The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-11-23

Danville, although established by
law in 1898, grew slowly, its popula-
ton In 1870 being only a little more
than 1900. 1t Is hardly to be doubted
that Danville owes it's prosperity to
ffue-cured or bright tobacco, which
began to take hold with the public at
large not until after the Civil War,
Danvflle was q conventional town be-
fore the war, but soon after becoming
the capital of the Confederacy for
few hours Danville became an extra
ordinary town, as Is well known In
all the markets of the world where
tobacco is q staple.
A tobacco inspection was first es-
tabushed at Danville IN the year 1878.
on land of Samuel Pannill, near the
town. In 1925 the Danville Toll
Bridge company was Incorporated and
five years later the Danville and Evan
sham q. G., Wythevllle) Turnpike
company. The town was looking to
the west for trade, by road and river.
BY the Improvement of the Dan river
navigation in 1928, Ii became possible
through mixed series OF locks,
sluices and side cuts TO institute a reg
ular navigation for fiat boats as Tar
up as Leaksyille, in Rockingham coun-
ty n. C. If the railroads had not
come in so fast, what q wonderful sys-
tenn Of interior navigation would have
been developed in our States. BY
1890 the country had grown so set
tied that it was absolutely necessary
to get transportation. The railroad.
that Is, was merely the logical outcome
OF widely scattered settlements on the
part Of an intelligent and enteTprfsing
race.
In 1912 Danviile was thus pleas
antly described: The town IS situated
at the falls of Dan river. on wide
and beautiful plain. rising gradually
from the river TO 81 high eminence,
which commands an extensive and
picturesque prospect embracing
view Of the falls, the gentle current
of the river below. and the verdant
hills and cultivated fields OF the sur
rounding country. A canal nearly
mile In length has been formed
around the falls. which affords extern
sive and excellent seats for mills ana
manufactures. The Roanoke Naviga-
ton company has constructed canal
with locks around the falls and
basin Is formed in the center or the
town, safe and convenient for the
batteau navigation Of the river Dam
c
an extensive commerce, embracing not
only the adjacent fertile districts of
Virginia and North Carolina, but also
a great part of East Tennessee.
The articles of commerce consist or
wheat, -four, tobacco, cotton, whiskey'
brandy, Indian corn, beef. pork, but
ter, poultry, lumber and iron. Bat
teaux, carrying from eight to twelve
hogsheads of tobacco. and from thirty
to forty barrels of -four, have con-
venient navigation from this place
down TO the falls of the Roanoke
Roads lead to Danville from various
directions. both from Virginia and
North Carolina The town has very
healthy situation. and contains an
academy with forty-five or fifty stu
dents A newspaper is published here
| (probably the Danville Reporter, men
toned by Martin in 1880.
Danville Is waiting for two things,
which were very near at hand---better
transportation and specially Tor
market, AS for transportation, the
Presidents report for 1S4s Rich
mond and Danville Railroad company,
has this to say:
The location of the line Of our
road from Colonel Burke's. IN Prince
! Edward county, to its western term
| mus "a subject we'll calculated in
| ours as in offer companies to awaken
the deepest interest). engaged the
earliest attention OF the directory sub
seauent to your last meeting. The
resolution adopted at that meeting
was SO uneoniyocal and direct, that but
| little discussion was left to the direc-
tory upon that subject. Accordingly,
upon surveys of several lines by the
corps OF engineers entrusted with that
duty, the directors adopted resolu-
| ton that no further surveys should
be made. locating the line upon its
southern route in the counties OF
Charlotte and Halifax, touching Dan
river in the county Of Halifax at a
point rather southeast OF the court
house, and pursuing the valley of that
| river for some twelve miles, as being
agreeably to the resolution of the
stockholders the most direct and