The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-05-21
Where will Mr.. Huntington go!

This is great question with some peoi''
especially with the dozen gentlemen WIZ
invited Mr.. HUNTINGTON TO go TO Nor'olh'
1t is not surprising that it should I've. his
road Is great one, and the coinih"h''
ties it reach will hi greatly bcnchtco
by il. We here in Richmond feel no appre-
hcnsicn. VIC know that Richmond will bc
an objective point with Mr.. HUNTINGTON.
His road now reaches us-ttat is an lInpor-
tant point. He finds it necessary Tor the
great trade of the West that he shall make
road along tho water-line from Clifton Forge
to Underwater to avoid the sharp grades of
Rockbridge. Bath, and Augusta, on the pre-
sent line :; but there. is not the slightest
ground for surprising that in seeking this
watcr;line for the easy grades demanded 10y
th, heavy trade IF the West he will be d-
vcrted from Richmond, the main city in
Virginia, which will yield 10 the railroad its
best source of revenue.
And here is the point in this railroad Iucs-
ton. We must dwell upon it for moment
When the city of Richmond subscribed
slOO, 900 to the Virginia and Tennessee rail-
road there was not man, woman, or child
in the Old Dominion who did not believe
that road was to be continued to Richmond.
1t was the proper place for it to 80 to. Rich
mond was Il prosperous and growing place
raid more into the treasury than all the
other towns in the State put together; could
do more to retain and profit by trade in tue
State than all the others put together, and
therefore should have been the objective point
of any great eastern aud western line OF road,
whether We consider the Interest OF the
State, or of the railroad itself. But persons
who had no money controlled appropriations
out Of the State treasury. Small commune
tics who thought they could be built up 10y
railroads, and had no money to build them
with, by combining together acquired the
| same power over appropriations out ct the
treasury, and gave direction TO the railway
from the Southwest which no company of
capitalists with their own interests at stake
would have ever dreamed of.
Thus il was that the Virginia and Tcnne--
| see railroad was so continued as to over
sla,,ch this city and leave it our in the cold,
| when loss of five miles in distance would
have brought the road 10y her. This showed
| fear of her and hostility to her. Whereas
| had company Of sa%acio,lS capitalists built
the road they would have considered Rich
n,om the main point-the grand object IN
their line. They could not have omitted it,
for it would have been the chief revenue
point in their calculations.
We wish TO impress this great error upon
the minds of our own citizens, not from mo-
tves of resentment. but from desire to
stimulate them to louk more to their inter
rsts IN future. The wrong done TO Virginia
and to Richmond by di>rcgarding the capital
of the State in the decision of the way this
Southwestern improvement should he con-
tnllcd to the tide-water was due in Il con-
siderable degree to the apathy of Richmond
and the generous manner in which she
placed her fortunes at the mercy of visionary
and narrow-nindcd legislators. These per-
sons not only showed their want of practical
wisdom in giving the direction they did 10
the great artery from the Southwest to tide
water, but they afterwards displayed the
srossest illiberaIity anil folly in denying for
many wears the application of Richmond for
naked charter to build il road from Lynch
burg to Richmond That is Il fact not TO
be forgotten. 1t is important. But the re-
fusal of tbi, privilege could neither destroy
Richmond nor make the great cities which
the charlatans predicted, and which we are
sorry to say they did not make.
So much for this point. We now know
whom we have to deal with d very different
sort of people from those who had the power
to vote money to enterprises which involved
no expenditure out of their own pockets.
Mr.. HUNTINGTON and his colleagues under
stand too we'll the importance of this city to
the Success of their grand railroad to leave it
out in their calculations. Ii we had always
had to rely upon tllat excellent guide-the
interests of those who expended their own
money to build railroads--wc would have
been safe Does any suppose that had The
money to build The railroad east of Lynch
burg been furnished by Il company Of Scnsi-
bic capitalists they would have omitted
Richmond as il place not to be considered in
selecting their route: The idea is prcpos-
ferrous.
So we have no fear as to the plans of Mr..
HUNTINGTON. He will build a branch road from
Covington to Lynchburg, and thence he will
continue it to Richmond. Whatever he may
do with bis connections in other directions,
hither he will bring his line. He is too sen>i-
bic not to do so. Where else he will 30 we
do not know positively, and do not feel very
anxious about. We expect him to continue
his line out of Richmond castwardy; and
we are indifferent as to where be goes. a
railroad going out of Richmond is railroad
coming into 1t also. He may so to Norfolk
or to Yorktown or to Newports News. 1t
is all one. We should be glad to see Nor
folk flourish. But Mr.. HuNTlSGToN is going
to do what he thinks best for his line, and
we think our people have nothing to fear.
What is best for the Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad will hardly be injurious to us.
Upon this point we see no ground for
quarrel between us and the corporation con-
trolling the destiny of the Chesapeake and
Ohio railroad, nor between any of the
cities of the State and ourselves. 1t is TO the
interest of those cities and of the State that
Richmond should flourish. Ii she does not
flourish, then none other, it is likely, can
while if she does, other Virginia cities will