The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-13
The Richmond and Virginia Plan.

The Richmond and Virginia : is'.i'
Richmond, paying into the State Treasury
one-eighth Of the revenue OF the state
beipg yirginia's most promising city-nas
more OF the elements Of prosperity ana
growth than any other. OF course, anything
tha, ipiures Richmond seriously Injuries the
Safe. and anything that promotes h'cn'
mond's prosperity is greatly beneficial 10 tue
State.
Now. then, railroad scbcmes-and more
especially railroad management in .i'c ''','
thirty years have. so far as the line no'.n""u :,
" and southwardly il concerneo' u.'e''s"
both travel and trade from Richmond, thus
;uficting upon her most serious INJURY 20
the crea, de;riment Of Virginia. Inc rou'e
through Richmond has been slow ana at
.o,ded with numerous changes, ana there'
fore !, has in a great degree been AVOIDED
nv regulations arbitrary there have been 10
such thing as freights through Richmond
northward or southwark.
We need not tell business men no" h'cn'
mond has suffered from these causes. lou
cannot have trade without travel; you can
not get an opportunity to trade Wheh
frcighls all take route FAR from you.
Therefore we have been greatly injured
therefore it becomes a matter OF brSt impof'
lance TO Richmond that she should have all
The travel, all the transportation through her
limits that fair and equal participation I'D
railroad facilities can give her.
We say but the truth when we say 'Ia'
TO her the gate has been always cioseo-
closed with impas.abe locks and bolts. we
have ways TO the South, but OF what Vaiue
are they If VIC stop Accommodation mere !:
II we stop trade here ii will not come mere,
b. cause trade must have liberty TO come and
go where Il pleases. So il hunted for unoo
struc,ed transit, and going northwardly that
was in any direction except by Richmond.
This is fact for every man in this city to
consider.
If we look at tine Danyille road, which
comes as straight as it can to this city, we
see that it is crippled first, by two breaks
in North Carolina; and secondly, when 1t
gets here there is another break. 1t also
suffers by the absence of al'"rail expeditions
freisht-lines northwardly. This results to
our serious injury, and of course to the de-
trment Of the State.
The trouble in this city causes FIVE times
as much freight 10 he transferred from the
DanyiIle road to MAuoNE's road as MAuoSE's
road gives TO the Danvlle road at Burke
willie, But the Danvlle road is not the only
road whose contributions to the wealth OF
this city we must most earnestly consider.
There are the Petersburg, the Petersburg
and Weldon. the Weldon and Wilmington
roads, on to Georgia. These, too, we must
take into account. Over all these ROADS
flows the blood Of commerce, which, by &C.
ocraphical, social, and commercial affinity,
should come to this city. On all OF them,
by the adroit combinations and strategics of
monopoly, this blood is sucked and drained
to other channels.
We tell the people of Richmond that they
have no conception of the extent Of the in
Jury they suffer from these causes. That
remedies will be found for them we have
not doubt. The natural course Of things
is too strong to he diverted any long time
by the vain schemes and the greedy devices
OF men. But an active, energetic, and wise
community will not leave to nature and
fairness the solution of a problem like this.
They will go to work, defend themselves,
and with strong wills and hands establish
their rights. clearly defined by nature and
fortified by justice.
What are the remedies!
They are the establishment of active and
expeditions passage and freight all.rul
communication between Richmond and the
North. and Richmond and the South. The
current must have free passage through
Richmond ,oithom let or hindrance. And
that the expedition may be increased there
must he an adjustment of breaks and there
must be close connections.
This policy with reference to railroads
aud all.rai lines may be looked upon as
salvation for large commerce justly
due to this city. For the want OF this
perpendicular line commerce has felt It's
way anywhere but through Richmond.
With it, the great current will flow through
Richmond.
The people of this city should direct their
whole power, mental and physical TO Inc
accomplishment of this great OBJECT. we
say Richmond, but we include the Who'e
State when we propose benefit for her'
Virginia should demand this rapid ana Id
cilitated transit ria Richmond Us lnoispensa'
bic to her commercial prosperity.