The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-05-22


Merchant a Alarmed, - dated Richmond, May
IN 1870. Is 80 remarkable paper that uti.!
Iier ordinary circumstance It might we'll
she ,,assed NV tinfoticeIi, - But in this. rar.
He,,iar case, In which line OF Vtrginta
Soriciu, having its terminus at flrgin,laa. =
ehtef sand sits nearest IS deep.Waters -
outlet owned, controlled, and operated ny
gentlemen who are large owners OF preperly
il, Virginia. both In real estate. stocks, anu
mines. as well us or railroads and steam boats,
who have contributed their means with rs
liberal q hand as any Ia the State toward
building up and developing her resources,
when this line and those owners have been
assaiieti as they have been by the: writer OF
the article before referred to. deem 1t my
duty to lay: the facts before the public, that
they may Judge, OF the iairness and business
of the critieisns OF !" l.. w
The burtben OF his conplaint is--nrsl,
that line OF steamers trimming from Ne"
York TO West Point threatens tue WIN
drawal OF shipments to and through Rich
mond. T presume that 81. W." ia this re-
;ers TO business from. northern points to
southern points beyond Richmond. .@' :
a, w hat are the facts? The Richmond and
Danyjile railroad have never been enabled
20 cornpete successfully with the lines from
New York uiG Norfolk, Wilmington,
Charleston, Port: Royal, and Savannah,
to the South, because OF the time
consumed in the transfer by wagons
OF that business through the city OF
Richmond, even when the freshets and Ice
bIockades in the James river did not entirely
cut them off, and instead OF getting their
share of the trade have been obliged to
carry very sma,l percentage OF it. Will the
facilities by which q large share OF this bust
ness will be done over roads. both OF which
terminate at Richmond, and which contri-
butte as much to it's its trade as any lines
IN the State, who arc thoroughly Identified
with VirSinia's Interests in general, and OF
msSebans Ct ssTouss
the trade to Virginia, North Carolina, and
other States, for which 81. W." has spent
"hundreds OF thousands Ut dollars 10 i'm
proye the channel of the James river"
only competed for ui0 james river and York
river?
Where are the routes Usd Norfolk in con-
nection with the Seaboard and Atlantic,
Mississippi and Ohio railroads? Where is
the route viu Lyncbburg and Danville, to
say nothing OF those UiG Wilmington,
Charleston. and the other southern ports,
and the railway lines from Louisville and
Cincinnati Ola Nashville?
Is the York river less 4 Virginia stream
than the James river, and If Nature has so
provided that hundreds OF thousands OF
dollars - were not necessary TO make the
navigation of that river deep enough TO
float the largest sea-going ships, but that at
Richmond's very door port unsurpassed
on this continent is offered, is this reason
that such river and such port should be
assaulted and facilities denied it for doing
business?
Are the routes to Baltimore, Pbiladel-
phia, New York, Boston, and other points
for the " country merchants alluded to
by "L. W." blocked except through Rich
mond, that he should be forced TO come
to Richmond to be told by al. W."
to "go elscwherc"2 Has Bremen Haven
ever injured Bremen?' and is not West
Point as near to Richmond as Bremen ua-
ven is to Bremen ? Were the facilities az
forded by the construction OF the Church
Hill tunnel to the Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad to enable them to get to the river
and save wagon haul through Richmond, 10
which Richmond was large subscriber, in
the interests OF those who bad made invest
ments in the transhipping business! Then
why should we be assailed who not only
paid the entire cost of the track connecting
the Richmond, York River and Chesapeake
and Richmond and Danvile railroads
through the city, but aided greatly to i'm
prove Dock street, and be denied facilities
for doing business. without which would
be forced by other routes, and neither the
teamster, laborer, merchant, or railroad
centering ut Richmond receive any benefit
from? And is it not rather remarkable that
the merchants of the city OF Richmond
should complain Of increased facilities for
communicating with The CHIEF city OF this
country? Will it hurt anybody here that,
instead OF forwarding and receiving goods
to and from New York three times week,
they can do six times week?
The line uio West Point will in no way
conflict with tuat Ola the james river. The
steamers will run here as usual; and ask
In all candor and fairness whether the York
River route is to be condemned because it
offers to Richmond's merchants facilities for
doing business to all northern, eastern, and
western points, which without that line
they would not enioyf
In conclusion, beg to say that the owners
of tile York River railroad are not owners
OF property at West Point, except such as
has been necessary to locate their tracks and
depots upon; but that they do own pro-
perty in Richmond, and are greatly inter-
ested in lis prosperity.
Could the merchants OF Richmond con-
troll the entire trade OF the South no one
would rejoice more than /, for feel assured
that in bringing freiehts to Richmond for
the merchants to supply TO those in the
South we would both greatly increase our
tonnage and revenue over that Of the pre-.
''' II. i. DOUGLAS.