The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-18
CURRENTCOMMENT
Poor Old Richmond.

For several months the newspapers Of Rich-
mond have been fun Of plan to build rail-
Dad down the Northern Neck OF Virginia 70
Chesapeake bay. That ds a rich territory.
with a population Of $4,000 people
and Baltimore has been commanding the trade
OF the territory by steamers on both the Poto-
mac and Rappahannock rivers railroad to
Eichmond would give much quicker trans
portation, and would secure the traffic almost
entirely. There is fine prospect for both
freight and passenger traffic by proper
schedules. the citizens of Northumberland and
Lancaster, Richmond and Westmoreland, and
probably parts of Essex counties. could make
the round trip from their homes to Richmond
in day. The country through which the
road would run is mostly level and adopted to
lowest cost of construction. while the people
along the entire route have agreed to donate
the right of way and have made liberal sub
| scrptions to the capital stock In addition. 1t
will cost s1.S000oo to secure the road and
Richmond with the promise of such valuable
tributary territory to her trade, and close
| intimacy with the cultured people of that sec
| ton asked to subscribe $4,000, with
the positive assurance that the road would
be built the subscription would not be col
| lected. From the style the supreme in Vir-
ginia' and other Richmond papers have been
| employing In boasting of Richmond. at
distance would think the very small sum
! required from that leading city" In the South.
would have been subscribed In forty eight hours.
There a hundred in the capital city
who could have taken the entire amount with
out feeling it but the Chamber of Commerce
and other organizations have been beating the
bushes for weeks, and have 80 far secured
| oUsN ABOUT nan inc. amount heedsd.a mat
looks mighty bad for boastfui Richmond. the
leading city Of the South example for others
| to follow. Send your committee to Roanoke
and let them take few lessons in how to
hustle for business when business is wanted.
If such a proposition had been offered to Roa-
/ noke. Chamber of Commerce committee
| would have gone to few prominent capt.
! tslists and said; Here Is good thing for
/ Roanoke and we must get ii. We $4,000
from each of you twenty-five men, and guar
antee the other rs, 600 within three days but
i 3ess must start shia thing and II would have
been done, and work the road begun while
! Richmond has been thinking about 1t. Take
down your flag, you Richmond braggarts, and
| carry IL out to Chester Fredericksburg. A
/ city of 10000 people that can not raise $780,
| 600 for such scheme. when its bank vaults
almost bursting with surplus money, which
! should be invested to great profit in such a
railroad through a territory not touched
| by her merchants though within 100 miles
of her limits. had better quit boastny Of her
/ leadership. Until you get that money and as
sure that road YOU will be the laughing stock
of the State. for your lack of appreciation OF
a good thing, when in sight. II you will pay
value received for the service. will send
/ you few fellows for week show you
how to do 1t. Make us a bid.-Roanoke Even
ing World