The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-08-30
Our hnprovements-Richmond Interests

Our hnprovements-Ric Interests
The breaking Of ground at Newport
News upon the Newport News railroad,
according TO the announcement in this
paper some days since, isan event Of much
interest to this community. The con-
struction Of that road will aid in the re-
dcmption of the interests of the north side
of James river, and will assis, materially
in protecting the integrity and independ-
encc of Virginia commerce.
Any one familiar with the history Oh
internal improvements in Virginia knows
how II has been that Richmond, who stood
at the head of the internal improvement
cause, and through the influence ana the in-
forests which centred in her kept that cause
Notwithstanding benefits impartially and
literally in various sections-has been gra-
dual,y approaching a point of great cmbar-
rassmcn; and danger TO her interests. Rely
ing upon the great canal, and being charged
with all appropriations to that, the Rich
mond interest, which embraced a con-
siderable tract of country, was not aroused
to the necessity Of any other great scheme
uniting her with distant country of cx-
tcn>ive trade, and was probably somewhat
deferred from broaching such plan, if
thought of, because of apprchendcd diff
Guilty in getting means for that purpose in
addition to those voted to the canal.
a.. hill t1x-p M af
account, were passenger roads, running at
right angles with James river. Still Rich-
mond projected no railroad scheme COM
mercially important to her. The Danvillc
railroad was first intended to 60 TO Nor
folk; but the people of that city not rails
ing money enough to secure the charter,
its patrons of the Dan river valley, headed
by the late WHIT. TrNSTALL, asked the
Legislature to change the route to Rich
mond. To that time the people OF klch-
mond were profoundly indifferent upon
the subject of the vast trade OF the Dan
and Roanoke. Their supincness on the
suhirct was wonderful. Even after TIN
Stall and WIrcHER (whO aided the enter
prise with their powerful arguments had
struggled for al least two years IN behalf
of the measure, the people of Richmond
remained in aperfcc,ly istlesS attitude. 1t
was not until the bill finally passed the
LEGISLATURE tlat they exhibited some int
res, in behalf of the scheme. Finally
Richmond was aroused and literally aided
i'll the building of this important work.
The Louisa road "-originated as a
ncighboyhood affair, and built chiefly by
r,iaEhorhood contributions and labor
was running from the junction to Louisa
Courthouse. Colonel FoNTAINE, its Presi-
dent, conceived the idea of extending it
westward. Richmond, which had been
somewhat enlisted on the subject, desired
10 direct the extension towards the north
west in the line of llarriSonburg. She
was oycrrulcd and the road was taken to
Stanton, and SO on towards the kanawha
valley. This was IN error whose injury
to the State, commercial and political, has
been, and must still be, considerable.
In the mean time work from Buchanan
TO the southwest projected as Il macada-
missed road was changed to railroad from
the Tennessee line to Lynchburg-the
Virginia and Tennessee railroad.
Richmond had not yet been aroused TO
the importance Of continuous line OF
railroad from her wharyes to the West by
the shortest and most practicable route.
The James River and kanawha canal, from
which very justly immense advantages
were anticipated, seemed to act as an
opiatc upon the public mind, and nobody
could foresee the impending danger which
has at last come upon us. Besides, the
James River Company had a charter to
build railroad along their line of canal,
and that was often referred to as con-
iiicting right to any other charter in the
same direction, while it was looked upon
as ultimate protection to Richmond.
But the little ncighbolhood road from
Petersburg to Blacks and Whites was sud-
denly introduced as aspiring to greater
proportions. 1t asked for an extension to
Lynchburg and got it, with three fifths of
the subscription from the State, besides
the investment in its construction of all
the stock the State held in the Petersburg
and Weldon road Ia six per cent. paying
stock). 1t took the name Of Southside
Road, and was announced as a competitor
for frcights with the canal, for which pur-
pose it was built at grades only six feet to
the mile going east.
Here, then, thus threatened, Richmond
was without single line of railroad, either
made or projected to give her communica
tion with part OF Virginia, whence came
in former days her most important trade
Nor has she such route now.
As soon as the Southsidc road wa:
finished she saw the injury that flowed
from her inability to protect her interests
on routes controlled by other communi-
ties. 1t was not long before system OF
tro,tgh .JrciyhtS was established on that
line in conjunction with the Virginia and
Tennessee railroad, by which goods were
transported from New York to Abingdon,
Va, Grecnyille and Knoxville, Tenn,
cheaper than they could be conveyed to
the same points from Richmond! These
through freights are now conducted with