The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-15
Richmond and Tidewater Railroad


Bditor OF Tho Times:
s,r-VIu YOU allow me space In your
paper 10 present to the citizens OF f'i0"
,rond an enterprise which, II secureu'
,y,if no OF inestimable value 10 Ou' AIN"
cbants and citizens genefaly' ,.At,
rhn fact that Richmond, lying VIM VIM
-. ,,,udred miles OF the most ierthS
ia tblcl,lv populated sections or VIZ
e,,"ia and. in fact, one OF the hnest So
lions of country TO be iouhu ~ -,
limited States, ching almost eu.'.sry
isolated and cut of from trade COMM
nication. argues that kichinoh Jill. neS Ia
- handful Of her own interest hnu
49, r,t.t,,,orA proposes TO take her place
,,.,,9, and among the foremost cities Q.
,ho ronidlv developing South, she mus
not negleci so important an enter - 80
ne is contemplated IN the bullalhs ol 'Ne
Uichnond and Underwater ralilodu' -
co,eider ST YOU please, the secuoh VI
country This line proposes 10 OPcn W, =
eection as well adapted 10 the culliI 1919,
or farm products rs any 90 De iouie
under the sun. The Tidowater secuoh u
Virginia has well been named the garueni
epot of earth. fertile soil prouuclns o.
kinds of garden and farm piouucts, 30
climate so mild as 10 permit me sNip-
ment OF early vegetables 10 MOI NC l1L i
,,,orlro+s some weeks in advance or more
Northern sections, thereby oDt.'lhlls -
cv prices and 50 on. The streams
aLounding in sea-food products, secuoh
-,1ordfd1v adapted 10 cattle raising
eov 10 consider such section OF
couptrv living right at our doors win
nracticarv no means OF COMMUNICATE,
,,otog "a thinking man wonder why such
an onportunitv as now presents itselt 70
richmond has been so lonS neglected..
A gentleman from that section VINO
e. Thoroughly familiar with the situalloH'
recently made an address before me
Young Mems Business Association. ana
made the amazing statement after ihVes-
fieation that something Ike SoV1'VV' AT
rraIiv was spent by the merchants OF
~ eoction I'm Baltimore, when 10 ought
co have been spent I'm Richmond but
cor15 not for lack Of transportation Ia
Now It IS proposed 20 build a road
from Richmond penetrating the counties
Of Hanover. King William. King ana
oroon Essex. Middiesex. Gloucester and
Mathews. thereby diverting this trade
from baltimore 70 Richmond. which, by
overv logical reason. is entitled to II. II
IS proposed 10 have the counties issue
bonds 10 aid I'm the construction OF the
road.
Fleofiors have been held IN several Of
fhe counties. and the proposition was
defeated. think I'm two, and carried
I'm the third. Gloucester voting IN iaNoI
of t1e road The other counties only lost
bv a small majority. and for no other
reason than that the people had not been
educated as 10 the Importance OF the
movement. combined with the opposition
brought 20 bear bv the steamboat COM
NAMES and the merchants of Baltimore.
n anpears that the sentiment among
fho hest class throughout the section
As in favor Of the road. The fact Of Bal
timore doing so much 20 defeat the
nronosHion makes 81 all the more ap-
narent that Richmond has much 10 gam
bv the construction OF this road the
question will be voted on again next
Nav. and it will require n graf deal OF
labor and considerable money 20 employ
mon TO canvass the counties: in fact. u
will require almost n house-to-house can
voss I'm the rural districts and TO point
ont 10 tho people the advantage 70 be
Gained bv having the road and overcome
the opDosition Of the steamboat lines
backed by baltimore A convention OF
prominent citizens was recently held at
Tappahannoclx. 50 was decided 70 put
workers I'm the field at once. provided
Richmond would assist. and TO that end
thov have asked the citizens and mer-
chants Of Richmond 10 contribute about
1900 for that purpose.
Now the question Is. do we want this
road or not? 7 feel confident that our
peoDle viii respond and lend their aid.
The success Of the road will be assured.
There will be several representative men