The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-26

ssring Richmond will never be satis-
ned without having a downtown sta
tion, for Paramount. for Church Hin.
for Fulton, for East Richmond and
fer South Richmond. nor will the COM
muters he willing to come onc-half
Of the way to Richmond daily on the
train and then ride the other half on
1.-THE street cars.
/ have given the matter long and
! patient thought and can see nothing
but one grand union station at FYf-
teenth and Main. This will he OF
fDestimable advantage to the entire
travelling public. q
This location can be reached from
almost any section of Richmond
proper without change OF cars and In
"A minimum length OF time,
| 1t viii offer the travelling public
every facility for changing cars from
one road to another and street car
service OF one car per NJ mute each
way. besides putting down the passen-
4 ers In the wholesale district and at
The nearest possible point to the re-
| tail stores OF the city.
This In the nearest practical point
to the Capitol. the City Hall. the Gov
errors Mansion and the postoffice and
banks and In easy walking distance
OF either.
The per cent grade mentioned
by the president of the Richmond.
fredericksburg and Potomac road
should not he considered as against
the welfare and convenience of city.
Even at that, the roads mentioned will
have no greater Grade than the Ches-
apeake and Ohio and Seaboard Air
Line roads. which both use this sta
ton.
The Shockoe Valley offers excep-
tional facilities for az many tracks as
would he necessary or advisable for
al time. with ample room for ware
houses and freight facilities which the
city will surely need In the near fu-
ture. In fact, it would pay the Rich
mond Fredericksburg and Potomac
Railway to have freight depot in
Shockoe Valley right now for the de-
livery of freight
The natural route from the north
for freight ia over the Pennsylvania
and Richmond, Fredericksburg and
Potomac Railway. but II Is great
burden on our wholesale houses to be
compelled TO haul freight from Han
cock and Broad, and many of them
IRE routing freight over other roads
to avoid the expense and delay of the
| long haul"
The entire wholesale business Sec
en- Main Street with open arms and
would he no less glad to have a freight
Depot at or near Fifteenth and Broad
or Marshall Streets,
There is no longer any doubt but
that the Shockoe boulevard UP the
valley from Fifteenth and Main
Streets will soon he opened up for the
convenience of the Northside and Gin
ter Park, Highland Park. Chestnut
II a ,ar tr
ng the Main Street Station within
eagv reach of all.
1t was stated by the Atlantic Coast
Line and Richmond, Fredericksburg
and Potomac roads that eventually the
Chesapeake and Ohio and Seaboard
Air Line roads would possibly Join
them at the Roseneath station. This
| r great stretch of the imagination,
so far as these roads are concerned.
III liz safe to say that neither of
these roads will ever he ready to give
up In any way the Main Street Sta
/ ton.
With the building up of Hopewei
and City Point and the great improve
raents at and near Williamsburg.
West Point and Fort Lee, great inn
petus has been given the railway COM
! panies in this section of the city.
which is convenient to the river boats
! sion must come from the east and
south and southwest, and with the
business must come tho travel as well.
We see no prospect for any great
development for Richmond in that
! remote section at this time or in the
near future. and We must make the
most convenient arrangement for the
business that we now have and on a
scale and at a point that will take
care OF the future as well.
/ The great Shockoe Valley, with
what improvements have already been
/ projected, such as covering the creek.
! etc. witt -take-care- of the railway
tracks for all the roads wishing 10
enter for generations. II this Is not
Ideal, 1t is by far the best and only
/ feasible solution of the present con-
! .roversy.
The Belt Line should either be tun-
nelcd or removed. There Is absolutely
no doubt as to this.
There is nothing In connection with
this entire proposition which cannot
he thought out and arranged by the
! proper parties with little care and
del alteration.
We note with pleasure that the,
heads OF the roads proposing the ex-
treme West End station are willing
and will be glad to put the station
where the people want it, Unless
they do this they cannot expect the
general patronage OF the travelling
/ public, and | take 1t that they mean
| lust what they say. So now let the
people as a whole express themselves
/ In no uncertain terms--not Just the
| West Enders or the Ginter Parkers.
but from every section. Let's have
show down" and see Just how the
matter stands In tho public mind, and
then ask the railways to make good
their word--that they were ready to
put the new station where the peo-
! ,3Iz