Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-03-28
Stauntott Spettatur.
Tuesday, MGrch 2S, 1871.
Good Tide-ings for Richmond and Vir-
ginia.

the opinion of the u. s. officers who are en-
gagged in clearing out the distractions to navi-
CATION Ia the James River below Richmond,
that by an expenditure of less than half a
million of dollars it is practicable to obtain a
cleard depth of is feet of water, at low tide
As the tide rises at Richmond about four feet,
this will give % feet Of water at high tide.
IF this should be accomplished, it will well
justify the Chesapeake Ohio R. r. Com
pany in making Richmond its eastern termi-
nus, not only for freights intended to be sent
coast wise, but for merchandise which is IN
tended for shipment to foreign ports. Twenty
two feet is enough to float large ocean-steamers
with full freghts. We believe that the har-
bors of Baltimore and Charleston have not
much more than 16 feet Of water at low tide,
and we doubt if Philadelphia has more. There
are times and conditions of the winds and tides
when even New York, the great commercial
emporium Of the U. s., cannot be approached
by a steamer drawing % feet
Why, then should not Richmond become a
great commercial city? She is nearer to the
capes, than Baltimore by more than fifty miles.
her wharfs to the oceans than her sister city,
which claims to be the Queen of the Chesa-
peake. And more than ali, she has larger
and more productive back country accessible
by easier grades and more favorable curves in
her lines of r. r, communication than either
Baltimore or Philadelphia. The difference be-
tween 80 feet per mile the maximum grade
of the Chesapeake & Ohio r. r., and ll63
feet to the mile, the maximum grade on por-
tons of the Baltimore & Ohio r. R., must
tell powerfully in favor Of Richmond.
The intelligent and energetic gentlemen who
have the Chesapeake & Ohio R, r. in charge,
have not been slow to understand these CONNER
cial advantages, and re have been pleased to
hear that they are about purchasing, if they
have not already purchased a frontage of4 900
feet on The River Immediately below Rich
mond, with view to construct the appliances
necessary for large trade, and the accommo-
dation of any number Of ships and steamers
that may be necessary to remove the merohan-
die of all kinds, which may be brought from
the far west 8 a-''i'-.
When the Chesapeake & Ohio Road shall
have completed It's line to the Ohio and laid
down its four tracks, which Mr. Huntingdon
thinks will be necessary to accommodate the
traffic which will seek an outlet along its line
brighter day will begin to dawn On the beau
tiful metropolis of Virginia.
Those who limit their views of the future
freights on the Chesapeake and Ohio R. r. to
the productions of northern Kentucky and
southern Ohio, and the iron, coal, lumber and
salt of the intermediate country, will find that
they have greatly underestimate their mag
nitude and Importance. 1t is true that the
trade arising from opening intercourse with
these parts of the country will be very large
But. when Mr.. Huntingdon shall have per-
fected his connections with the systems of
Southwestern, Western and Northwestern Rail-
roads, the traffic that will seek an outlet
through Virginia, will be enormous By the
time the main line of the Chesapeake & Ohio r.
r, is finished to Huntingdon, a connecting line
will have been constructed from Huntingdon to
Lexington, KY, thus bringing Richmond 10
direct communication not only with Lexington,
but with Louisville. Thence, Railroads al
ready extend throughout the West and North
west. Nor is this all; Ohio is moving to eff
feet connection between her system of Rail-
ways and the western terminus of the Chesa-
peake & Ohio liue Chicago, too, is earnestly
agitating the question of constructing an air
line r. r. from that city to Huntingdon, so as
to secure for herself an unbroken line of Rail-
road communication with navigable water at
Richmond, which will be 200 miles shorter
than the route to New York, and possess great
advantages over other existing lines in regard
TO grades, curves and liability to interruption
by snow and ice.
Richmond should, therefore, spare no effort
to secure the removal of the obstacles to navi-
cation which now obstruct the channel Of the
lower James. Full and authentic statements
of the facts should promptly be prepared, and
laid before Congress, and that body should be
earnestly invoked to give its aid in affording
the proper facilities to commerce, Very little
has heretofore been done by the federal gov
ernment to promote the commercial interests
Of Virginia, aud she, therefore, has double
claim on the justice and Gberality of Congress.
Heretofore, it has been, to some extent, the
fault of Virginia statesmen, that little or moth
ing has been done for her. Their extreme
jealousy of federal power, caused them not on
ly to decline asking aid from Congress, but on
one occasion, under the lead of Dir. Tazewell,
TO refuse it when preferred
That day, however, has passed The power
OF the general government to improve the
channels OF naVigable streams is now almost
universally conceded. At any rate it is the
firmly established policy Of the government,
and it would be folly on the part of Virginia,
who bears so large portion of the burthens
of the government, not to seek to get her share
of the benefits.
In view of all the above facts, we cherish O
lively hope that Richmond will before long be-
come city of considerable commercial impor-
lance. And if she should exert herself to i'm
prove her manufacturing capacities, We can see
no reason why she should not double her pop
ulation and taxable values within the next de-
cade
The Richmond Enquirer.
This ancient expounder of Virginia opinion
has passed under the editorial control of Col
X. II. Withers and Mr. flames ~ Goutbou