The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-01-03
A Deserved Compliment-the Rich
mond and Danville.

A Deserved Compliment-the Rich
mond and Danville.
The Boston Commercial Bulletin has had
one of its editors located in Atlanta ever
since the Cotton Exposition opened. In
the issue of that journal Of the 31st ultimo
appears the following tribute to the great
railway system projected and carried
through by Richmond men, written by
their Atlanta editor. Who says that Rich
mond will not grow, and grow rapidly,
with the enormous field opened to her en-
terprise by the Richmond and Danville
systemy With this, and what the Chesa-
peake and Ohio aud Richmond and Ale
ghany will furnish, we shall see still
larger increase in the city's business next
New Year than that shown by the present,
As handsome as that was:
There is probably no display on the
grounds that is at once so suggestive and
instructive, so comprehensive and yet so
detailed, and at the same time OF so much
practical importance to the South as whole,
as the exhibit made by the
RICHMOND AND DANyILLE RAILROAD.
II shows almost at glance the immense
resources of the South, and, studied in
connection with the other southern eX-
hibits, demonstrates beyond all question
that the field of profitable investment in
this section is practically boundless. In
the display made by the Richmond and
Danyille combination there are, from North
4. al 81
size and richness refined copper, in ingots
and plates lead and silver ores; iron ores
from many mines; corundum, marbles,
soapstones, mica, in clear sheets foot
square; sandstones, flexible and other;
chrome iron, kaolin, jewels, amethyst, car
ringom, green and rose; berlys, true sap
phireS, zircans, ETC., including fine speci-
mems of the newly-fOund gem, Iliddendite,
which rivals the diamond.
All these are from North Carolina alone,
but the road runs through Virginia, South
Carolina, and into Georgia rs far as At
lanta, and from every State there are SAM
pies of its resources. Here may be seen
81, 900 worth Of gold nuggets, besides bars
Of retorted gold of weights from thirty
eight to fifty-eight ounces, and a single
mass of gold Of the value Of $4,000 in the
quartz that forms its matriX. Here are
samples of woods from each State corn
and tobacco and other agricultural products
raised on lands that can be bought for the
profits OF seasons crop.
A New York gentleman has made some
observations which are interesting, even
il they NAV seem utopian, and are Of spe-
cial value in connection Within Richmond
and Danyille display, and with the road it
self. Water-power for spinning and for
other purposes, he says, is supplied by the
streams which flow from the east and west
slopes of the Allegheny range 90 the Allan
tic and Mississippi, and from the,southern
slope to the Gulf. North Carolina Is estl-
saated to have more than three million
horse power in her streams from the table
lands to the sea. This exceeds that OF all
the steam-engines in the United States or
Great Britain combined.
South Carolina has not far from the same
amount OF water-power from streams flow-
ing TO the Atlantic ocean, and Georgia from
water flowing TO that ocean and to the Gulf.
probably an even greater amount, inasmuch
as the difference of elevation between the
sources among the mountains and the
mouths of the rivers in that State emptying
into the ocean or gulf (the Chattahoochee.
Etowah, Savannah, Broad, Ocmulgee,
Flint, Ogeechee, Attamaha, etc., ranges
from 900 TO 1900 feet, and the rivers flow
in the aggregate thousands of miles in that
State.
The splendid lift OF the continent, which
! furnishes this vast reservoir power, has its
crests 1.-THE highest in North Carolina reach
ing nearly 1000 feet in an even chain $50
to $50 miles from the seaboard. Its signiti-
canoe and value to the region are far be-
yond the water-power which il supplies,
| important as that is. 1t insures a mild,
equable climate in wide extent OF terri
/ tory, commencing as soon n narrow strip
of alluvial plain along the seashore is pass
ed, and stretching up the gradual ascent %
the hillsides, among fertile valleys and rich
| forests, till the summit Is reached and turn
| ed, with like fertility and wealth of natural
product on the western slope. The climate
is probably unequalled in the world.
A large part Of this region is trayersed
/ by the Richmond and Danville railroad
and its branches, combination which EN-
braces 1000 miles in its system, has only
eight millions OF capital, stock and bonds,
on the 200 miles in its original ownership,
and that is 10 say $4,000 per mile, against
100000 per mile OF stock and bonds on
the railways Of the Middle States, $4,000
per mile on the Pacific States, and $4,000
per mile on those OF the New England
States. With the western States no fair
comparison Is open, inasmuch as the facility
for easy construction OF railways in that
region ESQ many lines being unfinished,
with construction accounts still open,) pre-
cludes ready adjustment Of mileage to
capital at any given period.
In addition TO these !, 1000 miles, this great
system covers lines in process Of construc-
ton In Western North Carolina, Tennessee,
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas,
and Texas. THIS system starts in one di-
rection from Alexandria, Va, opposite
Washington city, and in another from Bal
timore-- utilizing steamboat service which
it controls--to West Point, Va, and enjoy
ing perfect advantages at both points of
complete railway connections and perma-
nentiy-deep water. IT trayerses eight OF
the most prosperous and populous Of the
southern States; includes among It's sta
tions the capital cities Of four thereof, and
shares largely in the traffic which comes OF
grain and tobacco, cotton, fruit, and yege-
table-growing industries, as well as the