The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-02-18
fros THr nispsrcn.l
EXTENSION OF THE ROANOKE VALLEY RAIL
ROAD 10 KEYSyILLE

ville we're influenced by their kindly feelings ana
that they had not given the subject that calm re-
aeetion which its Importance demands. 1t is not
the general impression that the business men,
who were chiefly interested In procuring those
signatures, are more given 10 going eff half
cooked " than others; or that they are more
apt TO invest their own means TO try to in.
duee others 10 invest theirs in visionary schemes
! Ei'sch don't pay. II s fair 10 presume that they
had reflected upon the scheme, and come 10 the
conclusion that 10 was safe and judicIous invest
ment, he'ore taking 80 much time from their bust
| ness engagements to attend TO this matter But
that has but little 10 do with the merits of the
| case.
"a Tax Payer" gives the distance from Rich-
mond to Ridgway, by this proposed connection, at
| III miles, which is conceded, and then says: at
| the present moment. we can reach the same point
by Railroad, ererg fat Of the 1ogy, (the italics are
| my OWN aud not have to travel more than lI2
miles, il as much. viz, TO Petersburg, % miles /;
| Petersburg 10 HCksford, IS miles: and Hicksford
| to Ridgway, Il milea:" and then asks, What
thep are we to gain on any aspect Of the case by
| the subscription contemplated"
In the first place, he Is iahorng under mis-
| take In snpposing that there is a communication
errrg foot f The e7ay to Ridgwsy by rail- for there
| is very important break in that communication
Of about trsaty-sir hundred feet--fs il possibIe
that his ioot is that long !)-snd that happens 10
be at very unfortunate part of the line viz: be-
| tween the depot of the Richmond and Petersburg
Railroad Company, on the Appomsttox and tbat
| OF tbs Petersburg and Weldon Railroad at lar.
rats Hotel. in Petersburg; and 1t is this yery
break which makes il SO important that the city
should subscribe to the proposed extension as it
causes the trade IN merchandise far oil that conn
try 20 stop in Petersburg: and there is scarcely
merchant in this city, who has an account with
any farmer country merchant who sends his
produce or receives his goods over that road II
| is true that large portion of the tobacco comes
here, but what becomes of the wheat and what ia
| OF still more importance, the retail trGdef Some
stops in Petersburg, some goes to Norfolk and "A
large part TO Baltimore, and all for the want of
that 2600 feet OF track, which is lacking to make
a continuous railroad communication "suery foot
| gf The ray" Again, while the distance put dewn
from Hcksford to Ridgwsy is correct, If | am not
greatly mistaken, the bridge at CASTOR is in such
condition that the trains do not run over it.
which makes 1t necessary to 60 by Weldon: and
by that route tho distance TO Ridgway, Instead of
being liz miles is 125 miles, or four ifes longer
than the proposed road. L know that the passeu.
ger trains did pass that way, aud think that both
| passenger and freight traiGs do still "What are
we to gGin on any sspect Of the case, by the sub
| 3criptioR contemplated" i answer, a railroad
| connection "erery foot Of the fcay" to Rdgway
which is not the at present, and which i. 10
bring the trade Of nearly all of Mecklenburg, all
of Granville, much the larger portion of that from
| Warren and Frauklin-a country which will at.
ford about as mhch trade the counties of Hall
| fax and Cbarotte,-and any one of the Humorous
commission merchants in this city, from those
| cou mites, give pretty correct idea Of what
| that trade is worth. "a Tax Payer" ought to be
very well vsrsed in the trade Of the city, and the
| productions of the country, to pronounce that
"tho grea. results" and bright calculations on pa-
per-, which have been made in regard to the "vast
| amount of trade and traveI' to be realized from
| the contemplated Improvement, are ''dH ftclqr ,"
when so many OF his fellow citZens. who are sup
posed to have some knowledge upon such sub.
| jccts, differ from him widely. Is it possible
| that Richmond man will acknowledges, that
with equal facilities TO reach this market, and 10
| send goods from it, that the millers and mer-
| chants of Richmond Offar as
mgnts 10 the counties penetrated by the proposed
s1teuson, 10 trade with this place, as these of
any other city can? Ifso, he has poor opiEion of
their enterprise: aud if they 90 offer az great in
| ducsments, | think that even he, upon full
Examination of the question, with the map of
| North Carolina before him, will admit that the
trade from the counties above named must inev.
tabiy come TO this city. And more than that, by
| examining that same map, he will fird That so
long this is the best tobacco and wheat market
il must command the trade, not only from the
counties claimed, but that from the countiss along
the North Carolina Railroad, except Wake, at
fsast as far as Salisbury, viz: Orange. Aiamauce
Guiford, Forsyth, Davidson, Davis, Rowan; and
from fhose along and near the Weldon extension
OF the North Carolins Road, which is now being
built, viz: lredell, Yadkin, Wilkes, Alexander,
Catsa bs. Burke, Mcdowell, aud Btnconabe, with
its world wide noioriety,) the very beart Of the
old North state and containing area about
equal 10 ten such counties as Halifax and there
Is no occasion for stopping st Buncombs longer
than to take breath, and look aronnd for the road
extends one hundred miles west of it 10 the Ten
nesses line. When he can point ont any other
market TO which the wheat and tobacco of that
country is likely to be sent than this CITY,
then he may say that these calculations on pa
per- all fudge, but not till then He says that it
is conceded ,hat $1,000 " ill be required to build
this road. BY whom Your editorial done seem
to admit it; and as you answered that part of his
article 30 fully, the only question 10 whether your
infoI mants, who say they know something of the
country, are AS good judges, and as well posted in
snch matters AS "a Tax PAYER"
In regard to the ''grasping and mOnopolsipg
spirit" which Richmond is mani!esting towards
Petersburg, if such spirit exsts it would require
long aud able argument 10 remove il; for go long
men are in the pursuit of gain, aud the love OF
money has such Il strong hold upon their Noughts
end gBectioS, just so long will they re:ort 10 all
iaWf and honorable means TO procure IL, land they
do not always stop at snch.) aud corporations are
not generally thought to be more conscientious in
discharge of their moral duties to each other,
than man to his fellow man.
II q seems to think that the difference in gauge
between tho two roads, presents some obstacles of
serious matter-but it certainly would not be a
very difficult matter to remove rail, of the
present road, out ! inches, nc as to bring it to
the required gauge.
"Pe0p!e of Richmond look TO this matter" for
"A Tax Payer" seems to think that those who are
advocating this scheme, are influenced by other
motives than pure aud anad,iterGted love for the
generdI 1cslturc, and doubtless ne is right. Alas
for poor human nature. how selfish We have ali
days of knight eTTGatfy have passed. there are but
few found TO go warfare at their own cost,and it
s more than'probable that Of all those who signed
that memorial, of all who have spoken, or written
one word for Or against this subscription, that
there was not one single one, who did not expect,
in some way other, to be more or less benef ed
by the course he was pursuing. The holders OF
real astate know that Increase in their property
aud rents Invariably follow the construction of
every new avenue to trade.
The professional men of every class doubtless
thought that the business of the city increased
their own profession must partake Of the general
prosperity; the merchants doubtlesss thought that
il their of trads was extended, there would
be greater demand for their wares; the me.
chsnics thought, and properly, that the city u-
creased, there would bs more work for their hands
to do, aud at better pay. And will" "a Tax Payer"
lay his hand upon his heart aud say, II thank my
Maker that am not as other men are. or even as
these publicans" for all thet have done is from
pure and ardent desire to protect the Interests of
my neighbors, who, L see are not capable of
taking care of themselves.
.'Pocpie of Richmond, look to this matter"-for
IS stroOg promises were made you ia regard to
the trade which the Danyille Railroad would |
bring TO the city; and there were not wanting at
that time prophets to warn yen of their faliacy,
and TO tell you that they ''aH td5e." But you
would not hearken 10 those men, who could see |
so clearly nto the future, and what is the conse. |
quencei Just go down to the Depot of that cons |
psny, la tbs midst of the wheat or tobacco sea. |
son, and see If the down trade is what was prom.
sed you; and if not satisfied with that, then 10 |
on Shockoe Slip, and among the commission mer.
chants most familiar with the facts, and ask them
their opinion upon the subject Then repeat your /
visit in the midst Of the Spring and Fall trade,
and SEQ If the promises in regard TO the merchau-
disc, which to be sent from the city, have
been realized; or go to the principal wholesale
md retail merchants and get their views and act
accordingly. III they tell you tha, the city was
entrapped into subscribing to that road. and that
ali the promises made by its advocates have proved
''aU fudge" then vote against this proposed SUBJ
scriptiop; for there are seme of the same men who
advocated that scheme advocating this
connection. But il you are satisfied,
from what you see and knose and hear, that the |
promises which they then made you we're not "all
fudge" but have been more than realized, why |
49, hat