The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-11-24

course II The port should succeed IN Sc
curing sufficient depth OF water at its
wharves II will be able TO export grain but
inasmuch as by the LIT OF June the Chesa-
peake and Ohio railroad promises to have
Its Underwater connection at Newport News
completed, I cannot see what inducement
there will then be for vessels to load at Rich.
mond. The same comment will apply to
the effort now being made TO establish
cotton trade here. With both cotton
and grain at Norfolk, more than 100 miles
nearer the sea, why should ships seek this
port In preference 10 the former, especially
when the history OF the trade shows that It's
tendency is TO seek the nearest rail- route 10
the ocean, But for another and larger pur.
pose Richmond ought to nurse her cotton
trade. Instead Of two, she should nave
twenty cotton factories. The Danville ana
the Petersburg roads both bisect the cotton
belt aud ~ the companies when supply
the belt with fertilizers take iheir pay IN
kind, they can easiIy--as they are already
beginning to do-divert their cotton pro-
duet to Richmond. On the other hand, The
ne,rpess OF the city TO both northern and
southern markets for manufactured goods
should give her an advanta. over her
rivals IN the disposal OF her mill output. 1t
Is TO this ultimate result that ihe labors OF
the new Corn and Cotton Exchange should
be directed.
THE IRON INTEREST.
Aside from miscellaneous manufactures,
which Will doubtless multiply as caplial
grows more plentiful. and Tor the same gen.
eral reasons TO which the city's past indus
trial growth Is due, there Is one important
interest which, on the completion OF the
ono ming ND OF the Kanawba coal and IRON
ore region, will develop, ] am confident,
with great rapidly. refer. OF course, TO
the iron interest. Like philadelphia, Rich
| mond is a, the foot OF natural highway OF
traffic. The Tidewater region OF the James
corresponds exactly 10 the Delaware river
| below its junction with the Schuylkill,
while the upper portion closely resembles
the latter stream from the Quaker City upto
Pottsyj.le. Why should not the James, like
the Scbuylkill, be lined with furnaces and
mllsY Why should not Richmond, like Phil
adelphia, stretch its arm up the river ana
| pant lis banks with factories? Ii is only
question of time aud capital to bring about
such result. Philadelphia, with its $780,
600 peopIe, is as much OF an inland city,
with no greater natural advantages. And
as for Bnltimore-well, give us the James,
plant 1t lust where Jones's Falls dribbles
! through the city, and In ten years 1t would
| 90 bard with Us but that we made the pace
| hot for New York itself Now. II ought to
| be clear to the businessmen OF Baltimore,
from what | have said, 10 what direction
they may expect 10 encounter the rivalry OF
Richmond, so far q manufactures are con-
cerned, as well as how imDOrtant 1t is that
no time should be lost in building up their
oil hat
has in her favor, Baltimore is in many
respects better off. She has rot, it
j. true, great natural water-power
at her doors, but she has capital and
wider market; and as Edward Akin
son. the wellknown industrial writer, told
some OF the citizens OF Richmond when
they were eulogizing the james, nearness to
market Is in these days greater desldera-
tum with manufacturers than the cost oil
motiye-power. Then, too, the recent re-
duclon Of water-rents 10 fac ors in Balti-
more, and the further reduction which it is
proposed 10 make as soon as the GunDow-
der Works are in operation, Will place the
Monumental City at a decided advantage.
since in Richmond not only Is the charge
for water eXorbitant, but In seasons OF
drought the supply is totally inadequate 10
meet The demand. Ii is but few weeks
sioce the business men OF this city were
forced to haul water from. the river in
barrels TO supply he boilers OF their engines,
and some OF the factories were compelled TO
suspend operations entirely. New water
works are now In course Of construction by
a Baltimore firm. and doubtless The evil will
be remedied 10 some extent; but even then
the supply will not admit OF such conces-
sion as the Water Board OF Baltimore has
made 10 It's wholesale consumers. This
fact. which, in connection with the proposed
exemption OF plant from taxation, | took
good care to bring TO the attention OF the
gentlemen with wDom l cOnversed on the
subject, seemed TO impress them nightly.
and one manufactures in particular who has
recently bought out rival factory in Baltl-
more, and conteDpIates removing IFS entire
plant to Richmond. The gentleman in ques-
ton, II may be OF some interest to know,
began business when the Baltimore factory
was already well established, aud he has had
TO CONTEND with fierce competition IN the
cutting Of prices oil its part. Yet, In spite
OF these obstacles, he has made enough
money 10 close ii up. Ii strikes ME that
when such thing rs this occurs, it is about
time for Baltimore businessmen TO put on
their thinking caps.