The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-09-26

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4 P,.,rea,ent lNecessity.

s AZ nrnpositton that cannob DO suSSSss wy
saanIe,, a .hiss IN Ii. -foEexesS.c ely
sn..f asnires 10 coramsrcial consequences ana
s,,,,,,ence t,ae TIE means. 81 corhnan
sSstsyeen IFS severs, raphtcal divisions.
snatl IS easy and expedl uous. We behold
ahateyers. enterprising city 10 this country
Is doing M 81 lis power TO facilitate t afs
transportation Of people from point 70 po'ssnt
and In all directions within the corporate
limits. New York, in its wonderful enter
prise, finding the surface Of the locality inca
.pable OF meeting the densandso OF rapid transi-
zion for the want OF space, has butt eiess-
sed railways, which do not interfere ere WIN WI
The currents. Of travel upon the surface. !.
london has pushed its enterprise also, ana
has gone into the use Of undergo una no ways way.
ia d relief from conflict to moving masses.
Ia this couRtry we see thataia every city
two grand objects have stood out more NOR
prominently than others relating TO I'M
proyement. These are rapid and cheap
transportation. They have advanced speedi'
ly towards accompl II Transports
ton now in oil the respectable cities Is Doth
cheap and rapid, and is sIeadily improving
in this respect. So that the business and
comfort and convenience OF city lsuia'
lions are all the time promoted; and IL is
this very sort OF Improvement that enables ;sf
city no ppiations to accomplish an amount o.
business that is amazing, and that enables
them 10 supply the demands OF rural popu'
lations TO an extent never rdreamt OF sDs
the people forty years ago. Tbe conve.
sniencc OF rapid transit is power to the cities.
It's more: it Is the health and happiness OF
the cities-aye, the eyes. legs, and and lungs OF
civ populations, Fancy that the clties
were suddenly deprived OF othis rapid
transit. 1t would plunge the people lnto
misery and the business OF a city into con-
fusion ind disaster. ave may liken 1t to
deprivation Of water and light Every
man can draw for himself q vivid picture OF
evils that would flow from denial to CITY
OF these blessings or any one Of them:
Now. in such 40. advantage 70 Guy as
rapid and cheap transit is the more periect IL
is the better Tor the business and social hap
piness 81 city. Would not g city without
+ 3 '
such transit be considered dead city Pa
city without energy and without enter
prise Pa city drifting into decay?
OF course it would. Then we may con-
clude that in proportion as. the means 1N1i OF
transit are limited and difficult the. reputa-
ton for life and enterprise OF city IS I'M
paired. Now, then, let us think Of the sit
Iation Of Richmond. She has a city rali-
wav, but one that Is poor enough IN COM
parisou with the facilities for rapid transit
in other cities. Now, the question is, ought
we to be satisfied with this condition OF our
city railway2 We put it to each and every
Hcitizen; for it is aquestion that concerns
every man. woman, and child in Richmond.
It invoIyesa'1ke business, health, and COM
fort. 10. Il. ;...; ,l.,ar,I /. .t,g,T
And what is the chief cause OF the ina
bitity OF The Richmond City railway to
satisfy public desire, and confer upon the
city, the real advantages Of rapid and cheap
transit p We answer, the sharp grades. oil
the streets and the serious obstruction OF
the communication between the two princi-
pal hills Of the city !: Church and Shockoe-
The difficulties are srth as not 10 pe.re-
moved speedily. But they may be sur
mounted by degrees, and, by a wise ana
econo neutrality-suspicious. Of the means ana
forecast of the city authorities. a.s 4n.
- First, it would be a grand movement 1or
the stree;-car company ii it would extend
its power and resources by new orsaNnIlza7
ton and an increase Of the stockholders OIL
the company Why may not that be done
Everybody is interested, as to improve the
usefulness of the railway would be to I'M
prove the business and comfort OF the peo-
pie. Strengthen the company, and it Will
be better able to profit by every improve
ment in the thoroughfares OF the city.
The city has begun to improve upon a
line that must add largely TO the business OF
the street railway. The work begun OF
making way OF easy transit by rail from
Main and Twenty-frst street to Twenty-ffth
and M street ,via the old familiar gulley on
the steep side OF Shockoe Hill will give ae-
cess to that hill, its many points OF obserVa'
ton, to Chimborazo and lakewood, etc.
II, now, on the Shockoe-Hill side there
shall be a proper grading Of Ninth street
from Main to Broad very toIerable-nay,
way OF easy transit between the two hills
may be, established. The sharp grade be-
tween Twelfth and Thirteenth streets will
then Be the only stout trouble to overcome
but that short steep can be endured with.
out distress until some better and future
time, when cur successors can take in
hand, Improved to this extent "a new Tile
will De impaired by stimulated intef e e 7
between: the great bills, and an increase. OF
business, while the railroad company would
become more prosperous and far stronger
IT we contemplate the continuation'o1
Ninth, street across the basin, and OF the
street railway, across the Free bridge into
Manchester, where the whole south side fol
miles iii opened to rapid transit by horse
cars, we may see that It is possible to in
crease adj libit,,n ]! the means of public
enjoyment and business facilities. Our
citizens, with such advantages, will be upon
equality with towns far more favored than
ours at this time. s.. tt'a
With this beginning we may in lime
and that not a very long time bare anseS-
tent and facility Of transit that will add i'm
mensely to the pleasure and health Of Rich
mond as well as to its real business pros
perity and its population. ~ sz:s = 49,.