Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-01

2,302.
almost outgrown its territory. Men of
means seeking villa sites; mechanics de-
string cheap lots; people who delight in
roomincss and ample acreage have gone
| beyond the corporation line and boughs
and built. Thus they have encircled Rich
mond and Manchester with built-up
suburbs.
wfsAr WE ARE.
The census of 1890. taken with shame
ful lack Of system and accuracy, found
| 50, ,s3s people in Richmond and 9,229 in
Manchester. Could the suburbs have been
| enumerated and added the grand total
| would have been over 100000.
While we see in the suburbs extraordi-
nary development the city proper has been
also constantly improving. We have been
sadly lacking ir fine public buildings. This
| is being rcmedied. Our new City Hall
will cost million OF more, and will be
worth tho money. IL is of James-river
! granite and INTELLECTUALLY and mechanical
| " meets our fondest expectations. In
| 1892 IL will be occupied. The Masonic
| Temple, which will be finished this year,
will be the glory of the order In Virginia
and one of the great objects Of Richmond's
pude. Tho COmmonwealth-Club house
Will be ready for occupancy before next
/ New-Year's day and will be a commodious
/ and stately structure on beautiful site.
/ Within few years past many hand
! some new churches hive been erected.
! That of the Grace-Street Baptist congre-
| cation, now in course OF construction, will
be the largest and and one of the prettiest
| in the city In July the Chamber of Com
/ merce will begin seven-story building
/ at the corner of Ninth and Main streets.
| If the Richmond and Daoville and Chesa-
! peake and Ohio Railroad Companies yield
| to reasonable public expectation, they
| will soon erect new passenger depots here.
The Byrd-Street station Of the Atlantic
! Coast Line-one of the incest dep0ts TO
| be found anywhero-is being enlarged as
| 10 its freight accommodations. On Broad
/ street. especially. new and handsome busi-
ness-houses have sprung up. One now
nearing completion is probably the finest
il the city.
SOLID GROWTH.
The remark is both general and true that
| Richmond is q solid-looking city.
The streets are well laid. Business
houses arc substantially built.
| Dwellings are neat and comfortable, and
their surroundings are pretty, though am
pie grounds ere less frequently seen than
Of old. Houses are being packed closer
! together, and stubs Of lots on cross
| streets formerly unused are now put INTO
service as sites for small houses, for which
there is an unending demand.
With increased population; with higher
priced lots. dwellings, are not allowed TO
cover ss much ground as heretofore. This
is the rule; this, indeed, is the example
| many greater cities have set us.
Some splendid residences have been
built here in the past twelve months. We
have homes that are architectural models
| for the land, and our fashionable streets
are now extended far beyond the city's
| limits. and of nice houses are marshall
| ing west ward TO the Boulevard. All these
| costly buildings represent money made in
! Richmond. IL Is the visible evidence OF
! business prosperity. 1t is the best pos
! sible proof that Richmond is a city where
in large fortunes can be made. A great
| deal Of money has been accumulated here :;
| plenty more awaits enterprise and talent.
We have a goodly list Of rich men, in
Guiding several millionaires, and Rich
| mond money has been freely spent in the
| past two years in all the booming" Vir-
GINA towns.
IN 1891.
This year we mean to boom ourselves a
little. The people have resolved to have a
large special appropriation made for the
| Improvement and extension of streets and
parks. Men stand ready 10 build great
numbers of houses. and we mean to give
them all the facilities they ask.
| We own our gas and water-works, and
in good time will purchase an electric
plant. Our system of sewerage, aided by
the hillside drainage, keeps the city clean
and healthy, and the climatic conditions
that obtain with US are favorable to health
and comfort, industry and activity.
THE FUTURE.
Richmond is already great city, but Is
! destined TO be greater.
The more prosperous the State becomes
| the better IL will be for US.
The money we put out in growing towns
/ and m,ncs, ore-banks and furnaces will
| come back to US in trade.
| A rich State means a rich capital city.
In the prospect of an early settlement of
| the debt question there is another glorious
inspiration for the new year, and if the Le-
/ gislature is called together TO act on this
question it may also determine that the
corporate limits of Richmond shall be ex-
tended.
TRANSPORTATION.
| High hills and healthful seat between
! the mountains and the sea give us favora-
ble location
The James river furnishes us with water
| 10 drink, power for our mills, and factories,
drainage for our streets and sewers, and
makes a highway for commerce to the At
/ lantic, distant I27 miles.
Railroads centering here from seven di-
| rections afford communication with all
sections of our State and the Union.
A more direct connection with the Nor
folk and Western system is one of tho
city's ambitions. 4 road from Richmond
10 the Northern Neck of Virginia long
talked Of, will. it j. hoped, be built before
nany years. A new line from Richmond
to Ridgwav, n. c., and points south is
more than possibility; 1t g q good pro.
| bab;l,tv A holt lima will in a few months
connect the Richmond and Petersburg
and Richmond, Fredericksburg and Poto.
mac railroads over fine iron bridge,
which crosses the James river near the
Throe-Mile locks. and the Chesapeake and
Ohio contemplates similar work to unite
its main stem here with its Richmond and
Allegheny and its peninsula divisions.
We have excellent connections north
wardly by the Fredericksburg road. The