The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-01-25
vhe YORK River Route.


n, tse Dispatch: venture to send you
q few lines concerning the York River route,
over which have just ionrneyed. 1t forms
q delightful variety to the routes between
the North and South, and will grow in
popularity. In summer it will afford q
great relief from the tedium of travel arc
the offence of dust. The York is lovely
stream; very wide, yet lis two shores
always in. view. They arc picturesque sor
their fluctuations and occasional eleva-
tons, and the pleasant homes that grace
them, The steamer goes rapidly along the
deem channel of the river, and brings these
scenes in rapid Succession, until it shoots
OUT into the grand interior sea OF the Ches-
apeake. ~ >,
Not,far from the junction with the Chesa-
ncal;c is the classic plain Of Yorktown, dear
20 Americans. Ii is much elevated ABOVE
the water. its shores being bold anu preclpi-
TONS. The houses arc venerable and di-
Iar;d.tcd. and the town deserves no more
rylItca name than " hamlet" The water
n front OF it is very deep, and forms o
magnificent port.
Ire ADMIRAL and Kennebec are the
steamers which run in connection with the
York River railroad, keeping up daily
line between Richmond and Baltimore with
remarkable regularity. They arc both ex-
ccilcn, sea steamers, and commanded by
Trustworthy officers-strangc to say, both
named Freeman. He Of the kennebec is
q we'll known native of Richmond, de
scrvodiy popular, while the commander
Of tic Admiral is transplantcd from
another State, and has grown in Vir-
cinia soil and Virginia affections with
,trcat rauiditv. lie is deservedly esteemed
b. all who know him. In this age OF uni
ytrSal frcemen he is man amongst men,
and Tor kindness and courtsey is not easi-
u exccllcd. 1t was my fortune totravei with
him, while / was anxious to have been
with tother Freeman; but after L was
while under his care l was glad to have
found out that there were two such good
fellows doing honor TO the name OF Free
man. The only thing that troubled Admit
rnl Freeman with regard to me was that
suffered from too much water, and his re-
,ncdy soon established an equilibrium, and
there was sort of rightness and upright
ness about nc that led me to think that
they could only be rightfully understood
by that quaint but very emphatic announce
mcnt OF "All right, jcdge!" | shall not
forget this Admiral soon, and l can wish
nv friends few better fatcs than to fall
under his guardianship-not forgetting,
however, John of the Kenncbec!
This York River line is az well freight
as passenger line, and its business ID so
:nclcasing as to very much delight all
concerned. n. II. iIotchkiss, the agent
Of the line, is an untiring and inconceiva-
Div sacacious agent, and is all the time
accommodating business for the line, which
connects alike with the Danville and the
Chcsapeakc and Ohio railroads and the
James River canal. The growing business
Will soon demand increased facilities. Vi
course 4 demand of that kind never fails
to he supplied.
Ii was my first trip along the York river,
and therefore one Of very great interest. L
regretted that much fog prevailed. But
that in some respects gave the opportunity
70 behold pictures of rare interest clothed
ina thin, watery vapor, which threw mys-
,rrv about tLem. Imagine an almost
vanished fog just interpreting gauzc-like
curtain between YOU and d fleet OF oyster
to;tS,--thc men busily plying their nipple
lncn,#-and the anchored schooners near at
hand receiving the freight tished up from the
bed 81 the TlYcr-tnc Snorc behinu etili hlu
den by the mist, while you hear the turkeys
rcbhling and the ROSTERS growing, and the
many sounds Of domestic life from the land
I DON'T know how other people would enjoy
these things, but to me they were mex
prcssibly delightful. And yet it were more
i,lcasing to navigate York river under a
bright, clear sky. Assuredly the whole
route is one Of the most agreeable the ira
Weller can take.
/ will not close without expressing my
gratitude to the officers Of the Admiral, not
forgetting Mr.. Biddlc, the obliging purser
Of The boat. 1t is vessel on which you
may live sumptuously, be treated kindly,
and may lay down in conscious security, or
dispose yourself at will, feeling that you
are both comfortable and safe.
4 LOvEE OF WATER.