The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-11-30
4irlln1und Dlspatth.
MONDAY NOVEMBER 80, 1877,
The War Of the Cities.

we have kent our readers informed of the
pstnre of the strife about freights, gram
and the cotton trade and sugar line. VIZ
will group few POINTS under the ABOVE
head.
New York, with the Erie canal, bad at the
completion of that work grand adVan'ase
over all cities. She had naturally great az
vantage as a shipping port over other ch'es.
She was en- ,raced by two great arms '' Tue
goa. and had more mIlsge Of wharf proPef'.
Than any other city 10 the I Mon. que ua'
s,so the Hudson river. and she STOOD AZ tne
,,o;n, of concentration. at the extremity OF the
lowest line of depression of the eafth 'roln
fbe lakes TO the Atlant'c.
Ru, the latitude OF New York suelected
her TO the severe northern fro>ts, ~hich
froz, no and rendered useless the Erie canal
for FIVE months in the year. That was nc
cause OF anxiety as long as there were nc
railroads; but railroads were built, and the
conditions of commerce were seriously al
fected.
Its no. surprising, therefore, that BaIti'
more, with tine railway giving her shorter
route 10 the West than New YORK mas,
should. at least in winter, when the clnal Is
SUSPENDED, do business competitive With
the New York and Philadelphia railways.
Her location so much south of theirs gave
Ler an advantage in climltc which is impor'
tant even with reference TO the operations
of RAILWAYS. Frost impcGeS everything, and
going North you see its eff cts increased until
finally you would get to where railroadlng
would be suspended by cold.
These are facts that bear seriously upon
the question Of transportation and trade
Now, Richmond being south Of Baltimore,
and moreover being located on the line Of
greatest advantage for its supply of wafer,
its low depression, and its just medium be-
tween the northern frosts and southern ma
laria, why should the arteries of communlca
ton terminating at her boundaries not be
come the most successful OF al in accommo'
dating the great trade Of the West: That's
the point.
Look at her as she sits queen-like upor
one of The finest rivers in the Union, whose
water-power afforded by great and elongated
falls is near the tide which brings sea-going
ships to her wharveS. The great FIGURING
mills of Richmond stand in sight of these
sea-going ships; SO that it may be said you
can grind with one hand and ship with the
other! How many millions would not Bal
timore give for such liver! And yet dc
our own citizens appreciate it?
The route from the West rid this city to
sea is that most eligible for the nation
most propitious as line ofcommerce-most
frausht with national blessings, as means OIL
uniting and barmonizng the nation and pro.
noting the endurance Of the Union.
All of the cities have their peculiar adj
vantages-New York hers, Baltimore hers,
and other cities theirs but we say very sin.
ceIey that Richmond has some of the most
exalted character, which are vouchsafed to
no other city in the Union. That the prin'
cipal cities will continue TO flourish we
doubt not. We do not believe that their
relation to one another will probably be
changed. We do not think that Baltimore
will exceed New York, or that Richmond
will outstrip Baltimore. But We feel
certain that had Richmond been in a
free State, or had she been in a
State where commerce and manufactures
were not so completely subordinated by
agriculture as it has been in Virginia, she
would now be the first of inland cities, as
we believe she is yet destined to be.
Wishing all the cities well, and hoping for
n fair commerce, just to producer and con.
sumner everywhere, we only beg for Rich.
mopd fair play from all quarters. With this
and proper energy amongst her own people,
the highest expectations of her friends will
he realized.