Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-21
BLYTHE WAY NOTES.
4 Syringe Letter About Richmond ana
Her Interests The Need OF More
Vigorous Public Spirit
,yrom a star Correspondent OF Dispa'ch,l
White SULPHUR. W. VA,
A.u,s. 10 1874

pers came into this world TO brighten
aud to blsssen " its inhabitants but, OF
however remote or recent origin, 10
seems to be as true now as ever. Rich
mond people, not naturally communities
tive as far as l have ever discovered,
Get somewhat talkative on the cars. In
direct ratio as their distance from home
Increases, their remarks grow mere and
abundant, and when at last they have
reached the White Sulphur and seated
themselves on the porch they are ready
to tell TO the groups about them almost
everything they know. Here might
the ,es-dropping newspsper-msn point
his pencil with many dazzling flashes
never intended for the profsne public,
but tho confidence of these airings OF
ideas seems never to have been thus
outraged, else the freedom which Is
their charm would have departed and
restraint taken its place. Here all the
affairs Of this country are discussed,
and as Richmond people predominant in
numbers, and show no inferiority In
amisble loquacity, our city receives
. goodly share Of coDsideration--con.
alteration from men of culture and
broad ideas and extensive experience
men who, until they, for the nonce,
drop private business cares and come to
this or some other like place, give little
rein to the tongue. Here, along with
society gossip and political chat, are
many references to the present and the
future OF Richmond.
THE PLUM WE DROPPED.
HeIe ! hear, and it has often come to
my ears in Richmond, that Richmond
lost golden opportunity to become a
great metropolis when her men Of wealth
refused or irgloriously neglected to buy
4 controlling interest ia the Danville
Railroad Company's stock when 1t
could have been done for mere song.
Our shoitsightedness in this respect is
said to have almost paraly zed some
other cities with wonder.
think it now also begins to be
doubted whether our people we're over
wise in utterly opposing the railroad
commissioner bill, whereby check
was TO be put upon discrimination in
freicht-rates but all do not know that
that bill never could have been defeated
but for the fact that its opponents sue
cessfully challenged the production OF
.py case where complaint OF discrimi-
nation having been made to the Railroad
Commissioner Of Virginia he had been
unable to correct the wrong alleged.
GOALS TO NEW CASTLE AND WORSE
Whether legislation would avail l
know not. That we are Disseminated
sgsinst by the Chesapeake and Ohio |
doubt. knowing the kindly interest that
that management has ever taken in our
welfare. Nevertheless, 1t is singular
that granite paving-blOcks, quarried in
Mime, have for six months past been
brought TO Newport News by water,
and railroaded through Richmond
run, you may say, almost through our
granite quarIies-to st. Louis. There
is, OF least, food for serious reflection
in this instance on "the laws Of
tIade.n
Perhaps the Maine fellows are able
TO quarry their ston6 with wonderful
cheapness, or are willing to sell upon a
shsdowy margin. -,
Other sections Of Virginia see like
anomalies. For instance Loudoun Is
probably the richest county in thu
State. 1t grows wheat in great album
dance, bat / am told that the bakers o.
Leesbu,g, or some Of them, uso Aou,
made at Minneapolis. The explanation
is that the county milling is inferior t
Minre,polis's,
SHARP COMPETITION NEEDED
This is a day Of sharp competition
too : when railroad facilities VI. c.
the advantages a city will give com
pspy for running its tracks-will de
te,mine whether trade shall stay will
or leave that city, and | hear that sue
priyileges as Richmond denied, or a
least reluctantly consented to giye' tn
Danyille company, were rendered Wit
the utmost readiness by the COMM;
sioners Of Washington, ID. q.
BY the decadence Of our trade--o'
more properly, by the dulness Of tn
times-our businessmen have bee
stirred to inquiry, and hear that Tn
paper recently read before the Boar
of Directors Of the Chamber OF Con
merce by Mr.. Ashton Starke is locke
upon as q good step; as determine
tion Of enterprisipg spirits to look fac
in the face and inquire how it is tn
Richmond, with all her advantages, do,
not prosper more; how it is that OF
population does not grow faster, ar
Why it is that year after year we
slip opportunities that other COMMIT
mites would delight to have.
STREET CAR FACILITIES.
I have heard land Governor Lee
Quoted as the author Of a possibl
practical suggestion about bringing Il
two great sections Of Richmond in
closer communication and FELLOWSHIP
IL is to put machinery on Broad sire
to draw s,Ieet.cars up and down I
hills and across Shockoe creek. Proo
bly, the street.csr company could Z
afford to do il; but the inquiry IS woI
making IL the city could not lend It's
in furtherance Of such enterprise.
With quick.movipg street.cars RI
ming from Chimborazo to Richmo
College much Of the narrowness, mu
Of the selfish sectionalism that now p
walls in our city, and so often obstru
merisorious undertakings, might be
moved.
The plan Is feasible enough. All I
Ia wanted is the money. The cable
tenn Of streetcArs, IL INTRODUCED
Richmond, would be all that could
asked, hut 1t is too costly.
A cheaper mode, such as Cincinl
and some other cities have, Of pull
cars up hill by machinery, might
readily adopted.
There is other springs talk Of u
interest, perhaps, but very little
can be more valuably suggestive;
whether the observations come 4
our own folks OF from strangers tai
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