Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-09-25
For the SPECTATOR
Direct Trade from Newport News-Im-
migration, &c.
NEw YoRK. Sentember 17th. 1ssg

=
New YORK, September 18th, 1888.
Wr. Mauzy:-An enterprise has lust been
inaugurated by the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railway and party of English capitalists,
which | think destined to exert most ben
eficial influence on the fortunes of Virginia.
It is the opening of direct trade from New
port News to Liverpool by means of a
steam line called the Union Line. The
ships of the line are screw steamers, and
will bring from Europe passengers as we'll
as freight. The first steamer left Liver
pool on yesterday, the 10th, with 81 first
class passengers, a number of steerage or
emigrant passengers, and will call at the
Azore Islands to take in 200 more emf
grants. The advantages of this influx of
labOrers to Virginia, which is now being
developed in rapid way, notwithstanding
the scarcity of labor, cannot we'll be over
estimated. These white workers will take
the places of the colored people, who have
within the past few years been leaving the
State for Iowa and other Western States.
The fact should be widely circulated in
Virginia that farmers, manufacturers, mi
ners. &c., may secure good employees by
writing to the agents of the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railway at Newport News, in
advance of the arrival of the first boat.
This boat may be looked for during the first
week in October. If the demand is beyond
the supply from the first boat, others will
arrive at regular periods at Newport News,
and it is believed that constantly increas-
ing stream of emigrants will flow this way
into Virginia and the South. The emil
grants do not belong to the pauper class,
but are persons who pay their own way,
and leave Europe and the Azores in order
to better their condition and that of their
offspring. These Portuguese islanders have
been bred almost exclusively to farming
and viue-growing, and MANY of them
understand the art of wine making. They
are frugal, industrious, and persevering-
! gentle in their manners and dispositions
aud will make most valuable addition to
our laboring class MANY of them will be
found to be good cooks, washers, and house
| servants. They are remarkably intelligent,
and will soon learn our language. The
women have not been accustomed to wages
of more than $500 a month, and when
| they find they can readily get from $500 to
So 90 month in Virginia, will be delight
ed. Our climate suits them, and they
should not be allowed to pass through the
State to the West, which now gets the lions
share of emigration to America. At New
| York, where an immense majority of the
emigrants land, it is impossible to turn the
tide towards the South. The influences are
so powerful in favor OF the West and North
west, and the stories told of the South so
depressing THAT we cannot hope to get any
! considerable part of the foreign emigration
save through our own ports. 1t is hoped,
therefore, other Southern railroads from
Charleston, Savannah, Mobile, aud New
| Orleans, will put on steam lines to bear
away our freights, bring back such sup
plies as we will want and an army
Of emigrants. 1t is an admitted fact
wherever I have been in the North that the
South is now richer than any section of the
Union in natural resources, and that our
only need.is labor. Had we labor we would
soon have the capital, the yield of onr soil
and mines, and forests; and we would be
| under the necessity to seek capital in Wall
street or elsewhere beyond our borders.
Let it be known there that this Union
steamship passenger line has been estab-
lishe6 by the enlightened managers of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, and that
those in need of domestics should apply at
| once to the right persons in Newport News.
Yours, &C., A. B.