Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-07
A WEEK ON THE BAY
Gov q Richmond Editor Spent His Fen
Days Of Recreation.
TIE YORK AND nAPPAHANNocK.

the Water-The Railroad TO lie
Built-Baltimore and the Big Dap
fist Meeting. ..f
Rev. DIR. r. II. Pitt, editor Of the Re-
ligious Herald. was in his office the last
two days OF the week. having
returned from q week OF travel, which,
though not exciting, yielded about as
much pleasure and rest as could well be
gotten in the same length of time.
Il could not be absent from my desk
more than week at a time" DR.. Pitt
said In telling a Dispatch representative
OF his trip, land / had TO plan for as
much diversion and rest In that period as
possible. Moreover IT was necessary TO
have some regard for soplebeian a ques-
ton as that Of expense left Richmond
on Tuesday at AS +. NJ. after had read
the last revise OF matter for the Herald
of Wednesday. The run to West Point.
was. OF course swift and pleasant, but
could hardly be too swift for those who
wished to sniff the salt breezes. The
steamer Charlotte took US down the his
toric York and up the beautiful bay.
should not like to speak Of the tempting
supper served on this steamer, nor Of
the manifest favor with which 1t was re-
garded. IL l were to begin the menu In
detail to speak OF the succulent oysters,
the crisp, brown soft-shell crabs. the
juicy steaks and chops, the fragrant
coffee. raspberrles, and cream. etc.
I should be tempting some one 10 quit
his post OF duty for this trip, whereas my
calling ought 10 lead me TO influence
men TO do their duty"
vIRGINIANS IN BALTIMORE.
II had no destination in mind when
started" Dr. Pitt continued. Il went
forth not knowing whittier. except that
wished the tonic breeZes and relief
from cares. The steamer Charlotte land
ed me In Baltimore. ] spent an hour on
the docks meeting Virginia friends. The.
are there In squads. There are doubtless
more Virglnians In several lines of mer-
camille business In Baltimore than in
our own beautiful city. l could scarcely
repress a feeling OF ignoble Jealousy when
| saw how many of my Tidewater friends
had become thorough Baltimoreans.
Standing on the deck of the steamer as
could see a great array of steamboats,
which traverse the York, the Piankatank
the Rappahannock, the Wicomico, the Po-
tomac and some which cross the bay to
the Eastern Shore. while the beautiful
Daytime boats, which ply between Bal
timore and Norfolk. were prominent In
the field of vision. | left the wharves
with the determination 10 spend only
a few hours in the Monumental city, and
10 go as quickly as practicable TO Vir-
GINA 1t was not unnatural that, seeing
so many old friends from Tidewater, l
should hunger for the Rappahannock. so
after some hours on the street-cars, a
most comfortable and divertlng method
Of travel and inexpensive as well, / took
the Weems Line of steamers for the
Rappahannock."
OUR MOST BEAUTIFUL RIVER.
why did you hunger for the Kappa
hannock%
For two reasons It is beyond doubt
the most beautiful river in Virginia. our
Richmond people. as a rule, know nothing
OF the Rappahannock, and do not have
much dealing with the loyal and ad-
mirable people who live on both sides OF
1t. The second reason was that my
boyhood was spent on its banks. You
know the strange, mystic influence rivers
Romans and the Tiber the Egyptians and
the Nile, the English and the Thames the
Scotch and the Clyde. the Hindus and
the Ganges. the Germans and the Rhine.
and many other examples Will readily
occur 10 you. The York is broad and
bold, the James is turgid and winding
but the Rappahannock is beautiful from
start to finish. and for me It's beauty was
made more delicate and rare by food
OF memories which swept over me as we
stemmed its current. ! took what Is
known as the short route" which twice
| a week takes you just one wharf above
| Tappahannock, and returns at once to
| Baltimore"
THE PROPOSED RAILROAD.
"You doubtless heard something of the
proposed railroad through the Northern
| Neck"
"Oh. yes. / met a number Of friends
and acquaintance from the Neck, and
they could talk of nothing else. Let ne
f. say that. in spite OF the fact that their
| commercial relations have of necessity
| been almost exclusively with Baltimore.
there are no truer Virginians in the State
| than those living on the south bank OF
the lower Rappahannock. between the
| Rappahannock and the Potomac. or on
the far-famed Eastern Shore The pros
historic capital city of the State is very
pleasing to them. They seem to feel
confident that the road will be built. The
| route has been surveyed, and officers
| of the company have recently been over
the entire line securing rights OF way.
| 1t Is proposed 10 have two termni-one
| on the Rappahannock, at Mlllinbeck
Wharf, and the other further down on the
| Potomac side, at some point 10 be here
| after selected. The president and secre-
| tary OF the company, who own the char
| ter, came on the Richmond Significant
| name for our steamer) at Millnbeck
| They were quiet men, without buster or
boastfulness. They said there was no
| doubt of the construction OF the road.
| and that 1t would go on west through
| some of the richest portions OF Virginia,
| and into the coal-feds of West Virginia
| IL was currently believed that ex-senator
| Henry G. Davis and Hon. s. r. Elkins
were deeply interested in the road"
A PROSPEROUS SECTION.
rs that region prosperous?'
| ITO a gratifying degree. The crop of
! English peas had been marketed. and
melons and fruits were not quite ready
| for shipment. but none the less our boat
| fingered long at the wharves, taking
| on freight. Tuesday, Wednesday, and
I Thursday nights were thus spent on the
bay, and delightful nights they were.
Friday and part OF Saturday were spent
| In making the acquaintance, always from
| the street-cars. OF other sections OF busy
| I can hardly say Observation-Disclosures