The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-09-09
Chamber Of Commerce-Richmond

Chamber Of Commerce-Rlchmond
The adjourned meeting at the Tobacco
Exchange on the subject Of the establish
ment of "Board of Trade " resolved to
change the name to the "Chamber OF
Commerce." After adopting constitu-
ton and bylaws, the meeting adjourned
till the second Wednesday in October,
when the Chamber Of Commerce will be
organized.
By that time We hope the proper per-
sons will be determined upon as officers OF
this important institution. Wcwant now IN
tclligent, active, and hopeful men. No man
who dcsponds no man who has any inclina-
ton to apathy or self-indugence, ought |
now to be entrusted with the fortune and
fate of this city in any manner whatever.
We arc in a critical situaton-a turning
point in the history Of Richmond-at which
all NAV be saved or all lost. We should |
take no counsel from crackers and prophets
Of evil, and we ought to cschew all mac
tive and procrastinating people.
This city has lost enough, God knows,
by divisions and by apathy and indif-
ference towards the public interests. No
community has been more distinguished
for close application to busincss-every
man attending to his individual inte-
rests. But no city has exhibited so little
energy and forecastc in the way Of taking
care Of the general trade and commercial
communications and interests as Rich
mond. We have had no harmony-no
committees-no controlling genius TO shape
out policy for the good of the city, and
to carry it cut with energy. The first
essays in railroading here did not indicate
the sagacity and intelligence of COM
mercial community. They were pas
Senger lines, running northwardly and
southwardly, by which no commerce
was anticipated. AS timo went on, when
other cities were striving, by the straightest
lines, to reach the most fruitful sources Of
trade, Richmond remained altogether pas
sive, save at one time q smart excitement
about gold mines. Later still one man
of real enterprise appeared to take care
Of our interests on the sea, and several
Intelligent gentlemen coUperatcd with
him, and the result was mercantile ma
rine interest, coastwise and foreign, of
which we were justly proud. But what
did We do towards finding arteries of
communication with the interior? The
Danville road was forced upon us By the
talents and enthusiasm Of WHIT. TUSsTALI.,
but partially assisted by the people OF Rich
mond; and we appropriated 100000 to
the Virginia and Tennessee railroad, which,
as we never built line connecting Rich
mond with that road, became buried in it.
We then folded our arms during the
Lynchburg, while our city, the principal
one in Virginia, was left entirely cut off
from the centre of the State and the great
Southwest. For had the Southside
road been designed for the purpose OF
terminating our intercourse with that
fertile part Of Virginia, its object
could not have been more effectually
accomplished. Again, we appropri-
ated money to tho Central rail
road, and aided in conducting it to the
mountains, where, without o terminus, il
has been permitted to halt for many years.
This Improvement was projected by all
active and spirited old gentleman of Louisa,
and carried TO Louisa Courthouse by his
energies. 1t was afterwards continued by
the perseverance Of Colonel FoSrAlNE, as
sisted moderately by Richmond. That
road, many complain, is crooked. Who is
to blame Why was not there some man
in Richmond to do as much as old Mr..
HARRIS (peace to his ashes) and build a
road where Richmond wanted it? Was
Richmond not as strong rs Louisa And
now gentlemen make this road, thus built,
an objection to the Chesapeake and Ohio
Richmond is estopped from making any
such objection if there was any force in it.
But there is not. The Central can be
easily Strengthened at little expense and
that being all that is needed now to correct
the evil SO far as that road is concar,ad
the argument falls.
Here we are, then, placed to disadyan-
tage by the causes cited, but with oppor-
tunit!es afforded for retrieving our for
tunes and recovering our losses. We want
hVely and hopeful men, who have faith in
our natural advantages, to do this great
Work. we must build the Chesapeake
ana ONO, straighten the road to Char
"',eSSilie' and build road to Lynchburg,
anu our work is done. All hostile int.
.'S's' al opposition of all kinds, and
iioiu al Quarters, can do this city no in
jury "heh we achieve these works. N,rI
are they of alarming magnitude. They arc
within our power, and may be, without
any great strain on our capacity, accom-
Dlished,