Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-19

tina average cost OF INV poi ""o W
ra,load. II would seem that its speedy
completion is amply justified oy local
considerations. without referring TO the
interest OF the people Of West virginia
Kortucky. Tennessee, and North caro-
lima. which are vitality affected ny "s
influence in regulating railroad rates 'h''
their territory.
The average tonnage OF vessels DUH,
In the world I'm 1891 require dep'n Vi
feet of water. and the exclusion OF 'nis
traffic from our commerce has not oh'y
been highly detrimental 10 our gro"'"'
but its continuance must seriously ''"
troll our future
An industry of great moment TO US, 10
Gated here, Is even now Handicapped ny
transhipment charges upon one OF us
raw materials. not procurable In TINS
country which amounts to 70 cents per
ton. or about sl4,Wo per annum, upon i'S
importations The Improvement we seer
has received the approval OF the ,iii'eu
States Government II was begun In lS'o'
and though the original plan mas peeh
enlarged after twenty-nine years but "a
nor cent. of the required amount mas
been expended, despite the fact that the
Chief OF Engineers OF the United STATES
army, in his last report, says: Inc
conditions OF the work are such that the
best and most economical results to the
government can be had from liberal APP
preparations"
n
nah I'm 1873 and for Charleston in 1876.
and is now practically completed. The
former city has 20 feet OF water at low
tide. 2G feet at high water. and the latter
q feet at low tide q feet at high wafer
whilst at Richmond we have but 16 feet.
The present annual appropriations ior
the work at Richmond average T4,oOO.
and if measures are not taken by our
citizens to increase them the project Oh
% feet of water at low tide cannot be Sc
cured under forty-three years.
IL may be asked why the work AZ Sa-
yannah and Charleston. which was be-
Gun later than the James river improve
nent. should have been completed, and
ours. with barely one-third of the neces-
sary appropriation expended. be still iar
from completion. The answer is not Tar
10 seek. The citizens OF Charleston ana
Savannah have been more alert. more
jealous. moro persistent In pursuing
their corporate interests. Our civic in
terest has been latent, and our efforts
sporadic and disunited.
The enterprise of one man among us,
who was aided by a few other citizens.
has lately given us a most creditabie
and promising ship-yard on the banks or
the James. and secured large and favor
able contracts from the United States
Government, to furnish, possibly, the
most skilled and technical class of work
in the marine industry, and which now
gives employment to force Of 80 men,
and support to at least $500 people. It
is evident that the development OF this
noble work to its fullest capacity, as
well as tho material interests OF the
Richmond Locomotive-W Works and other
industrial establishments, may be mate
rally and economically sustained by the
judcious enlargement of our water con-
nections, for the industrial strife abroad
in our land warns us that the ''fttest
only survive" and the breath OF life 10
them is had solely through an environ
ment of the most rigid of economies.
The Chief Magistrate of the country.
with his Cabinet. lately came to visit us,
and expressed genuine surprise and in
terest in the evidences OF our industry.
We know that we have the good Will OF
these influences, for II has taken shape
In most substantial form. Yet, If We
wish to win full measure Of the success
we hope for, we must labor and take
counsel as a community to deserve it.
Every citizen within the corporate
limits is materially interested In carry
ing TO the highest efficiency the natural
advantages of our location, for 1t means
the winning OF trade. commerce, indus
try, wealth, and a higher corporate life.
His encouragement and aid should be
zealously given, should be manifested by
uniting in the movement now being made
upon Congress by the City Council and
Chamber Of Commerce committees, to
secure adequate annual appropriations 10
complete in the speediest time the i'm
provement of James river. The moment
is most propitious-more proipitous, per-
haps, than any other moment of our cor
porate existence.
We seek no bounty from the General
Government, but have q claim admitted
and approved. Since June, 1863 we have
paid to the United States in internal rev.
enue taxes over 81 per cent. OF our total
taxable values in 1898. We have expended
of our own means upon this river since
1866. mainly under the direction Of the
United States engineers. ssh 661, or about
Is per cent of what up to this time has
been appropriated by the General Gov
eminent, and we now ask that n sum
which it has already approved. which is
annually collected in this district under
the internal revenue tax, be promptly
appropriated. and speedily expended upon
the completion of the improvement OF
the James river.
1.-THE power of given improvements to
create production is well known, as as
the reactive demand of production Tor
improved outlets"
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