The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-06-15
Tho Fatal "Throughness.'

trade from it. That a ra'troa" wiz
ride all ru,cs of convenience, economy. a"'
;rteycs, and sweep by with all its irc'sn's
- .on,e place which the corporation o""
tno n il seeking to build up. ih's Is
great fallacy. Railways ca:lnot oe '"N
s,a,,a,,t nr tho laws Of trade when COVER"
tbc direction Of shipments: Senolns tI'.ni
"a the markets where they are neeoea 'oi
manufacturing. or where they find the best
nrice or the cheapest transportation 70 the
ultimate distributing points.
Railroads have no interest to set them
apaiust these laws. 1t Is by consulting
them and promoting the convenience, econ |
omy and prosperity OF the communities
they accommodate that they acquire their
greatest prosperity. If we could imagine
railroad corporation deliberately engaged
in breaking down the prosperity OF the COM
munities dwelling upon its line of road, we
would understand what railroad monster
is. Ii would be no less destroying It's own
thrift than that Of the people itshotiid bene-
tit. What sort of men would they be who
would thus injure themselves to; inlure
others, and what kind Of spite would II DC
that would be so appeaSed?
This kind Of policy is imaginary only,
and is not pursued by any practical and
enternrising corporation that has any
knowledge Of railroad management. There
are fools enough controlling railways, i'll
deed but we do not take them into &c.
count. They are not Of the Through"
class. Them and another class Of narrow
minded men, who will not reduce freights Tor
fear they willalso reduce revenue, we do not
consider in the argument. They are grad
ually being showed aside. They have no
forccastc aud no malice. They have no en-
terprse and no liberality. The fools are
but fools, and the others are but ayaricious
Through" business will never trouble
them-never. g.. "T'
With some persons in this part Of the
world the Pennsylvania railroad is the great
monster. Well, we do not represent that
concern, and have no acquaintance with its
leading men, and really know nothing OF
its plans: 1t is alleged that it is about to
form through connections with the lines
from Alexandria via Richmond to Weldon,
and to Danville, and 60 on southwardly.
Very we'll; be it so, and what OF il? The
answer is that this monster is going to
spirit away everything from Virginia towns
and drop it in Philadelphia.
That is to suppose that this growing city
will need nothing that these through lines
will transport, either in trade or manufac-
turing; that heavy produce, which can be
shipped with facility here, will be saddled
with the cost ofrailroad transp ortation two
hundred and fifty miles further, to place
where it can be shipped no cheaper. This
is unreasonable, and such 4 policy, if at
tempted, cannot long prevail.
This kind of commerce would be per-
version Of practical working and common
sense. If the Pennsylvania Central has It's
through connections via this city does any
man suppose that the company controlling
1t would not rather see Richmond with
population Of 100000 than with one Of only
$4,000? Can We not see that with the larger
population the receipts and profits OF the
company would be immensely increased?
This increase Of profits is what that sa-
gacious corporation is seeking. 1t is not
stretching out its lines only as the partisan
of somebody's ambition or some communi-
ty whose prosperity it hopes to promote,
not only by destroying that of other peo-
pie but by sacrificing its own interest al
the same time! Without intending any
compliment to the honesty Of that great
company, or any other railroad corpora
tlon, we have too much faith in the cun-
ming and seltiShness of all experienced and
large railway companies to believe thai
lhey viii be guilty Of any such folly.
Most Of those who are endeavoring to
scare Us al are themselves the advo- |
cafes or the first great throuGh-lnc III |
virginia . {: the Southside Consolidated |
Llhe--loW styled the "Atlantic, MiSSis-
sippl and Chic railroad" under the man.
agement of General MALONE. The opera
ton of that road has not facilitated the
growth of Norfolk as was expected. Its
frelehts are easily and economically eXpc-
dlted onward from the Norfolk wharve>.
leaving little to enrich that city; and,
taking that process as 4 sample, some PEG.
pie may infer that Richmond, too. will
meet the same fate at the hands OF other
through-lines."
We III uol duult tue justice Ol tue lOplCs
because Richmond is more powerful than
Norfolk, and will, Of consequence, take a
larger share of the trade that comes her
way. But we are not of those who will
rail at corporation because a city'which
has chance at its freights is not enabled to
get large share of them. The amount Of
the participation Of any city in the freights
that are brought to it depends upon cir
cumstances understood by merchants very
well: Tor Instance, upon its capital, it's pc
cullar trade and occupations, and the busi-
ness enterprise of It's people. ~
All we can ask of the corporations en-
gagged in the great carrying trade OF the
country is that they afford us quick, SAFE
and cheap intercourse, and give us the
benefit OF equality in the charges ana facl'i-
ties of transportation. w.,
With these conditions we are coziteh'.
Everybody should be. If city canno.
profit by the accommodation thus Afforded
it must be her own fault, and she will only
have herself to blame. III
AS we have often said, "fair play and
Richmond fears nothing. Give her direce
intercourse. cheap and rapid communlca-
ton, and she VIII be satisfied. UP to this
time she has had none of these advantages.
We hone few years will bring them to her.
When she has them, ii she does not i'm
nrove .t rate that will resemble in some