Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-23

Industrial Developments - It's Progress
and Its Promise.

Industrial Developments - It's Progress
and Its Promise.
The efforts of the Chesapeake and Ohio
20 reach the sea were characterized by the
same persistence that attended the pro-
gross Of the road towards the Ohio. and
the result Is that the system has now. ia
addition 70 Richmond, two deep-water
termini that are unexcelled as ports. These
are Norfolk and Newport News. The one
is an old city 10 whose extension u has
largely contributed: the other new city
that Is its own creation and marvel OF
rapid and substantial growth. Within
tho decade since the Chesapeake and ONO
commenced operations at Newport News
and made Norfolk one of its tributaries
and began TO help in its upbuilding the
population Of the City by the Sea has in-
creased some $4,000, and its trade and In
dustrial expansion have been upon COM
mensurate scale. The city now stands pre-
eminent as lumber, oyster, peanut,
truck, aud cotton market; ita export
trade is continuously increasing, its
financial growth has been rapid
and sound; and among the enterprises
which in 1890 supplemented It's already
vigorous industrial progress were soap
factory. new peanut-eleanlng factory,
O wagon and carriage-factory. knit
ting-factory, new modern hotel,
fouring-mili with the latest improve
ments. Among the industries since es-
tablished, or certain 10 be established, are
an refractory, cotton-factory, packing
house, chemical works, oil-mills, paper-box
wholesale trade of the city has kept pace
with the manufacturing interests in the
matter OF both volume and territory GOV.
cred. The freight traffic of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio with Norfolk IS conducted
by means of barges on which the cars are
transported to and fro between their piers
at Norfolk and at Newport News. At Nor
folk the road connects with the southern
systems from that point, and also with
Horfolk's shipping lines north. south and
transatlantic.
NEWPORT NEWS.
Ten years ago Newport News was barren
field. To-day 1t is city OF between 5000
aud 1900 inhabitants, built up by the
Chesapeake and Ohio. with certainty
that these figures will be more than dou-
bled in the next ten years. Where In 1881
there were nothing but old fields. there
are blocks of business-houses. handsome
hotel. long rows Of handsome dwellings,
an immense grain-elevat0r, and nearly
twenty miles of railroad siding. On the
Roads where q decade ago there was
n single dilapidated wharf there are
immense storehOuses, long piers, the
largest dry-dock In the country,
and O ship building plant that vies
with any on the American seaboard.
The dock is coo feet long by 80 feet in
width, and with the splendid machine
shops of the yard, all of brick and equip
ped with the most modern and approved
machinery. cost over three million dollars.
Eight of the largest sea-golng steamships
can be here constructed ct a time, aud
when the plant is full of work some five
thousand skilled mechanics will be re-
a.
ested In the plant give assurance OF
still heavier investments, and around these
enterprise are grouping various indus
tries which will afford employment TO the
families of the yard mechanics. Churches
and school-houses have sprung up, all the
land between Newport News and Hampton
has been acquired by companies and is
being laid of and graded for the building
upon il that is inevitable. The supply of
houses and stores has never equalled the
demand. At the piers the railroad con-
meets with regular steamship lines north
and south. as well as regular lines of coal
bsrges, and tramp steamers and SAILING
vessels are constantly coming and going.
Aside from the coal traffic there is On i'm
mense east-bound tonnage in tobacco,
whiskey, slaves, lumber, cattle, lard, grain.
flour, cotton. The west-bound freights
consist of every variety of merchandise,
the road being one of the great distributors
for the eastern cities TO the merchants Of
the West, and placing these cities nearer
10 the western and northwestern marts
than any other system.
THE ANCIENT CAPITAL.
williamsburg, the ancient capital of Vir-
ginia, thirty-seven miles from Newport
News, is the next place of importance
going west. The old city with its Colonial
memories and relics possesses peculiar
charm for every student of history. 1t ID
the seat of the Eastern Lunatic Asylum
and of old William and Mary College and
the home of q charming society. The ex-
tension of the Chesapeake and Ohio down
the Peninsula has given q great impulse to
the trucking interest of the surrounding
country and impaired rev life to the
place.
RICHMOND. THE PRESENT CAPITAL,
Richmond, eighty-eisht miles from New
port News, is the concentrlng point of the
old main stem, the Peninsula division, aud
the James River division Of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio. About no city in the
Onion elings moro historic memories and
IN no city are there more.points of interest.
The population of Richmond and suburbs
Is over hundred thousand, banking CAPT
tai, 5000 000; manufactures in 1890, 1888,
employing n capital of S16.5O6, $40, and
making sales Of S34 $50, 947, and lobbing
trade for same period showing $32, 042 900
sales. Richmond is one of the largest to-
bacco markets IN the country, and is also
IN the forefront Of the iron and milling inte-
rests, but her various industries are OF end
less variety. Here the company has large
repair shops and here on their track 10 also
located another immense grain-eleyator.
The company have formulated their
plans 10 spend at Richmond two million
dollars, the betterments TO include new
depot and q belt-line connecting the
II ANrn u n. l..
DIVISION. Tins latter Improvement Will
greatly relieve the yards OF the company
by carrying heavy through frelghts around
the city instead Of through the tunnel or
over the dock trestles, and will at the same
time enhance the value OF their dock pro-
perry. The Chesapeake aud Ohio skirts
the northern extension of Richmond or
what Is known as tho great northern pla.
teau. At Richmond IL eonneots with the
Richmond and Danyille and Richmond
Fredericksburg and Potomac.
ooRpoSsynIR.
Gordonsvillois the next city west Of Rich
mond, the intervening space being dotted
with depots feeding the road with farming
and forest products. andwhich in turn are
imbibing energy from the main artery.
Nordonsynle is anatural railroad focus aud
the point nom which the road's Orange
branch gives. Its solid and spiendidiy-
equipped trains through runs between
New York, PHILADELPHIA, and Baltimore.
and Newport News and Richmond and
Cincinnati. The city is centre around
which has clustered many beautiful coun.
Try places and has made rapid advances in
commercial and Industrial way during
The last few years. Various manufactures.
such ~ Woodworking establishments, car
riage-facsories, founderies, DO, have
sprung up real estate values have risen
rapidly. Houses are ia great demand and
no place along the line Of the road has q
more assured future. Within the last'year
especially Gordonsyille has attracted the
attention OF capitalists from al over the
Union. The climate, like that Of all the
Piedmont section. is delightful and healthy
snd renders the place most attractive for
residences. The agricultural district, Of
which II " the market. Is decided factor
IN sugmenting the tonnage OF the road.
CHARLOTTESVILLE.
The distance from GordoDsyiIla 10 Char.
lottesyille, twenty-one miles, Is through
another stretch OF fertile agricultural
territory and b. SERIES Of developing
lLAllQln In Addition 10 liz own classioaI