The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-05-27
-, ], 80, :. 80, AZ .cosanerce.

ma con, roycrsy we have had abott ttel
!, hronoh connection Of the EIshn,ond antsl
rSansslse railroad o;a the York River rail-
road TO west Point induces this inquiry
Are our business-rn rs a rule, fully aiiYe
Co the pubic interest, and therefore ~
thoroughly advised rs they might pc q its its
bearings -.
The present business life Of Ricbmond
dates really only from the close OF me war va !.
Few Of the establishments in trade before
1851 are to be found here now; nor are the
methods Of doing business hike what they
used to be. Richmond. in fact, is very
new place. What, looked at In common;
sense light, is expected OF new place II ~
"a To be built upand become highly prosper
ouss Simply that bard aud persis. en-. WI = y
sha,l be. done by the people OF thai; new "
nlace. How has it been found, from eSpe-
,.sa,ca. that sucb work can best be dones
nv associated effort. Now, whilst the re.
suit OF the war has so changed the pcrsoo1snes
"a well MS methods of our business, II does
Inot appear to have materially affected the
ancient habit of giving to our familles AT
| the time at our command not devoted
to our regular business, OF course, nothing
could be more commendable than TINS haD'lt,
especially where The economy OF commu-
njty is reasonably settled, but In q place
starting the world; afresb, as Richmond 49,
can her businessmen afford it7 Does not ,t'
the public, interest claim as our best invest
ment some portion OF the time OF every man
of us? 1t is plain that this public interest,"
must he closely looked after II individual
Interests are to flourish; and it is equally
| plain that the community should rot De
content to have this burden thrown wholly
upon the shoulders Of few men. Rich
mond Is good.sized place, and as wiling
as these men may be TO work they cannot
| compass everything. s,:a q
! WHAT, then, is to. be done? We have an
organization exactly arranged for the pur-
pose;:lwe refer to the Chamber OF Com
tmerce. Glue it complete efficiency. LIS
membership should cover every calling 10
the city forming an element 10 It's trade ];
and its meetings should take placesat night,
|
We are persuaded that the great matters
affecting our welfare would, with this or
gapjzation as full as it should be, receive
the general consideration we have referred
to. Transportation facilities (and what, in
modern business, does not that word trans
portation coycr?), the Improvement OF our
waterfront the deepening OF the James to
point that will admit ships Of tue heaviest
draught, the enlargement OF our dock-room,
are some OF these great matters. Will
we not come to the work like men and
make this place what it deserves to be, the
chief city OF the South. Richmond is beau
tlfui for situation, can be successfully de-
Tended in time OF war, is very healthy, has
an ample watee supply, and, with the im-
provements indicated, will be unsurpassed
as distributing point. Our sister cities
South cannot stand the continued blows OF
yellow-Hevcr visitation; The work OF years
is undone in Il single season. We may, in
deed, with reason look for capital to low
here from that quarter, as we'll as from the
North aud abroad. In the mean time we
cannot leave untricd our best efforts to make
solid our attractions. and working together
tile thing will be DONE
In what we have said we wish it to be un-
derstood that we do not overlook the !abors
Of the Commercial Club 10 building up our
trade; but that excellent institution, is spe-
cial in its operation, whereas the Chamber
OF Commerce covers the WHOLE field.