Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-27
MANCHESTER'S VIEW.
gur FEW OF HER PEOPLE FAVOR
the ANNEXATION SCHEME
Former ProfYerx Of Union Having Been H.
testsd She Will Travel the Road
10 Greatness Alone


tial citizens of Manchester.
In fact, the sentiment of her people i
almost unanimously against allowing her
Z, be absorbed by Richmond and made
ward or insignificant part of the big capt.
tai city.
In years past the annexation idea was
popular one there. but not so now.
Then her treasury was. depicted, hei
hnsnces were in wretched cohul',oh' ne'
bonds were below par, her circuit Wa
greatly impaired. and she felt the need o,
e., isrcer s,ster's encouragement and
financial aid. so that she might be abie 10
ston, the t;de OF ill-!oT:une that had been
improyideptly brought upon her, ana de-
velop her natural resources aud become
tbe great CITY that nature intended her 70
be-
sHr WAS THEN WILLING.
To accomplish these ends, and the better
N 6l her sphere Of usefulness. she was
willing to sacrifice her chances rs an IN
dependent municipality ana 10 become a
mari of ylrcinla's capital and 10 contribute
~ her eyer.increasirg means TO the growth,
development, and prosperity OF the City Oh
Seven Hills.
Three times her representatives, inade
ovef;ures To Richmond, and at least on one
occasion Oh cred 10 accept terms whlcn are
now looked upon rs having been quite
liberal. She was anxious Tor the merger
and was willing TO 60 IN on Almost
el,y conditions. But Richmond did not
want the territory wnic5 many as wo ar9n
not well informed Regarded ~ 11 WE'rni
less and liable 10 cause adulll0h"i
s,nense without any visible benefit then
nr,sent or prospective. Consequently the
scheme failed, asd in Its collapse those
most actively interested IN ats execution
Gained eNporicnces that Will not make
then, desirous of conducting such negotla-
tions AGAIN. They regarded their treat
nent bv their Richmond friends, from
whom they at leas; expected courtesy rs
cold and Indifferent. and the chilling ell
facts of the briehy-terminated interviews
theu held have not yet vanished. Ihelr
feelings and their sentiments are very I'LL
fercnt now IRON what they were then.
Az ERA or PROSPERITY.
few wears nave wrought agreat change
IN the city of Manchester. She Is Jrsten-
TERM upon an era of progress, prosperity,
and growth such as she has never before
known.
Her shabby streets Of former years, which
won for her the name of Mudchester," by
when many people were won't 10 can heI
are being converted into thorougniares
than which there are lew prettleF III Tue
country: she has abundant water supply.
which also provides protection against hre
without tho use of fiTo-enSines, having a
strone tov-er-press ure; a syndicate IS now
asling nermission of the Council 10 estab-
hsh gas-works and a system OF sewerage;
abe has one street railway traversinS her
entire length and two others that VIII soon
be in operation. and her finances ana other
municipal affairs are IN most healthV CON
dition. her bonded debt IL small, ana her
bonds are eagerly sought for whenever
placed on the market. ,
lltoge,her the city is now one of the
most prosperous in the State, and her out.
look Is gratifying and full OF hope TO- all
Who feel an interest in her success. Inc
population has increasedabOut 40 per cent:
during the last ten years, and In almost
half that time there has been an advance
of nearly million dollars III her realty
values.
CONSENSUS OF OPINION.
Two weeks ago the Dispatch seeing that
Richmond will soon have TO extend her boz
ders IN some direction. interviewed mum
Der of leading business men and large pro-
perty-owners on the desrabillty Of oS-
tension and what territory should be taken
In. One or two Of those whose opinions
were quoted suggested that Manchester be
annexed, so that the growth OF Richmond
might hereafter be broad "a well rs long.
Since then this question of annexation has
been very generally discussed ooth IN
Richmond and Manchester, and much IN
terest Is felt in the matter.
Nearly all of the Richmond people whose
opinions have been asked endorse the idea
and think the consolidation on a broad
platform, fair alike TO both, would be OF
mutual benefit and that they would grow
more rapidly together than separately.
Below are gwen expressions from num-
Der of the most prominent businessmen
and property-holders of Manchester. ana
from them il Will be seen that they are not
now in a frame of mind 20 take kindly to
the plan. Many seem 10 think the union Of
the two cities will oventually come, but they
are not in favor of il AT this time. Here
after when Eichmond's debt ~ proportion
ately a. small as Mancbester's they would
not object to annexation on terms That
they consider fair TO the latter. others,
and of these there are many, perhaps ma
rority, are of opinion that Manchester can
derive no possible good from the move
and they are against it outright.
IL ia quite certain that vote at this
time would result in the rejection OF the
proposition by large odds. But the citi-
xans who were called on blythe Dispatch re-
porter Yesterday speak for themselves III
toe interviews following:
Judge William 1. Clopton.
IL am opposed to annexation for many
veasons.n said Judge William 1 Clopton,
president of the Manchester Chamber OF
Commerce. "Under our present city gov
eminent we have home rule, which greatly
promotes the growth aid improvement 81
the city. If Manchester were mere ward
of Richmond no attention would be paid
20 us. Our taxes would be collected here
and spent in Richmond, and II we got any
improvements we would either have to beg
or 'loc-roll' for them. The first would
be bad for US. and the latter would be bad
for both.
A CAREER or PROSPERITY.
Possessing the autonomy and spirit OF
sfull-hedged city Manchester Is entering
upon career of prosperity and improve
ment second to one city only III the State.
Roanoke. Our merchants and business
men are pushing things and great deal OF
money is being made here. If let alone
we hope to be the third city III the Com
monwealth by 1900.
THE TWO HOME PAPERS.
"In great part this rs attributable to the
Leader, n live evening newspaper we nave
here. and the kindness OF the Dispatct'
to us.
Richmond gets an immense trade from
rs. II would be very desirable Tor Rich-
sancos which the railroads commit N stop
ping Ninth and Fourteenth streets, which
are our only modes Of communication.
few more railroad tracks across these
streets viii compel our merchants to trade
with Baltimore"
Mr.. j. X. Perdue.
Annexation has never had u more staunch
advocate in Manchester than MIR. J. X. Per-
due, who for twelve consecutive years has
been president OF the Council and the
leader in all municipal affairs. To him Is
largely due the credit for the excellent
condition in which the clty's finances now
are. Il am still an annexationist," said
Mr. Perdue TO the Dispatch man, who
saw him last night at his home. on
Porter street. "The thing is obliged 10
come in time. and think il would proba-
hly be as well, or perhaps better. for both
cities that the step should be taken In the
near future. The move, however, would
have 10 be made on the part OF Richmond.
] don't think Manchester VIII ever take
the initiative step again after her expert
sDce in the past. In fact, don't believe
there are many people over here anyway
Who favor annexation. and popular vote
would certainly result III It's rejection.
The people generally. though, don't know
very much except in sort OF superficial