Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1910-03-04
"A TIDEWATER WILDERNESS"
Richmond Yirginian.)

A correspondent of the New York
Times enters protest to an article re-
Gently appearing in that newspaper
describing the region around Washing
tons birth place. 1t seems that the
New York paper followed the descrip-
ton given by the Boston Transcript and
called it 1.-THE wilderness of Tidewater.
Va" The Times critic formerly re-
sided In that part of Virginia and denies
indignantly that it is wilderness. On
the contrary he says, it is one of
Americas garden spots and one of the
best truck farming sections in the east.
That the eight counties mentioned are
without a railway of any kind he ad-
mits. but he insists that the only reason
this section has none is because it needs
none, since it has ga steamer every
day to Baltimore or Washington during
all the busy part of the year." AS for
the disappearance of the sailboats of
other days. to which the Boston man
mournfully referred, that's nothing in
proof of the wilderness theory, it seems.
since motor boats have 'largely, re-
placed the sailbosts. In conclusion the
impatient Virginian offers to bet
amount not stated-the Bostonian that
he doesn't live half as well as does the
average man of the section referred to. "
The critic is dead right. The New
York editor and the Boston editor do
not know what they are talking about.
They do not even know what Tidewater
Virginia is. The assumption that It is
all contained in eight counties around
Washington's birth place makes The
Virginian laugh. But the section re-
ferred to is part of Tidewater Vir-
ginia and is all that its defender claims
for it. 1t is indeed garden spot. "
1t is indeed, as Mcdonald Lee calls il.
Gods country. 1t has lands and streams
that produce the choicest things of
nature, each after its kind. True. it
has no railroads, but that is its chief
charm. 1t is virgin country and has not
been contaminated by steel rail innova-
TONS Its people have kept their blood,
as well as their hearts, pure. They
know who their grandfathers were.
and their traditions have been pre-
served. The best of the old-time Vir-
ginia is still there. 1t seems a pity to
disturb such glorious land. But prog
ress has no respect for sentiment. This
land is so rich that railroads cannot be
kept out much longer. 1t is capable of
sustaining a population as great as is
contained in all the rest of Virginia: It
is surprising that the State has paid so
little attention to the section. 1t is
that the State does not con-
Germ herself more in its development.
But the railroads will get in by and by. |
There have been many projects for a |
line of road from Washington to Chesa-
peake bay. But that involves the cross
ing of three rivers that are wide and
deep, and there is much swampy country
to traverse. The proposition is simpli-
he'd, however, by the electric railway.
When Mr.. Gould shall have completed
MS electric line between Richmond and
washington, it will be an easy matter
20 run line from Fredericksburg where
great hydro-electric power has been
developed, down one or other of two
'eninsulas to deep water. The one route
would be down the peninsula between
he Rappahannock and York rivers to
gloucester Point; the other down the
PENINSULA between the York and James
ivers to Newport News, via. Yorktown.
1t is an attractive proposition. 1t
would give short line between Wash
ngton and Norfolk and would open up
splendid country to Richmond which
snow compelled to trade with Baltimore.