The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-11-21
SMALL HousEs.-we venture the asser

ton that there is not city In the IJn;on he-a
houses suitable for the accommodation of neu NJ
moderate means, are as scarce as in Richmond Not
day passes that we do hear enouries n1ade bv
working men for convenient tenements AZ rno5ar.s [ ~
prices Nothing of the sort is to be found anv
within ten or fifteen minutes walk of the 1nsins ss
part OF the city, and capitalists seem disposed 10 in
vest their means in any other way than in aivno
venieut to that class persons
the shoulders OF whom depend the success and pros
perlty OF every manufacturing town In the Union i,
Is notorious fact not TO be denied thar hpndrads
and hund eds OF the best workmen of the North who
nave Come among US TO take up their abode after re-
naming short time, have gone back becansa tbey
found 1t impossible TO get location for their fmes
a Iair price any where near the place Of their EN-.
pioymenti and at tins very moment we know gentle.
men engaged in different pursuits In yarious =,
the city, who live mile more from Oh cir bnsiness
because there are no small houses TO be had any
nearer. -J
Richmond is celebrated for her fine residences and
the man who can afford to pay four or five HUNDRED
large and handsome house, bat such persons are NOT
the kind to build up fourishng city nor are sncb
houses as profitable to the owners those of less
costly character would be. And why2 Because the
tenement that will bring 500 rent has cost in its
erection, some six eight thousand and therefore
does not pay an interest of more than five or six per
cent, while the same amount expended in neat and
comfortable tenements would realise to the owner at
least double that interest Property holders see this
and knowit to De So and yet they continue the
old system OF building mansions for nabobs instead
OF comfortable abodes for the bones and sinews, of
society-the working classes A celebrated writer
mas WeAremerkeu, thdt the business CAPACITIES and
prosperity OF city could be easily told by the cha
racter of its houses Ii the eye rested only on fine
palaces and commodious mansions, you may expect
to find wealthy, fashionable and idle popula alton -
But if before you visible, neat and numberless
cottages with hear and there palace for the mil
ionare, there you may expect to meet thriving, in
dustrou intelligent people, engaged in busne 50 pur
SUITS and adding something to the wants and neces-
sites of their fellow men," And this is literally true
every where. What would Richmond be, but for her
mechanical and manufacturing capacties3 She can
never expect to equal New York as commercial
mart, lying as she does tar above the Atlantic
though her commerce is now increasing. and will
continue to increase, we hope. Her great forte is to
be In manufacturing and mechanism, but to succeed
in this she must have population of working men
and these can never be induced to settle here until
suitable accommodations are prepared for their re-
ceptien. Working men have the same desire to en-.
JOY the society their families that those who do NOT
work have and as eng as the capitalists of the North
have the ssgacity TO add to their comfort and those
of the South fail to do so, need expect to gel
them to come among to reside.
But, say the property. holders, we would build
small houses as matter of speculation, If the laws Of
the State were such that could recover our rent.
when due, or eject a bad tenant without incurrin,
such heayy cost Then, gentlemen, if this is you,
only excuse for negecting the interests of your cit
aswell as your own, in the of all that is just
call upon the Legislature and get the law modified
fair that You should have tie privilege Of getting RI
of worthless tenant who will not pay you what h
owes and the Legislature, if the subject is brough
doubt The and hsye
say that you shall find shelter for the indolent an
worthless out of your private means and they hav
heretofore said so, they will change the law, at
word. But until that is done, You have the power
guard against any abuse of your rights by demandiu
security for your rents or pay in advance. To eithe
OF these, the honest working man would agree will
Out murmur, that he could get convenient a,
cemnodations for himself and family at liyin
price.
We beg the attention of our capitalists to this sui
ject, and assure them that it is Of far more iu
portance to the city than persons suppose In
deed we do not hesitate to say that the future pros
perty of Richmond Is more or less involved IN II, an
for this urge il with such earnestness upo
the consideration of those whose interests are 10
vowed in the general prosperity of the city.