
distractions which have fettered the energies of
tis country, bat we nj least may comfort our
selves with the conviction that Ii the Winter has
been prolonged in its severity and stagnation the
spring win bring with IL an unusual increase Of
business activity - . n -
winter in which ships ara firmly frozen IN
Their berths in the harbor Of New York, ana the
ens'fe lower bay Of that harbor l. one vast sheet
o. zee, might DO expected 10 produces much more
alscohioft aAd Inconvenience In - the greai
ssapoft OIL virginia" than abe has Vef suffered -
Dnweyef, the ley chains Of oar river Mn soon hs
NOS TO be bound up again. In nj M ~ al.
10 IN The manner. for tbs asat sixty yssss 80