The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-10-28
AleIlmoud 1lspatth.
Neutrality-suspicious. 20, 1910
Trade Of Richmond with the West,

During the session In this city Oh the Coul-
miitec on Transportation from the interior
to the Atlantic MI. LEWIS CRESsHAw- was
summoned before it. He made statement,
full OF interest, showing the advantages Oh
this citv not only for manufacturing nut
for conducting foreign commerce eSpe-
cial!y suited to the western States.
Rc stated the grinding capacity OF tue
mills OF this city at 100000 barrels OF flour
pcr anunm, adding that for the want OF
whea. they did not now manufacture more
than go. 900 barrels per annum. SO here Is
a de;ci. of some two millions and hat OF
bushels Of wheat in the demand for the mills
OF this city.
If that amount could be brought here
from the West Richmond would put upon
the market annually 100000 barrels of flour
without any increase in her milling capacity.
But every one may see shat if this deficit
were made up the capacity for hour-manu-
factuye here could be readily increased to
almost any amount that might be required
for the consumption Of the western supply.
But suppose there was no increase III manu-
featuring capacity, the route by which the
e,5O0. 900 bushels would come to Richmond
might. with great advantage TO the western
producer. he made the line of shipment for any
amount of grain beyond the consumption
here; for here we have the tidal connection
with sea- going commerce that would give the
western producer the command OF any AT
would be advisable to place his produce.
But with such nest-cgg "a the very large
demand for grain for our mills Richmond
would inevitably become Il grain market OF
crca, activity, and. probably, the very best
for the western grain-growcr.
These are sound views. They are not
payuliayiy ours. They are so natural that
they will present themselves to any ana
everybody. Richmond, then, Us soon as the
way Tor supplying the heavy deficit OF tue
demand Of her mills is established, Will be-
Gene . crca; grain market for tie western
producers. The next thing is to supply
those western producers with what they
want in return for their gram.
This i readily answered. Richmond has
for lor. years been one of the very best
grocery markets in the Union. She only be-
comes Il better market As her mcans OF COM
munic.iion with the interior increase. We
have now nd led 10 those means an airline
t, the south rid Atlanta. and the Ohio and
Car..u,ikc railroad 10 HE Ohio river. These
are m,,ortant arteries of communication with
by;h the heart OF the cotton-producng re-
con q the south and the heart OF the grain
and lncI; making region of the Middle,
Wet. aid Northwest. They make Rich
mond the ready medium Of communication
brtw,cn the West and the sea, and the equal
~ ready place of exchange between the
Northwest and the South Atlantic. This
,n;l,; bring her forward prominently as
point Of great consequence in the commerce
Cfthc important districts named.
NJ. CRESsHAw touched upon point Of
csl.cial interest to the West. Our peculiar
manufacturing power places lis in close and
intimate relations with the sugar and coffee
and hide. producing countries, and it Is the
c:,>i,,, matter in the world for us to en-
countries in question, which are so extern
siycly consumed by the West. Mr.. CREs-
SHAW referred specially TO the coffee trade of
Rio. in which this city was largely engaged
before the war. He announced the agree
able fact that he intended to embark in that
trade a soon rs the adequate means were
provided for placing tie coffee in the west
crn cities. Before the war We had thirteen
superb vessels steadily engaged in the Rio
trade, and we have seen 5000 bags at SIM
Gle sale of coffee in this city.
Now, .hcn, there arises before the practi-
cal mind view Of the relations between
RichmonG: aud the great West Of a very in
tcrcsting character. The harmony and rcci- |
proci,y Of these relations are very beautiful
and entirely mutual.
The Chesapeake and Ohio railroad has |
no; vet completed its western connections.
II i, Vet incomplete in the matter OF the set
Element and so,idity Of its track and banks |
II has not a reasonable supply of rolling |
stock, and is incapable of meeting the de- |
mand for transportation already presented.
When those connections are complete ana
its rolling stock is reinforced the trade be-
tween Richmond and the West will rapidly
increase, and the Importance of this route TO
the Atlantic will assume dignity not yet
awarded 20 it. -,f,a.5,r .....- ISL t.
But with all its power the Chesapeake and
Ohio railroad will be unable to meet the
western demand for transportation. The
central water-line must be constructed before
;,.c West can acquire the facilities which
ought TO be afforded for transportation r'a
the central line across the Virgnias.
Mr.. CRENsHAw made his statement very
timely. 1t bears directly upon the argu-
ment of the day and the prospects and
hopes of the people of Richmond.
Something New.
The telegraph has brought news of great