Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-01-20
rrrr,L or TILE ronAcco.rAx.
FROM THE KArPAmANNOCK.
Denrth OF news, but Plenty OF Public
OpIntoa-Ebe EtehmODd and
Chesnnenke Goad.

Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch.l
OCCUPACIA, VA. January IL, 1899.
Where people are doing nothing and say
ing nothing 1t may be 81 some interest 10
know what they are thIRking, and while the
Richmond people are contributing such \
colossal pile OF public OpiEiou in the Dis
patch upon the question OF what IS required
10 boom RichmSpd. tue echo OF the voices
OF the people on The shores Of the Asppt-
hammock replies: Build The Richmond
aud Chesapeake railroad" While more than
one thing will 10 doubt be required, no
one thing vet mentioned, In The opinion Of
cur people, would do more. ~ there IL
any question about the feasibility OF con-
strucung 1t IN An airline TO Wicomico, ne
cessltating crossisg the RsppsbauEOck
where it is so broad. let It come 10 and
cross at LeedstOwn, where the river is uar-
rover than At aHy pon, below Port Royal,
and when IL gets 10 Leed'tOvn it will be with
in eight miles Of the steamboat wharf IN
Maitox creek on the Potomac. Here IS
where the TWO Ereat rivers might be 80 easily
linked by Communication between them by
a railway or canal about midway Of tstir
lengta at the nHrroWest point Of land be.
tween them and the centre Of section OF
country with natural resources equal 10, II
not superior, TO any sscuOn IN the state, su'-
ceptibe OF possible development and wealth
when Open 10 competing lines Of trapsporia-
ton and markets aud outside capital and en-
terprise beyond The conception Of the slow
pl0dding people now here enjoying their
usual good health aud easy way OF taking
life This section Of country, leo miles
from the Potomac river 10 the West Point
Terminal road by ~ from the Chesapeake
bay 10 the Richmond, Fredericksburg and
Dat La. y of
transportation through il thc Wecms Line
M "A lOng and CircuitOus route through near
lv the whole length OF the stormy ChcS1-
peake. We are al the mercy o. one line OF
transportation and one markct-the B2lu'
more market. There is no competition 10
give life 10 trade, but we ale subject 10 iast
such eX0rbitant CbArges Tor irelghts and
fares o. toe one line mag impose aud Just
such low prices rs the one marLet may afford.
Could anything TetRrd more the prosperity
OF any peoplrY The time from Leeds.
town to Baltimore by this ro0te is
now twenty-iour hours. When steam
communication is established to the
Potomac the time from LeedSown
to MattoX creek or Colonial Beach, and from
there hy steamer to the Popo's creek term.
nus Of lhe Baltimore and Potomac railroad,
and from there TO Washington or Baltimore.
would IN all be not more than four bOuIs.
Rus it may he seen how the Richmond aud
Chesapeake railroad aud it, connections on
The Potomac may he made 10 command the
entire trade OF the two rivers and all this
section, giving II q northern and northwest
ern outlet. rs we'll A. q southern outlet 10
Richmond At an immense saving 0f time and
expense to the people. The time 10 Rich
mOnd would be two or three hours instead
81 twenly.fouf TO Baltimore 80 now, and on
account OF much cheaper rents and smaller
expenses the merchants and manufacturers
OF Richmond would command the bulk OF
the trade % tins section. 4 steamer on the
Rtppahannecb 10 run 10 Crisheld and Gems
acct there with the New York. Philadelphl1
and Norfolk railroad would enable the com
p1ny 10 reach deep water until the TOAD was
extended TO deep water, and at the
same time il would serve az a feeder
to the railroad. ana extend its cOnnec-
tions with the New York aud Ptl'I.
delphIa at Crisfield. No city can con-
tiuue to prosper unless the country centigu.
Ous to It IA prosperous and is put in easy
communication with il. Then a. the country
in communication increases in wealth the
CITY naturally receives itt smp proportion,
and the building Of this road would be
much more far reaching In its effects upon
the prosperity Of the people here and in
Richmond than any temporary speculative
boom, and each successive year AZ " rolled
by would bring abundant eTldences In in
creaSipc Islio OF ITS great aud permanent
soSd 10 all Of us. Ii behoOves the pe0ple OF
the city Of Richmond ~ people who oueht
10 know their own bcStinterest to encourage
and push this enterprise by oil possible
means. GARNET.