The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-11-23

along Inc & valley Of the N eherrin A
letter written from Hicksford says
Speaking about aiIroads, the people In
this section have drawn.ia their imagi nation
a great road between Lawrenceyille end
some ,,oipt on the Seaboard and Roanoke
railroad. agi It Is said steps will be soon
taken towards the accomplishment OF the
same. The result, in my Judgment, Will De
the steps without the accom- iislime mt. Is
committee OF the citizens OF GreensViile
county. Norfolk and Portsmouth, was ap-
nointed in Norfolk, last Wednesday eve
ming, TO consider disadvantages ana propa-
BILE cost OF constructing said ROAD, when u
decided that their respective people shousd
at once be visited and negotiations maze LOT
the sale OF the bonds OF the proposed ROAD,
upon which there shalt be q tlrst mortgage
to secure the same. IL was also aecldeu
that in few days party OF prominent
merchants will make a pleasant excursion
up the Seaboard road for the purpose OF
riding by private conveyance over the pro
Yantages and inducements OF ranninS same
We shall see what we shall see"
While the same paper quotes ELSEWHERE
from the Norfolk ledger:
"The earnest manner in which the Pe-
tersburg Inder- dppedt urges the merchants
of that city to bestir themselves in order to
maintain the trade OF the Meherrin Valley
js abundant evidence that the products OF
that section arc worth laboring for. we
wish TO do no evil to our sister city OF Pe-
tersburs, upon whom troubles OF imam
cial and business character have fallen thick
and fast in the past few years, but II ner
people is not willing to aid the farmers IN
getting their products 20 their market, NO. !,
talk must stef in and give the desired ana
mucb-needed facilities. 1t will be well for
orr merchants to look mt this question prac-
tically. and act unitedIy and promptly 10
secure The trade Of the Mcherrin Valley"
II is time the people OF our market-town
were looking to their interests. Norfolk,
with its worldwide outlook, has only TO
profer her hand, and 4 bargain VIII De
struck. The whole of Brunswick, with us
half million OF trade, and q part OF Lunen-
burg and Meckenburg, will become hef
tributaries. We know her climatic diSaa-
yantages as grain and tobacco Market
but, then, she is en- route BON 10 baltimore
and New York, where all commodities brihg
prime prices and pin-bookers are unknown.
We clip the above from the BrunswtcH
Advocate OF the 2lst instant. The trade OF
the Mcherrin country, especially in Bruins
wick and Greensville counties. has hereto
fore been enjoyed by Petersburg. 1t must
naturally take that course, or to Norfolk
and Portsmouth. 1t is too far from the
Danyilc railroad to be available to Rich
mond. So We can afford to allow those
cities to fight one another for it. There is,
however, territory in that region which has
long traded with Richmond, but which
Richmond will most assuredly lose unless
railway facilities are allowed to its people.
We refer to Ilecklenburg county and the
lower part OF Lunenburg. The DanriEe
railroad, interfering as it has with the more
southerly connections Of the SeaboaM rall-
road, compcls this road, out OF mere SELL
preservation, 10 draw from all points i'm
mediately on the right or left of it, and
Mecklenburg is in that direction. A branch
road from Manson's to GAINESVILLE and Chase
City and Boydton it may be cheap narrow
gauge will carry all the trade Richmond
has so long enjoyed there to Forts
mouth and Norfolk. and. perhaps, Balii-
more. Year after year Mccklenburg has
implored Richmond to make a narrow
gauge road from Keysville to Clarksville
and Boydton Ola Chase City. 1t would cost
very little, the road-5ed being largely made
already. Can Richmond afford to let any
OF her trade slip through her fingers? II
she can, it is q question, in ou7 judgment,
OF very short time, when the Mecklen-
burg trade will be diverted to other points.
It is not enough that we should bend our
energies to the construction OF the James
River railway; we must ceaselessly watch
all points affecting our prosperity.