The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-03-06
Annexation Of Manchester TO Rich
m0lad.
For the Dispatch.

mond.
For the Dispatch.
Mr.. Editor,-In last Thursdays Enquirer
is an editorial treating on the annexation OF
Manchester to Richmond. AS the subject
has some commercial importance, and the
editorial treats it from fanciful point of
view, it commences properly enough with
quotation from the Merchant Of Venice;
properly enough, l mean, If the song had
been correctly quoted, which it is not in
several particulars, most notably in the adj
dtion Of one entire line-the last-which
may or may not be an improvement on
Shakespeare. And yet, when come to think
Of it, the ineXactness is proper, as consistent
with the "few reflections" that follow :
wherein the mistakes incline me to think
that the writer, in Offering them to the pub
lie, failed to apply to himself the advice he
gives others, quoting, and incorrectly again,
from the "Form Of Solemnization Of Matri-
mony."
In following up these inaccuracies Of fig
ures and deduction, which shall do, not in
his order, but in the way to be rs brief as
can, shall be obliged to repeat some things
that have lately appeared in your editorials !;
but they will bear repetition. re~
The Enquirer states the debt Of blanches-
ter ut $4,000. You have made it, correctly
no doubt, about $i25, G00--to wit, $G5 900 of
bonded per cent. and per cent. debt; $780,
900 expenditure on James River bridge.
Add his estimate Of $4,000 for improving
the water power, and We have $4,000.
Now annexation, he argues, "will increase
Richmond's debt from half million to one
Million" Deduct the actual present debt,
sl25, 900, and it leaves 1926, zoo.
This amount he assumes will be spent by
Richmond on Manchester in streets, fire.
engines, water, gas, and "incidental lex
penses." ss25,O0O! Now, the real estate OF
Richmond is about s2,600,0O0 in value; her
debt, $4,000, 000-say one-eighth in valuation.
The real estate of Manchester is about
S1,500,000; her debt, S125,000, or one
twelfth. The population of Richmond is,
say, 10000 souls; of Manchester, not 5000.
Now, does he suppose that eleyen-tWelfths
will agree to increase common burden from
$4,000 600 up to s., 900, 000-i. e., one-third--
for the sole benefit of one-twelfth? Every
eleven men to pay tribute to every twelfth
man? Where was that fancy bred"?
0rin, the heart or in the head,
Ho1o 6egot, hoto nouriSied; .,
or is that one OF the "retlections"!
Now, if the writer had taken the trouble to
inform himself, he would have seen that in
the terms agreed upon by the Councils COM
mlttee and the trustees, the amount to be
spent Oh Manchester, and the objects of ex-
penditure, were so limited and specified that
it could not have taken five years to eXpunge
her whole claim out Of her own fund, which
yet would have enhanced in that time mani
fold in value. But those terms having been
objected to, Manchester, quite injudiciously,
in my opinion, threw herself fiat at the feet
OF Richmond. If, therefore, such catastro-
phe should occur, 1t would lie wholly due to
the stupidity Of the Council; and then the
more inexcusable because they have been
distinctly warned Of the danger.
But reading the PREDICTIONS more atten-
lively, and giving them our very serious
consideration, we find that though cit is not
easy to calculate the sum total Of all these ex-