The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-09-30
ithl.,oad ispatl'hl'|.' q.
; ,,,l,,,, . ]. .sEpTEMBER 30, 1s7s.
{ !. po,,t car CONSIDERATION.

The best balf Of q Dover estate az wy wy
rich valley o. the upper james so.a 'nsse
DAYS since al the low price Ct thirteen aoi-
lars and City cents per acre. such iana, go :
located, were there a railroad along tne Ya q.
,su !, t.,e James, would, at the lowest price.
bring M7s dollars an acre. u would oe
fair 10 assume that all desirable lands in TINS
snnerb valley would be enhanced In value
In ike manner by the construction OF 9
railroad Id the place Of the unfortunate ca
nal, which has cost Virginia and Richmond
so much and has proved so inefficient.
IL may be readily seen how railway
would thus Increase the resources OF the
State as well as enrich the inhabitants OF tue
valley. AT present, with rich lands ana
haanti,nl estates, those Inhabitants are OPP
pressed with pecuniary troubles, and' Wnat
i worse, d disturbed and demoralized 40
nestle economy. Give them railroad, and
presto, change. They would be fuls OF en.
ergy aud independent. The fairest valley
In fhe state would be relieved from de-
spondcncy and gloom, and valley and peo'
nile would become bright and cheerful,
and the sunshine and bloom Of prosperity
and peace would illumine the whole line
from Richmond to the Alleghanies.
This valley is lovely in landscapes, rich
in agricultural aud mineral resources, ane
is susceptible OF improvementand develop
ment that would add millions to the wealth
and resources OF the State. But n railway
alone could bring about this grand reyolu
ton.
The canal is complete failure. Were =
the most perfect canal in structure SUI
there would be natural disadvantages whico
sre insurmountabIe; and II we may sup
pose they could be lesscned by ait SO as &c
he no longer serious difficulties, still the
immense power and speed OF railway trans
portation, and, more than this, Its greater
cheapuess than canal transportation, would
rive the railway so much the advantage that
the canal cannot be considered competitor
with it.
It is not only that it is plain that the canai
cannot compete with the railway, out our
.James.Riycr canal by its defective location
and construction is become so costly that
the community interested in it Is not 1usti-
fed in keeping it in repair. 1t is seldom
that it continues in repair long enough TO
nav for the expenditure last incurred lor
rcpairs. The repairs after the great flood OF
1877 are not completed before that OF the
present month although 40 "great
shakaso) comes unexpectedly and does
damage TO more than $4,000 beyond
Lyrchburg, which, to an impecunlous cor
roration, is severe "slam."
What sad condition this is for such
rich yalley-onc capable CT bestowing SO
much wealth and so many blessings upon
people who so sorely stand inneed OF wealth
and comfort! :;
Along this fair valley there is every ao-
vantage for various enterprises in the man
uiacturing line and the very best sites for
villages. A railway would give the manu-
featuring and the villages, and its route
would rapidly become continuous scene
OF activity and thrift.
We are satisfied that there. is no other
valley in the Atlantic States OF equal attrac-
tions, and railroad in it would De very
probably the most successful IN the coun-
try. l4.~e
These matters deserve the earnest consid-
Grafton OF the people Of Richmond. All can
understand that railroad along the James
River Valley would give Richmond such
prosperity and growth as to exceed the CAL
cuIations OF the most sanguine persons
even one so enthusiastic as ourselves. We
do most earnestly beg our people and all-
thorities to keep this important matter
steadily in view. There are many ways in
which influence and intervention may be
OF use in expediting so great a deside-
ratum as the building OF this road. We
should watch and take advantage OF every
opportunity, whether to speed the enter
prise or give it direction. Richmond and
her people are vitality interested in it.