Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-03-05
Richmond her Present and Future.

Richmond her Present and Future.
brisfynoticsd Few weeks since,
review of trade recently publisAeduia the
Richmond Wig, and rsfstrsd usfssder.
to that paper fer sfnrtherinlDrmatidh Since
doing 30, however, we hare conclnded Il
refer again to our capitol and her4 future
prospects.
Richmond, like most other southern cit.
les, has long been subordinate of the
northern importing cities, and unlike Bal
timore, she has been willing to remain un-
til very recently, in this state of subordina-
ton. But she seems at length to have
aroused to the Importance of her position,
and determined to assert her rights as a
city. She has entered the ring as a com
fpetitor Of New York, Baltimore and Phila-
delphia, and right nobIy Is Is She doing doing battle
with them. We rehearse briefly, the
advantages Of Richmond as an importine
city, and call attention to her as market
for produce iTeq {fee p. a2aaa@1 y7sg
Avery important consideration in locat-
ing city, is to choose place of safety for
vessels, and accessible by them. Richmond
is most admirably situated in this respect
With one of the finest harbors in the world
through which to do her importing, and with
water connection which .mustiensure a safe.
cheap and speedy removal Of all imported
goods into the city, and her own navigation
allowing vessel, Of large hurthen to come to
her wharves, she can offer such induce
ments ) to those who purchase goods direct
from importers, that the trade must natu-
rally turn towards her. That this is the
fact needs but glance at the statistics re-
ferred to, to prove. In 1855 the imports
amounted to 1926, 0O7 !; in 1858, three
years later. they amounted to S55O,9l6,
showing an increase of nearly one hundred
per cent. and this too, during one Of the
most terrible financial conyulsions that ever
cursed our country. Her exports have in
creased commensurate with her imports,
in 1865, 9$4,064,704,, in 1853 SO, 376,-
$40 In 1854 the amount OF coffee i'm
ported was S68, 5425 lbs in 1858 it was
3, 149, 40 lbs, showing the enormous In
crease Of nearly 400 per cent IN the space
of four years.. This is but single item.
but it develops principle which must be
evident to the mind Of every one !, zaw II
! But it is entirely useless that city should
import, unless there is a country trade to
support these importations. Has Richmond
such trade, or is there prospect for such
q one? We say ,emphatically, she has it
now, and the prospects are taat it will be
the naxt.ive years. Think for
a moment Of the vast and fertile country
whose trade is yearly vending its way to
Richmond. The Central Railroad, when
and the Covington and Ohio
Road with which it connects, will command
the trade to the Mississippi valley, includ
States Of Kentucky, a large portion
of Ohio and Virginia. Then the Danville
road commanding the southern portion of
Va. with North Carolina and Georgia, the
South Side road pouring in its wealth from
soath western Virginia, and Tennessee.
The James river and Kanawha Canal, open
ing the immense iron and coal beds of west
ern Virginia. POI 1885 a7aa 'aa f.
Richmond will then become necessarily,
a manufacturing, as well as an importing
city, and hence must offer one of the finest
markets in the world. What then is nee
essary to give Richmond a still greater i'm
petus :? Active enterprise and emulation
on the part Of her citizens and a cores
ponaing degree of encouragement. on the
part Of traders and dealers from all parts Of
Inc State .aaf6a II oi,4a4 wsd21'