Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-07-27
E1r tie Enquirer.

Brief Considerations for the People OF
Richmond, Especially Against Making
the Richmond and Lynchbur% Rail
Road. Suggested BY 4 SeIghbor, tAlino.t
u CitIzen.)
lSt. ORgbt tie yDad Ia be nor md,{c:' No
doubt it would be Il benefit and convenience 20
many TO have the money spent among them in
the construction, and then to have the use CT
the road. Where population becomes rs dense
rs il is now in Massachusetts. rail roads lEay
be us numerous, and this might be made, but
the question is N0ic.
Richmond has clearly reached that point iii
population and influence which assures her
Importance and increaSe-s'om or 7upid, de-
pends on whether she shall command some
rev and great elements Of wealth already accli-
INFLATED, or shall depend on gradual improve
ulent in her present feeding regions. Other
cities, in or country, have grown suddenly
and rapidly from the former cause. For Instance,
New York, by commanding the lake-trade;
Boston by drawing of 4 portion Of the 'lake-
trade; Baltimore by tapping the trade Of the
Ohio valley. Richmond desires to do likewise.
The elements she can III are those Of the
Ohio and Mississippi yallics. The question is
hom. The answer is plain, on reason and on
example. New York grew by making the
Erie canal, Boston by making 4 railway to Al
bany TO tap that line. Baltimore by making her
rail road. Neither Of them permitted their en-
ereics to be distracted from the main work.
But when their resources had grown on the
results Of the main work, they have appru-
priatcd to lesser and subsidiary works.
Reason dictates the same course. Now
Richmond has, say fIty thousand H.
habitants, with 4 capacity, say. to contract
debts for internal improvement in proportion;
she has her main work; she has begun il; has
appropriated Us much ~ it rs 10 H!l other works
put together nearly; has drawn p5oportionatc
advantages from it-but has not secured its
completion; las nat commanded lis contetl-
plated resources. 1t is contemplated 10 finish
this work. No man, | suppose, suggests its
abandonment. 1t is clear, from reason and cN-
an,ule, that Richmond should devote her undl.
vided efforts, by means and by influence, TO the
early completion Of this work, that she may
ot,tain better return, for her Investments, that
shc may at once command those immense ac-
stimulated sources Of wealth, the brief pos
session of which will, as in the other cities
mentioned, enable her people 10 meet the lesser
and subsidiary works.
Now. the proposed railroad is 10 take Rich
mond money and time, which is quite is impor-
tanl, to supcrScde, perhaps, certainly 10 compete
with, a part Of her main l;nc-a part, certainly,
quite competent to meet the whole demands 0!
trade; tc offer 4 superfuous choice Of routes Ii
the local trade on the line, instead Of pushing
the main work fur the through trade. 1t is also
TO commence i competition between Richmond
and her neighboring cities for the local trade Of
an unfinished line, when Richmond wants
all tic aid Of those very cities 10 finish
her main work. And it is actually Ia super
scic a working railway line, unqHcstioncl in
its capacity and claims on public confidence
and sympathy. as far as the writer knows, till
this work was suggested. Ii was not by SUCH
Investments that either cities in our country
have grown. By such a policy Richmond would
again inauguratc the ancient rl!nouS course OF
orr State, by which she has continued 10 divide
and Criltcr away her rcsourceS--to destroy one
investment before its benefits were realised 10y
Il new one. Now, what arc the p~rcteNts for
making this work: As Far us | haze seen, the;
are such rs these 'Othcr cities have sprung
into power by making railroalS-thereiore,
Richmond must make railroads" The people
Of Richmond can examine that argument IN
the light Of experience Of those other cities.
:. But since the making of the Lynchburg en-
tension, Richmond mist make this road 0r
lose The Southwestern travel Unless South.
western traffic comes, which the Canal can anu
will bring, Southwestern travel would, III pass
inr through Richmond, perhaps contribute
some small income TO the admirable Richmond
hotels, Omnibus lines, &c. Richmond people
can estimate that benefit at its worth. But
whv should Southwestern travel come through
Richmond on this line, if made: The same
travel could reach Alexandria, on its way north,
before il could we'll get through Rlclmend.-
All the traffic and travel which Richmond can
attract, can easily and cncarly reach 1t now:
The addition Ia either, made by the proposed
road. would he most inconSiderablc, and tho
whole of that taken from existing works. tnc
of these RicIImond'S peculiar line.
the country along the line would hc I'M
proved in T~rmirctS and in social advantages.
Certainly il would. and the the writer IS the
last person in the world to begrildge it to THAT
region. The question is, whether We 'tor
claim to he 4 Richmond mani can afford to lur-
nish, Just now, the several millions 1t would
cost. Indeed, that region may well be con-
tented to wait. Scarcely any region "i NIr'
rinia is so we'll accommodated already. when
subscriptions are made for the stock 81 tins
work. we shall see what part OF the three mil
lions and odd it will cost, that region will con
tribute.
And there is M safe aud Convenient rail-
way from the city o! Richmond to Lynch
burg" because OF suspicious in respect to the
South-Sidc Road. These suspicious are nt"
to tho writer. lie has c%nquired for the All
thority for their assertion in vain; and ne calls
on Richmond men to ~ once rcHoE'llcr Tie
method Of competition with their nc'sl'h"rS
which this suggestion begins.
These considerations on the question whether
the work should be- nor made, arc briefly sub
mitted, rs from Il business man I" business
men. Each man will work out The question
for himself. | shall beg to add, nj = future
time, some thoughts on the question, whether
it ran hG mate How ?