Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-30
nrpoT ACCOMMODATIONS.

4
| Chesapeake and Ohio and the Richmond.
| Petersburg and Carolina railways VIII
| unite IN the erection of a union depot IN
this city. II Is suggested that the South
ern pool interests with these companies
on the depot question.
II not why not? For years the South
ern (old Richmond and Danyille) has
been promising our city TO replace with
n handsome and commodious structure
/ the cye-sore at the foot or virginia
! street which Is now made TO serve as
| its Richmond passenger depot. much 10
the Inconvenience Of our own people, and
with the result OF producing very bad
! impression as 20 our enterprise upon
strangers entering and departing from
Richmond by the Southern line. The peo-
pie have recognized the conditions that
for some time initiated against the roads
keeping its promise in respect Of this
matter. and have borne their disappolnt-
ment patiently But their patience VIII not
last forever. Indeed. it IS already about
exhausted. a spirit Of progress. demand
for Improvement. IS abroad in the COM
munity. The conditions that hitherto may
have justified delay have passed away
The Southern, whose mother corpora
uon-the line running from Richmond to
Danville-owes its existence In large part
10 the enterprise and public spirit of the
old-time Richmonder has been making
improvements at other points. 1t has be-
come one of the great railway systems OF
the country, and that it is prospecting IS
evidenced by the recent increased value
Of its securities. our people are not I'M
mindful Of all this. They are not I'M
mindful Of the obligation the road owes
TO Richmond not to continue to treat
her as a way station, to be put off indeii-
nitcly with promises, and TO be kept quiet
with pictures of castles in the air. Ana
they are not going to rest until the ROAD
provides depot accommodations mere
worthy Of their city. They are not going
TO be satisfied until the Southern shows
in respect Of this matter the same APP
probation of duty 10 Richmond that the
Richmond. Fredericksburg and Potomac
and the Richmond and Petersburg roads
have shown; and the Chesapeake and
Ohio and the Richmond. Petersburg and
Carolina roads are about TO show. one
thing. therefore, the Southern may re-
gard as settled, and that is Richmond
intends TO hold it to its depot promise,
and that. too, in the very near future.
As we and many others see it, the
joint depot enterprise OF the Chesapeake
and Ohio and the Richmond, Petersburg
and Carolina roads presents to the South
ern most favorable opportunity, not
only for keeping its promise, but for
keeping it in a way that would be more
satisfactory than any other to our peo-
pie. Tho Southern depot site is incon-
venient of access ana no matter how
handsome a structure might replace the
building now thereon, It would not show
to advantage. The pooling by the South
crn of its depot interest with those Of
the other two roads would necessitate,
no doubt. an increase in the size of the
proposed Chesapeake and Ohio and Rich
mond, Petersburg and Carolina structure.
In that event we should have-and have
centrally located-a much more 'im-
posing monument TO speak for Rich |
monds enterprise than is now contem-
plated. In any event, the convenience or |
the travelling public would be much bet
ter subscryed than it would be by a new |
depot at the old Richmond and DanviIle |
yards What grade and curve difficulties |
are in the way Of the Southerns uniting |
with the other two roads in their depot |
scheme we do not know. But we imagine |
that these difficulties are not such that !
they could not in this day OF advanced |
ana bold railroad engineering be easily |
overcome. 1t is true it is reasonable 10 !
suppose that the expense to the Southern |
OF getting into the projected union de- |
pot, together with its proportion of the |
cost Of the joint building, would foot up |
more than the cost of erecting an inde- |
pendent depot. But it is hardly TO be |
doubted that the difference would soon |
be offset by the advantages the Southern |
would derive from more direct connec- |
tons, especially with the Chesapeake and |
Ohio. However, whether or not the !
Southern goes into the union depot |
scheme, it is settled, as we have said
above. that Richmond intends to hold it,
and that at an early day, to its promise
to give her better depot accommodations.