The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-03-11

! have had, with the completion OF The Valley
railroad 10 Salem, two separate routes to
the South and Southwest, joined In move.
ments by which surveys were made, To-
cal subscriptions procured, and rights
OF way secured over good part
OF the extension proposed. That was from
Danville ria StatesyilIe, in North Carolina,
TO Spartanburg, In South Carolina, on the
Piedmont railroad, by which lt would have
had an easy and friendly connection with
Atlanta, the great southern railroad centre.
| The route which was indicated by Mr..
Bland on Monday night lies 10 the east In
stead Of the west OF the rival lire from
Danville to Augusta. IL will pass through
the most fertile part OF North Carolina 10
Charlotte, there making connection with
the Piedmont road, as well as with the
South Carolina system. This eastern routels
preferred by the Merchants and Manufactu'
rers' Association because IL traverses more
fertile region. The resources OF this sec'
ton were fully set forth by Mr.. Bland and
Mr.. Hairston. But whatever route be Sc
lected, the extension should be made, and
that quickly, il we would preserve our pro-
ftable iobbing trade, Of which, as wa.
shown on Monday night, 80 per cent. is
with the South A coil Of railroad systems
tempted to be woven more closely and more
tightly around Baltimore, the object being
to cut Us off from our legitimate connec.
lions and strapgle our industries and our
commerce in the place OF their birth. We
must cut through the coil before we are
CONSTRUCTED BY il. We have already done
so TO the westward and nOithwestYard,
with the result OF making our port one
80 ho
country. We are certain in time TO cut
through TO the north ard eastward, 80 as to
give us uninterrupted connections with
Now York. But we must free ourselves
stIll further. and at once, bg cutting through
by independent lines further 10 the south
ward, and securing the best and cheapest
route TO our best market by a line which
does not admit OF a rival. This line we can
secure by the extension OF the Midland
road, and we should secure il with prompt
ness. As the case now stands, the trade OF
the South i developing more and more.
| New York i gathering It mp by steamships
from Charleston, Savannah, Wilmington,
and Norfolk; Philadelphia is aiming 10 tap
it by the Shenandoah Valley road; Cincin-
nati (Witb which, however, we have adVdn.
t0geous connectlOD) has pushed IL South
ern road 10 Chattanooga; Louisville (WIlh
.
which we also have good coqntclion) Is
sweeping through the interior o. the South
from Memphis 10 Norfolk. from Nashville
to the Gull, aud Norfolk is gathering in
more and more OF the great cotton harvest,
knowing full well that the planter BUYS
where he sells. Norfolk and Richmond Cid
Civ Point have received since september
/. 1880, 100, ,033 bales Of cotton, against
20. 7jl bales received at BItlm0re IN the
same time. Norfolk's exports OF mcrchan-
die in January, 1881, were y 0G2.3j0'
against $l,3GS 30l in same month cI 1850
an increase OF 100000 i0r the month.
These fgurcs-thesc facts-necd no COM
mcnt. They must convince our citizens
that the time has come for action in the
particular direction indicated. They must
prove that our clpi;ital must be yitaIized
and returu to it's ancient activity in sectIr-
ing new means and new services Of trans
portaliOn.