The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-03-06
a Rem;nescence.

Nearly forty years ago, when the james
River and Kanawha canal was begun al 'a,'
CITY. and people thought 1t would be coht.-
pued straight on to completion, Dir. ChAhL ,
EIrErr, the principal engineer OF t'le "o,a w.
nronosed to the people of Richmond pan
far q crand ship basin or haven to accolii'io-
49, tha ,.rce number of ships which it was
exnected the transportation on INC eAua.
wo,,ld draw to this city. Tbs Dasih was "
he formed by dam across the riVer' anu ".
s,s:,s wore to find their entrance ana eSlb
.hua,,ch canal across the Falls plantation
w., = ,ock connected with the basin. Mr.
r,,rr7 was most gifted man, and presented
his scheme in style which excited the high
est interest amongst the citizens OF hien-
nond. He pointed out clearly the demand
there would be for room for shipping IN tne
mort of Richmond when the western trade
was brought here through the canal he
showed how limited the means OF accomno-
lation for vessels were at that time, ana SO
explained his own plan that it met win gene
raj favor. It is possible that it might nave
been adorted but that the canal was DfouSn'
n stand for the want of means.
Now looking back to that day long past
we sec that our people were 1hen aii,e ~
the magnitude Of the western traoe' anu iei'
hat our Wharfage and space were entlre'! III.
,deouate to accommodate the shipping thas
would hc concentrated here to transport that
vast trade. They proposed to dam up the
river and take up it's entire breadth ana Dotn
shores, In those days everybody looked
,,non Richmond and Manchester as one, and
only awaited the accomplishment OF some I'M
provement for the extent of our commerce
to the Manchester side to put the people OF
both shores under one government.
The people then were correct In their
views. But now, when we should be so
much further advanced in improvements and
have so much more knowledge Of the grand
western trade, there are persons here in Rich
mond. and amongst them men entrusted with
the making OF laws for tho city, as we'll as
with the guardianship of its vital interests,
who profess not to see the necessity of the
extensive water frontage we must have to
meet the wants of the commerce which that
trade will create. They cannot see that both
sides of the river will be absolutely necessary
for commerce, not to speak Of the added de-
mands for manufacturing.
DIR. ELLgrr's grand scheme could not find
favor now. Since the day it was proposed,
dredging has been made greatly more eff
Gent; and it will be much cheaper to deepen
the river and dig out slips than to form
basin by damning the river, while that basin
itself would have to be dredged. Besides, a
basin would necessarily interfere with the
water power.
We do not mention the scheme to attract
any attention to it as practicable now, but
only to let our citizens see what those who
lived before them felt to be great neces-
sity--i. c., more room for shipping and the
unobstructed employment Of both shores OF
James river for the business of Richmond.
That necessity should be more felt now than
then. 1t is greater now than then because
of the wonderful growth Of the West and the
equally wonderful increase of its produc-
tons. The deliberate and patient CONSIDERS
ton of the subject should result in the unani-
nous judgment in favor of the addition OF
Manchester to the corporation Of Richmond.