The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-07-18
Richmond and York River Railroad.

The approaching completion OF this admira-
BILE road is an event of great interest 10 this
CITY, not only on account of the local trade
which IL will command, but as an important
outlet 10 the commerce that will be concen-
trat.d upon Richmond when the various lines
of Improvement connecting us with the VAL
leys of the Ohio and Mississippi are finished.
The railroad from Richmond 10 the York river
Is bu, thirty-six miles long from the latter
terminus TO the Chesapeake Bay, forty miles.
and TO the Capes of Virginia, sixty-hve miles
Few OF our readers, who have not seen t"o
York river, can form an idea from desci'
of what "A majestic stream IL Is, so "iue "e "
resemble in some places lake, 30 otep gu"
SPACIOUS that a thousand Great Easterhs
could navigate it with perfect ease, anu 50
straight that the wind that Will bring vessel
in 10 the Capes will speed her like an arrow 10
her destination. IT is pretty well established
that none but large ships find II profitable to
carry freight on long voyages, and this class
of ships cannot come even as far up as City
Point for, on some of the bars, below that
place. there is not a greater depth than seven
teen feet. On the York, the largest vessels
can, without the slightest difficulty, reach the
York river terminus OF the new railroad, and
thus bring 70 our very doors one of the deepest
and finest anchorages in the world. Even the
coasting passenger steamers between Rich
mond and Baltimore, Philadelphia and New
York, will save six hours in time by way of
The York
1t is not, however, with reference to The
West India or coastwise trade that we antici-
pate special benefits from the new improve
ment. The James river is amply sufficient for
this purpose and we have no desire TO see this
old, historic stream deprived of any of the ad-
yantages which it now enjoys. When the
rocks and sands which now impede the advent
of vessels of considerable size are removed, 1t
will be abundantly capable of accommodating
not only the present demands upon ii, but
the increasing trade of the future. We do not
expect that the capacity of the York river will
be called into full play till our system of pub
lie works is completed and then, instead OF
the James river interests being injured, there
will be more than enough business for every
avenue of communication with the ocean
which Richmond possesses, either by water or
land. There is the Covington and Ohio Rail
road. the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad,
The Danville and the Petersburg Railroads,
and last, but by no means least the James
River and Kanawha Canal. Some of these
roads will penetrate the valleys of the Ohio
and the Mlsslsslppli others make connection
with North Carolina. South Carolina and
Georgia railroads. An immense and con-
stantIy increasing freight will be thrown upon
this point, especially from the canal, upon the
completion of which Virginia has now fully
decided. There is no reason Why continu-
Gus water line through Virginia to the Ohio
should not accomplish as much for the Old
Dominion as the Erie Canal for New York.
II has greater advantages in every way for com
manding the Western trade, and it will be
open for a considerable portion of the year
when the Northern canals are closed 1t is
the part of foresight and wisdom, then, to be
prepared for the enormous trade which will
be accumulated here by the completion of our
internal improvements, and will certainly tax
10 their utmost capacity every avenue to the
sea, by land or water. which we now have.