Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-11-12
UNITED STATS ENGINrER OFFICE,
37s st. PAUL STREET.
RlIT IT1yoRT. Mp, November O, 1856.

Of Commerce, Richmond, Va:
Dear sir.-Wbile returning thanks ior
the invitation 10 the banquet Of the Cham.
Der, / find myself obliged, on account OF
prIor engagements, TO decline, and this
rctret very much.
am not much given TO public speaking,
but Il would afford me pleasure 10 be pres
ert and say few words on the toast when
wss assigned me--yiz.. "rhe James River
Improvement
All that will remark now is that the work
is in good hands-thoSe of Mr. BurgwYn.
We do not wish to magnify ourselves, but
the city Of Richmondis Is TO be congratulated
that so much has been gained already IN the
improved condition OF the river, when we
consider how the money has been doed out
to us in driblcts, and even these sometimes
withheld. With money supplied as rapid
ly as needed for economical use, any de-
sired depth Of water can be obtained and
maintained. This Is true OF every river
which, Under the influence OF the tidal
wave, has the whole ocean ~ its supply OF
water. Take tie Clyde, for instance, where
there are now TWENTY-FIVE feet where there
were formerly not as many inches. The
Jane. is mucL greater river than the
Clyde.
The case is very different for non.tidal
rivers. for these are dependent on rain
fell, which l., a. you are aware, very va
risble and intermittent.
1t often happens that the cost OF malDte-
nance Of deep-water channel Is expensive.
The J,mes.is fortunately situated In 'tbls
respect Also. a. experience In the past has
demonstrated.
With kind wishes TO- tie members OF the
Chamber individually, and with the hope
that your beautiful city 10 going to run
well in tie race for commercial position.
am respectfully and truly yours.
WILLIAM i. CR.IGHlLL.
Colonel Rufiin then arose. He com.
menced by showing the disadvantage Rich
mond was placed at in having such shallow
water here IN comparison with Baltimore,
West Point, and other places. He urged
that prompt action bc taken to improve the
river at this point. Continuing, he said:
The trade that should come to Richmond
has four sets OF wharves; one set at Rock
etts, the head OF tide on James river, one
at Newport News, the mouth Of James
river, one at Baltimore. and one at We't
Point. Those at Newport News handle
60 per cent. Of the tribute OF the great
Chesapeake and Ohio system. Those 1t
Baltimore and West Point handle AZ pr
cent. OF the tribute Of the Richmond aud
DGnvlle system. and aspire TO handle
still larger proportion.
But Newport News il 76 miles beyond
Richmond; Baltimore, by freight route, 235
miles; and West Point 3S miles beyond.
Dnnville Is distant from the Cspes OF Nir-
ginia uin Richmond 2G7 miles, uid Bati-
more 455 miles, rid West Point and Balti-
more 546 miles. Why, then, this loss OF
freight on the shortest route! Because
Newport News has unlimited depth Of
water-in fact, TOO much water. Baltimore
has 90 feet, West Point 90 feet, and Rich
mord scant rs feet.
What will It cost to give Richmond
twenty-five ieet Of water two and hall
miles below the city? The engineers sur
vey puts the cost at less than Sl,400,0o0.
How much OF that can Richmond psyI OF
The expenditure Of Sl,1l5,9H since thc
war, she has contributed 40 per cent. At ia,
sane rate she can give $3.50, ,000-abouI
what she will spend on the City Hall. An
annual expenditure Of $4,000 for four
year, will complete il.
THIS is Just about the time and money
that will he taken to complete the City Hall.
How many hundred times better will the
riycr.Improyement pay! The remaining
co per cent. & $40, ,000-we can leave 10 the
United States. That sum added to Whist
she has already given will make only about
S1,jCO.O00 expended in dredging twenty
mieS-lcss than hall the sum she has cx-
pended IN dredging eighteen miles for Bal
timore. Can she refuse IT,;
Does ahy one Ray the city emit Afford III
They tell us she pays one seventh OF the
State revenue. Bat New York city pay
seven cighths Of her States taxes, aud
though She IL annually cheated out OF hun
dreds of thousands Of dollars by the GOulds.
Nandorbilts, Taylors. and hundreds o.
other millonaiIcs, and though she is can
cred with corruption, yet she keeps on.
At this time she is engaged in projecting
her tWenly.eIgbt miles of waterfront with
a sea.wall that is costing, up TO this time,
not lcss than $1,000 per linear foot.
How to yet tie Federal appropriation
Begin at once. Send deputatlonS OF this
Chamber to similar bodies in the leading
citifs OF the West. Show them that five
sixths OF their great territory is geographic
cally nearer to the sea at Richmond than al
New York, Philadelphia, or Baltimore;
that by established iuteroceanic lines Rich
mOnd is 1G miles nearer to san Francisco
than the next shortest line, and li0miles
nearer than New Yorkis. Then let the Le-
cislaiurcs Of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio iml-
tate the example Of kentUcsy, Tennessee,
and West Nir.Inil, and instruct their Fede-
raj pIcsentatiycs 10 encourage and sup
port this great work, and so, by their and
Nirginias combined vote. insure us one
fifth Of the Senate and one fourth OF the
House.
Let US call upon cur own sctive and
faithful representative to be instant in sea-
ssh snd out Of season. Hi. efforts have in
duced an expenditure on the custom-hOuse
hy which some fifty men find daily work
for one or two years. But by this work
be will fud employment for multi.udes for
ages 10 come.
And let us not forget to invoke the aid Of
the able engineer who now presides over
an Improvement with which he may be
proud TO connect his ninle and reputation.
But whatever be the mode OF solving thi,
problem Of RlchmOnd's future, she cannot
afford TO wait. she may not only lose the
time, but she may lose the opportunity.
BANKING INTERESTS.
This was the next toast. and to 1t Mr..
John =. Branch responded. Ii afforded
hm Pleasure to endorse everything that
lad been said, except what had been said
by a man older than himself The remark
be alluded to was the assertion that there
wee too many IlilrOsd-. This proposition
he denied. For every mile OF road IN tn
south he would ike TO see two miles built
He also wanted TO say that il Richmonr
expected TO Keep march with her sister
cities she must have deep water at Rockets
Freight can be shipped cheaper from
NewCort News TO Seaboard points than
from Richmond. Letthe Chamber OF Com
merce send = delegation TO Washington and
use it, influence with Congress, but let the
citizens do their share OF this work."
Twenty-one years ago We were very poor
We had no banks except one in Petersburg
This city was IN ashes. Not many had
money enough to 20 TO market. What
have we now! Look at our banks, whcl
have capital OF SIC, ,QO0,0 600. We have GOOD
banks here, and money is cheaper her,
than anywhere in the South. For all thi,
tie businessmen Of Richmond are entitled
to credit.
Mr. Branch gave few words OF advice
TO depOs,tors Always bring good paper
to discount, never overcheck, aud never
wait until the lat day 10 get any money
YOU need. Discount n week in advance;
then deposit the money, and it will make
your bank-account large. daughter
Always make a good showing before the
bank"
The PRESS.
CAPTAIN w. +. Drinkard, OF the Dis