The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-11-26
Ktenusyysd agapaNNN
-.TrrpnAy NOVEMBER IS, 1877.
,.,,or .,ames River-aood News

Youar James River-Good News.
We ,earn chat Messrs. DAvEYroRT y Co.,
ef this city, have sold $4,000 Of city OF
Richmond eight per cent. bonds (thsrty-foul
wears to run) at e2x cash to New York capt
tAlis.s. They are purchased as an invest
ment, and will not, 1t Is believed, be thrown
upon the msrket again. These bonds were
issued on account Of the James river 'tIl'
provement. The city determined to-crea.e
Q loan Of 500, 900 for this important oe,ec''
but after the sale of the amount aoo'e
named it was concluded to suspend ..'e
sale, the sum raised being suiiicleh' 'oi
some time to come and should congress
show a moiety of the iberality II mas en- N.
tended 20 the Hudson river, this city VIII
not be called upon to make any TURNER eN.
penditure upon the lower James. Coiohei
HuspHsEYs, Chief Of Engineers, In MS re-
mort says that 800, more Will be asked
Of Congress at the approaching session TO
continue the work Of removing oestruc-
t;ons in the channel, already begun by the
United States.
The work of deepening the channel OF
the Lower James is vital to this city, and it
is most gratifying to see that it is begun III
earnest BY the United States Government
and the city. The funds on hand will push
the work a great way, and we cannot doubt
that Congress will make liberal approprla-
tions towards its completion. Give us eish-
teen feet to the sea, and the question Is SET
tied in favor OF Richmond. This we can
have. The bars in the river are not change
able. They stand always at the same places.
The late great flood had no effect upon
them, except, perhaps, to deposit more
sand upon them. Once dredged to the
proper depth, the work may be repeated
with ease and certainty, and at no very
heavy cost. 1t will be easy to keep open
the channel when once fairly deepened.
The proper dredging-maehines will be pro-.
cured, and we shall soon be ready for the
heavy freights of the Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad.
We cannot overrate the importance OF
this great work, and the decisive measures
adopted for its accomplishment should be
in the highest degree cheering to our PEG
pie. No community, it seems to us just
now, has more cause for looking into the
future with confidence and cheerfulnes>.
than that of Richmond. The bars In the
river have been always the bug-bears with
which enemies of Richmond and the croak-
ers have frightened us. But they are about
TO be dissolved before the strong determi-
nation of the corporation, assisted by the
Federal Government. With eighteen feet
of water in the river, few ships in trade
cosstwise or foreign-will be shut out from
the port of Richmond for want of water to
float them. and there will be neither let nor
hindrance on that score to the enterprise
of our merchants in either foreign or do
mestic maritime commerce.
II is great advantage to commerce that
the point of meeting between the land and
water transportation shall be sufficiently
far In the interior-suficientl near the
mountains, and amongst the hills and fresh
streams and pure airs-to enable those who
conduct the trade t. be comfortable and
healthy while they pursue the heavy work
of transhipment. 1t is well for those who
bring the freights from The interior that
they should stop short of the enervating
heats and injurious malaria of the lower
line OF the tidal district and it is equally
desirable that the sailor, while his vessel
swings to her anchor, shall have the advan-.
tage Of good water, pure air. and the hill
and dale that not only enliven the sur
rounding scene. but protect health by puri-
flying tne atmosphere and draining the land.
Eere we secure all these, and at the same
time give to the operations of commerce to
and from the sea such facilities that there
will be no ground of complaint. We have
here the conditions to ensure the prosecn-
ton Of business with success and with en-
ergy, and cheerful activity. There will be
no lingering apathy and enervating local
influences to check industry an d retard blu.
siness I; but all viii be life and spirit.