The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-12-12
The -.James-River Railway.

Tbis Sproject received a decided impulse
in the meeting III the aldermen ON Mon.
flay night. 1t was sustained with a una
nimity and warmth that even surprised us
who have the opportunity of,knowing what
a great changehas taken placeinpublic opin-
ion with reference to substituting a railroad
for the canal. With such q hearty support
it is impossible that there can be any such
word as, .1fail y. in this project. 1t is in
deed O project Of the people of Virginia
and of Richmond 1t relates to the establish
ment Of fit artery Of the centre OF the State
leading. to, the very heart OF the Commons
wealth. The transportation along that ar
terry ought to be conducted upon the most inn
proved plan. It ought to be carried on by
the most efficient and expeditions known
mode of the transportation OF travel and
freight. This should have been the case at
first. : A. great deal OF time has been lost;
but even now such an Improvement will
establish the proper integrity OF Virginia
commerce, and increase rapidly and greatly
the population and wealth of the State. =
In what we have had to say we have but
touched some of the most interesting points.
Readable essays might be written on every
point; and we shall: not fail ourselves to
comment upon them rs we continue to adj
vocate the work. A friend calls our atten-
ton to what he considers in our remarks as
sighting the advantages Of the road along
the fiyer between Richmond and Clifton
Forge. We were coming to that more par
'ticularly, as being very interesting part OF
the discussion. We take the liberty OF pub.
fishing our correspondents letter without
bis name. He understands the matter in
most intelligent and practical manner: -3,gr
RICHMOND, VA, December II, 1877. Il
Messrs. Editors In your editorials you
Law too much stress, relatively, on the advan-
tages OF the James River railroad to Rich
anond. You must show the great benefit it
will be to the country along the James
River valley. Grosyenor, OF st. Louis,
land no man anywhere more thoroughly
understands the American railway sYstem.)
states that taking. the average in this
country the enhancement in value OF pro-
perry along. railway line is 100000
per mile. If this is the average, what
would that enhancement be in a val
ley as rich : in resources; OF = all
kinds as that of, the James? Even at
this rate the; distance from here to Clifton
Forge would be S23,O00,000, which pays
twice over, in increased taxable values, the
whole cost OF the canal: Again, who wants
to buy a James-river estate when it takes al
most as long to getto' Scottsville (and that,
too. in q wretched -packeD as!it would
to reach Boston, Massachusetts,? There
are plenty of people who would be glad to
buy these estates If they knew that they
could reach our principal city in few
hours, and that with the comforts now Pc
culiar to railway travel. II the difficulty
of collecting money is "A criterion, there
is no portion Of the State worse off
now than the people OF the James-River
valley, and with the poor facilities they have
possessed no hope was presented OF any
Quick transit through it
would fill it with new life, and new life
means new income. y5tt',s H.g@ !
If the people of Rockbridge, Botetourt,
&C., had put their money in something that
would have benefited their own State in
stead OF becoming the tools Of Garrett (who,
not content with destroying the integrity OF
our boundariesiin the erection OF West Viz
einia, had nothing in view but to suck us
dry at all points) they would be infinitely
better of. And still Richmond, with all
theserf fearful drawbacks, pays one eighth OF
all the taxes OF the State. What would she
not have been if all the State had lent
helping hand? e.: "" -"
- Very truly, ~: . O.P.