The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-12-31
RitI''tssd nispattI1.
sATrRpAy......D DECEMBER 81
~ r,seiT Plans.

u-.. and are much gra''neu w
on'o 60, Il that we have rightly conlec-
go. .e what were his views and purposes
From this letter we may assure the pe'-
,,,o of Richmond that the company has n'
Sian at this time matured relating TO q Ter
minus on the Chesapeake bay OF upon ''S
colt water anywhere. 1t = coni'''u's.
+,o. there NAV be contin -cncy pros:'
.hort nv the vast transportation ioohe" W
mon the Chesapeake and ONO Fallfoao'
which may require ne" Fo.n' VI '",p
,sr. T., tho LARGEST vessels for foreign mar
lets We may SAY that at this time the
idea that such point OF shipment VIII DC
necessary is strongly entertained D! Tue
comnsnv. But as to when It Will DC oe-
.,,.rded and where 1t will be located,
,bese are Questions left entirely to the lu-
tnre. Purchases Of land. supposed to De
made with view to terminus on the SAT-
water. were not made by the company.
If shipment from Richmond proves 10
be entirely adequate to the demand OF
trade. then the Chesapeake and OHIO Rail-
road Company will not impose upon them-
selves the expensive undertaking OF eA-
tending their road to point whose ntnes'
10 entirely predetermined, to secure iaci4leieS
which IRE not needed.
On this point q great deal depends upon
the energy and enterprise ol the peop'e ..
Richmond. We have time and again urseo
upon them the importance OF deepening
me channel of James river and lncre tsina
az RAPIDLY as possible the auAsaar'e, %
TRANSFORMATION and commerce upon Inei
Grand river, whose capacity IA so little UNI
derstood and so much deprecated. 0Ne
that river all that it should have IN oePth OF
water and steam towage, and we 90 not
believe there will ever be any good reason
TO Justify railroad company whose line
reaches this city In seeking q place OF SHIP
,nent nearer the sea. The merits OF the va
rious places spoken of for that purpose we
have canvassed at some length already.
But another point in the interesting COM
rnunica.lon TO which we have referred
above, is the declaration that in the matter
OF shipping point the Chesapeake auo
Ohio Railroad Company will be entirely
cautious and deliberate. Their branch Inc
from Clifton Forge to Lynchburg, ana
thence down the James River Vale! 10
Richmond, actH be first completed. It is D!
the easy grades OF this route that the heavy
freights from the West are to be conveyed
to the Virginia tide. When the volume OF
that freight is swollen beyond the capa-
bility Of James river to bear of, with due
ease and expedition, the company Will seek
another outlet, and who can in that case
make an objection: In our opinion no
one.
This is the point of deepest interest to
Richmond. 1t bears directly upon an en-
terprise Of great and vital importance to
this city-viZ., the straight line to Lynch
burg. That road forces itself upon two
great enterprises in Virginia, and is vitality
interesting to Richmond. If it can be made
to answer the demands Of the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railroad Company, it will hardly
be less advantageous to the consolidated
line of Gen. MALONE. To the former it
will be the conduit for freights; to the lat
ter the line Of transportation for plssen-
gers, which will impair the vigor OF The
lines competing with the consolidated line.
and thus dimtniSh their strength to control
the transportation Of frelghts. The ques'
ton is, can q straight line be built with
such grades as will be demanded by the
Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, whose busi-
ness will be so immense 8nd so I,"nder"ts.
ana which crosses the Allegheny mountain
coming east at grade of 29H feet to the
mile, and whose object is to reach Rlcli-
-h~- ,.NCppUlU3
II such grade can be had in straight
line the grand object is accomplished
Both the great lines of which We have spo
ken will be propitiated, and roat
bed being made wide enough to nc
commodate both, the public convenience
and the interests OF both lines may b'
happily and successfully obtained Will
very great economy. To satisfy both roads
and establish this common STEM, leading t
the point IN which the State is more Ill
terested than any o,her-to invite travel b.
Richmond, and thus impair the strength {
lines whose interest is TO take travel ava
from Virginia cities, and thus really t
dwarf Virginia commcrce-would be con
summation deroutly TO be desired by ever
this scheme with The deepest interest. "
do trust that it will prove TO be platform
of harmony and mutual good intention be
tween the two great railroad enterprises o
Virginia, which will thus become the pre-
tectors OF the good old Commonwealth, ant
the steady promoters of the grawth Of bel
commerce and population, and thus Of bel
power and consideration III tho Union.
We commend these iiCts and views t
the consi deration of the people OF Rich
mond. They are very interesting to us ju>i
now, when the two highways connecting
us with the West aud southwest are assum
ing positions ofgreat prominence and power
in the commercial world. The grand point
with Virginia and with her greatest city i!
to confine the commerce with the West anC
South as much as possible to the james
River valley. From The grades that valic!
affords, and the facilities it offers for coast
wise and foreign shipment, it is the very
best line for the great highways between
the Atlantic tide and the Mississippi. Lei
the transportation but follow that valley
and we have nothing more to ask. IL
the advantages this vii! afford to Richmond
cannot be turned TO account BY our people
80 as to make their city really great and
prosperous, then they will deserve the fate
Of failure and disappointment. But we do
not believe they will fail. A people who
have struggled as they have against calami.
ty cannot possibly fail when their enters
prises are favored by such stupendous
Slano hon lAI,iI II,