Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-04-07
Communicated
AN IMMIGRATION MOVE.
EDITOR CITIzEN:

EDITOR CITIZEN:
Herewith is a copy of letter to an
acquaintance, one of the officers of
the Pennsylvania Railroad. IL it
meets your views you may publish it
IN your next issue:
"MR. GEO. d. DIXON, Frt. Traffic Mgr.
BROAD ST. Sta, Philadelphia, Pa.
DEAR SIR:-Now that the Pennsyl-
vanis Railroad Company has obtained
control OF all the steamers Of the Weems
Line, running between Baltimore and
various rivers OF the Chesapeake, may /,
personally interested in 5000 acres of
land on the Rsppahannock river, suggest
that the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
make an effort TO turn q portion Of the
TOE oil immigration to the valleys of the
Potomac, -Rsppahanuock, James aud
york on the west side, aud on the East
ern Store TO the ChOptank ard other
rivers, on all of which streams good mar
ket garden lands can be purchased at
sic per acre, where the climatic condi-
lions are most favorable for vegetable
and fruit growing.
Those other railroad companies hav-
Ing distant western frontier interests.
are most active in European cities in
promoting immigration TO America, and
shipping their recruits on through tick
els 10 the most distant points, and adj
ditionally fixing the attention of all
Others 10 the same points OF settlement.
Ihese Tar western borders are yearly
becoming more remote, and the tariff
charges on return freight considerably
increased.
This being SO, il seems time TO under.
take, partially, to turn the tide TO points
OF the nearby South, sections in close
touch with northern markets.
Nowhere Is such an open and promis
ing field as In the tidewater sections of
Maryland and Virginia, aud now, under
the conditions of the absorption of the
Weems Line by the PennsylvanIa Rail-
road Company, Il Is possible, through
the energy OF your great company, To
greatly Increase the population and pro-
auction ut all the terminals. While the
Weems Line had q very profitable rev.
enue, and have closely observed IL for
twenty I'VE (2ol years, the business done
was not one'hund-edth part OF the capa-
oiiities OF the sections to which It's steam
boats ran
MAY / be favored with q RESPONSE
from you, and hope your approval of
this scheme 10 outlined.
''Verytrply,
"BuRNEy LANnRETH."
While q movement by the Penn.
ylvania Railroad Company in the
direction indicated would be of
great influence, and no doubt have
a very practical result, still, the PEG.
pie OF Tidewater Virginia, and al,
other sections of the State, should
themselves take up the work Of in.
dpolng the settlement of immigrants
In all the rural districts of the State.
This can be brought about by the
establishment Of State immigration
Bureau, 80 organized as to send one
agent to each Of the countries from
where the immigrants are now com.
ing, preferably Of Sweden, Germany,
Denmark, Holland and Northern
ltaly--these agents, we'll supplied
with snowy fence posters and litera-
ture printed in the language uf the
countries to which they are sent,
setting forth to people contemplating
Immigration, the various advantages
Of settling in Virginia rather than
going ont 1000 miles to the western
borders. IT can be done, and done
very practically and profitable, if
the politicians will cease to be pet
Ifoggers, and for once try to be
Very truly,
BURNET LANDRETH.