Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-02-19

U1e interests anu T1HIlS vi LDdt DDEtiOn Oi tue
citizens of Henrieo county residing within the
limits of the proposed extension of the corpo
ration of the City of Richmond, respectfully
submit for the consideration of your body,
the following a counter petition i'll the pre-
misses.
The resolution and report of the Common
| Council ofRichmond-as presented to the Lee
gislature to be based upon the mere de-
csion Of committee appointed by the Common
Council, in the absence of all consultation with
| that portion of the community directly and seri
| ously affected by the proposed extension; and
this too in the total absence of all necessity for
| the proposed enlargement of the area Of the
corporation line.
| 1t is a notorious fact that there is in the
present limits ofthe City of Richmond, an area
Of unoccupied ground sufficient, if properly inn
proved-with that already improved-to &C
/ commodate at least one hundred thousand in
/ habitants. There are not over thirty five thou
| sand now. The territory proposed to be annex
| ed, if properly built up, would accommodate
| eight hundred thousand inhabitants. The vacant
| and unimproved lots-old and untenanted hou-
ses-unimproved streets-ungraded hills-and
deep ravines in every part of Richmond, album
dainty establish the truth of the assertion, that
it is not for the want of building ground, from
the press of crowded and rapidly increasing
population, that the proposed enlargement of
the corporation limits is urged. The mere
glance of any one, who will walk around or
through the City, will induce him to attribute
the present application to any other cause than
the necessities arising from a want of ample
space of unimproved ground in the present
limits of the corporation.
Under this view it might appear, to the ca
sual observer, that the desire to extend the lin
It's OF the corporations prescribed, by the re-
solution ofthe Common Council, originated with
those who were to be drawn, by the extension,
within the limits of the City The undersign-
ed, however, beg leave to assure your honora-
Bile body, that precisely the reverse is the case
Those represented by the undersigned, residing
| out OF the limits OF the present corporation, but
| embraced in the area of the proposed extension,
are opposed to the extension, for very many
reasons; the most prominent of which will be
briefly submitted for your consideration.
1t will not be contended by any, that the pro-
posed enlargement is desired by the citizens of
Richmond, because of too densely populated
| City. The reason of the application, it is re-
spectfuly suggested, is to be discovered in the
fact, that there is a very large debt suspended
over the present corporation, and the citizens,
| residing in the existing limits ascertain the
taxes and corporation expenses to be onerous,
not to say oppressive; under feeling very ma
tural, they solicitous rather to extend and
draw within their sphere the area Of tao paying
property, than to acquire mere accession of
territorial sphere. Their object is rather to d
vide and share with Others onerous taxes, and
burdensome membranes, than to spread over
wide waste of thinly populated territory, the
conveniences enjoyed by the thickly populated
part of Richmond. 1t is shrewdly suspected |
that there exists stronger desire, on the part of
the Common Council of Richmond to receive
benefits, than to confer them; to levy taxes to
pay for past, rather than contemplated improve |
ments. This view presents grave question
of law and sound morals
Where, as mere question of revenue, it is
proposed, in part, to relieve the citizens of
corporation, Of heavy assessments, voluntarily
imposed, by dividing them in common between
those who imposed them, and those who had no
agency in the imposition, every dictate of sound
reasoning and social justice require that an obvi
Gus existing public necessity, should alone de- |
mand that those who had no voice in creating
the debt, should be thus, without their consent
and indeed against their will, made contributors
to the common fund and this too, when, after |
such an imposition, the benefits resulting from |
the previous indebtedness, would be confined al |
most entirely to those who created the debit
Such is precisely the fact in this case. While,
as has been seen, there is no pressing public ne
cessity, yet were the corporation limits, as pro-
posed, extended, very many years would elapse
before gas lamp, or hydrant would be seen in
any part of the annexed territory. Indeed, a
large part of the land proposed to be annexed to
the city, is waste and uncultivated, and much
of it rude and barren hills, with deep and inn
passabe ravines.
The present debt of Richmond is 81 200, 900. |
To pay the interest on this debt it has been ne
cessary to raise the taxes very high 1t is not
deemed proper (by those whom the undersigned
represent) that the demonstrating out of the
limits of the corporation-should be taxed on this
score, to relieve the good people ofRichmond.-
1t must be obvious to every one, that should the
proposed extension be made, a very large por-
ton of those, represented by the undersigned,
could not enjoy a single benefit, supposed to be
promised by the act of Incorporation The pop
ulaton is too sparce, the territory too rough, the
inducements to improve too remote. Besides,
it is believed, that instead of improving their
property and thickening the population by the
act of incorporation the reverse would be expe-
rienced
Why are there now so many vacant lots in
the City of Richmond! The reason is found
in the fact, that so long the high prices, de-
manded by the holders of property in the city, are
persisted in-business men-those who form
the real capital of the country, invest their lit
tie earnings in cheaper property, adjacent to
the city, and improve it suitably to their means,
and as adapted to their pursuits. Extend the
limits of the corporation of Richmond, as pro-
posed, and enforce city taxes on those now
exempt, and the immediate result will be to
arrestthe Improvements gradually progressing
and drive the population still farther out. 1t is
believed, and experience attests the fact, that
the only sure way to build up city is to extend
the corporate lines slowly, and by degrees, as
the population thckens and improves If left
as they now are, for few years, exempt
from city taxes those represented by the under
come well populated community, and in the
course often years would desire either separate
acts of Incorporation or to become corporated,
as now attempted; but should they be, at
this time incorporated, proposed, the un-
dersigned assure your honorable body, that