The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-01-20
THE PROSPERITY OF OUR CITY.


THE PROSPERITY OF OUR CITY.
From time almost immemorial, utopian
schemes have been suggested, whereby the
city Of Norfolk was suddenly to emerge from
its dwarfsh proportions to the condition of a
great commercial metropolis. Newspapers
and orators have expatated upon the theme.
for at least two generations, until imaginative.
and sanguine individuals have retired to a
nights repose with the confident expectation
that the mornings sun would rise upon the
realization Of their fondest hopes. Their bril-
liant dreams of innumerable railroads and
prodigious canals, all pouring their freighted
wealth into the lap of the ancient Borough"
to be hence transported beyond the seas by
gigantic ocean ferries, are dissipated at early
dawn, by the contemplation of quiet thor
oughfares and the solemn stiffness of an idle
harbor. Hope, thus too much encouraged, and
SO long deferred, has been followed by SEEM
ing abandonment of all effort to attain the
desired end.
In times past, the most visionary projects
were seized upon with avidity, and only ADAM
doned when DISASTROUS experience demon.
strated their futility Need we mention the
Roanoke Transportation Company, the Nor
folk City Ferry, and other enterprises that
now stand upon the books of the city as dead
items in the "proit and loss account Now,
the most plausible enterprises are viewed as
chimerical, or prosecuted with but little vigor.
Whether the untempered zeal of former times,
or the apathy Of the present is more to be de-
plored, is disicult to determine. Certain it is
that prudence and sagacity would have sug-
gested middle course, by which both evils
would have been easily avoided.
But while the reckless expenditure of money
upon schemes which have promised much and
done nothing for the advancement of our city,
is matter of deep and lasting regret. 1t is
a source of consolation to know that, beyond
all doubt, Norfolk is steadily, if not rapidly,
progressing in prosperity, and that her pros
pects are, by no means, of a gloomy character.
1t is matter of congratulation that we are
50 rapidly recovering from the direful effects
Of war. 1t can be safely said that we have
more than regained lin the aggregated the
condition of prosperity which we enjoyed i'm
mediately prior to the secession and disrup-
ton of the State. The city has increased in
the extent and value of its real and personal
estate, while its population has enlarged by
several thousands-the freed blacks included.
There are many more. individuals engaged
in active business in the city of Norfolk at
this moment, than there were in the spring of
1851. And it is no little pleasure for us to
DO able to state, that within the last few
months the bonds of the city have advanced
more than 100 per cent on,.the low quotations
which prevailed just after the close of the
war.
Our trade with North Carolina must revive
with the reopening Of the Albemarle and Ches-
apsake Canal, which is near at hand, and that
Of the original Dismal Swamp Canal, which is
more remote, but likely to be accomplished.
These are among the most important improve
ments in the South. With the facilities offered
by these arteries, and the Norfolk and Peters,
burg and Seaboard roads fully revived, nothing
but want Of enterprise on the part of the citizens
can prevent the rapid and permanent improve
nsnt of the trade of the city 1t is true, we
want, and must have, other facilities than
these, but that is no reason for neglecting the
advantages to be derived from those already
in our possession.
Without individual enterprise, the facilities
of trade offered by internal improvement
amount to nothing As a class, we would fain
believe that our merchants are equal in enter
prise, ability, and industry to the merchants
of any other city in the country, and will not
hesitate las far as limited capital will allow to
grasp every advantage of trade that is offered
We cannot believs that they will permit large
class vessels coming through the Albemarle
and Chesapeake Canal to sail along our harbor
with their produce) to seek market in North
ern ports, when, by cooperating in the estab-
lishment of direct communications with Eu-
rope, they can command the entire trade of
the most productive regions of the Southern
States. May we not still indulge the hope that
Norfolk is yet to be great and wealthy city
the commercial emporium of the South?
RT Forney does not seem to rate very
highly either the numbers or capacity of the
so-called loyal men of the South He says:
"There are few loyal men in the South ca
pable of filing the more yaluahle offices, and