Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-27

poles were fastened for shafts. These
strange vehicles would form quite a long
| procession, traversing Broad and Main
to the warehouses. The big aogsncads,
besmeared with the red mountain mud,
and with their happy drivers singing a
merry song as they cracked their long
whips, made quite an interesting and
amusing sight Such was the mode Of
| getting produce to market, in those days,
before the era Of steam.
| The next to sweep through the muddy
| streets 0here was always mud I'm winter,
! or dust in summer. owing to the lack Of
| paving, were the stage coacnes, which
would generally start from the Columbian
or the Union Hotel, corner of Main end
Nineteenth streets. Here there was
daily an exciting scenes-for It was truly
exciting to see these gentleman Jehus
mount their high seats, flourish their
long whips, and handle the ribbons OF
their four houses. i'm manner well
calculated TO inspire admiration. as they
dashed along the street. II was In those
good, old stage days, which drew pas
sengers into sociability or commiseration
over the hardships of such slow trans
portation, that / met with some Of the
brightest characters Of that day. One
fist and inlmitable story-teler, who would
make the tedium of g journey from Rich
mond to Charlottesville appear quite
short.
The next medium OF transportation in
point of speed and Importance was the
canai-boat. which in 1915 had reached
Lynchburg, making the voyage up the
raging canal-146 miles-in thirty-two
nd thanqa IN
various Virginia springs. completing the
distance in the wonderfully short time
Of three days! The canal traffic, as well
as the stage lines, was chiefly IN the
hands of Boyd. Edmond e. Davenport.
They also controlled several lines of
sailing vessels, and did much to build up
the trade Of Richmond. The late Robert |
Edmond, of the firm. was said TO be the !
largest stage-owner in the State, having |
begun life as n driver. But the canal |
boat with its lazy mOnotonous mode or |
travelling. like the stage coach, has pass !
ed away, having fulfilled its high mission |
in advancing Richmond at that particu- |
lar time more rapidly than any other I
internal Improvement that could nave
been devised
THE DOCK CROWDED WITH SHIPS.
About 1880 the port of Richmond was
far more important TO its commercial
than at present ! have seen |
Rockets crowded with sail from foreign
ports, and its coasting trade was far
greater than now. Boyd, Edmond q
Davenport once had a regular line Of
packets, mostly foretopsail sehooners,
running to Brazil, which would be drawn
up into the dock and moored at their
There was also a regular
line Of quite large-sized banks and brigs,
which piled between here and New Or
leans, and also one to Boston. run by
Haskins & Libby. There were any num-
Der Of schooners TO New York and Phila-
lelphia, and the fanciful names OF many
If them are still remembered. The first
steamboat to run regularly on the James
vas the Patrick Henry, under Captain
Chapman, in 1890, which was started by
=. Lu0lam, and made two trips "A week
o Norfolk Afterwards Ludlams son.
Henry, started a line Of steamers TO Bal
more and among its vessels were the
lontas, Captain Holllngshead. These
lontas. Captains Hollingshead. These
steamers ran twice a week. The firm
afterwards became Ludlam & Watson,
nd in the course Of its business career
t did a large river business. About the
anne time Haskins & Libby started two
oats 70 Norfolk. the little Curtis Peck |
nd Jewess, both Of which were great
avorites. / well remember the first
wo steamers Of the Old Dominion Line
o New York-the Roanoke and the
JAMESTOWN. Captain Parrish, ] think, {
Commanded the former, having left the
Columbus The coming to Rockets Of
NO such large seagoing steamers was
allied as a great event for Richmond. I
ne wonder being how they managed 20
ct up the sinuOus James. whose channel ,
ad not been so much deenened as at
resent 1t may be presumed that all Z
nese steamers and sailing craft made |
ute a show at Rockets. which signi- G
ed a very prosperous maritime trade
Jr such an inland city. II. G. NJ. I
Go be continued)