The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-01-30
The Railway from Keysville to Clarks

vile.
We have referred several times OF late to
The subject Of completing the railway from
KevsyiIIe TO Clarksville. II will be OF in
terest 10 consider further its bearings, as Tar
a. Richmond is concerned.
When the matter was agitated several
years ago, and had progressed as Tar as the
authorization by our city government OF
subscription to it, immigration to MeckIen'
burg at once set In from southern ONO ana
western Pennsylvania, and more thriity
set Of people than those who came couId not
be found anywhere. The climate was so
much better than that they had left, and the
Resources OF the county were so varied,
that they were willing to make the change,
provided, OF course, they enjoyed the means
they had been used to for the marketing OF
their products-namey, railway. But the
panic coming, and preventing for the
time the substitution OF railway for
the dirt-road to Keysville, many OF
these settlers "pulled up stakes" and
went back. The men are in Mecklenburg
now who can start again this tide to our
borders, and it will not be confined to the
taking up Of our lands there, but will so
into manufacturing enterprises as well; Tor
there is 10 site in southern Virginia more
advantageous for manufactures than Clarks-
vile. situated as it is at the junction OF the
Dan aud StauntOn rivers, and possessing a
fine water-power. There the stream ce-
comes the Roanoke, and this noble river
runs through almost the entire length OF
the county, whilst north OF 1t courses the
Meberrn. We have long known wha'
are the capabilities OF Mecklenburg IN the
production of corn and tobacco, and tho
late experience Of her planters has proved
that she is also good cotton country. III
fact. there are few crops THAT cannon p'
grown in Mecklenburg. BesNes, much OF
her area is covered with heavy timber OF eX-
celent quality.
This railway would drain largely The
county OF Lunenburg, and that counnty, we
see, proposes TO add cotton to bel staple
crops. CIarksyille would become the mar
ket-town and shipping point for the north
ern portion VI thc Couht'SS WI o'N'"''"'
and Person, in North Carolina, and grow
10 be centre for the handling OF the fine
yellow tobacco peculiar TO that region. The
gray auds around GAINESVILLE produce this
type OF tobacco in great perfection, and thu
factories already there will find employment
in putting it. into shape for the consumer
These factories are capacious, and will ad
NIT OF large business without further out
lay 10 this respect. Chase City is well 10
Gated and is bound to grow. Boydton
with enterprise in her merchants--and w
have no right to believe that /, will be ab
seni-will gather in the trade OF the eastern
part OF the county. A portion OF that re
glon now goes TO Norfolk and portion Il
Petersburg. 1t would doubtless all COM
this way With the road completed to Clarks
willie aud branch TO Boydton. The nat
ural route, indeed, for the trade Of Meek
lenburg Is by the railway now contemplated
via the Richmond and Danyile railroad Il
Richmond, and This trade once secured can
not be taken d,oay from as.
II is proposed to complete the road du
Ing this year, and nothing Is 10 be done, II
connection with the preliminaries, but t
complete the subscription the corporation
OF Richmond has been authorized TO make
The return comes at once to as; it is nc
away of in the future; and there Is every
thing to indicate that the money will be we
spent by US In such an undertaking.