The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-31
STAUNTON, VIRGINIA:
THE NUDE LOT IN A ROOM.
Lots without Industries Compared with
sounding Brass and Tinkiing CyInbsl."
(Dy William Z. Christian. industrial Correi

which Staunton has come forward. For ex-
ample, twelve months ago there was ample
opportunity to throw the suburban property
here on the market and have it stupidity
| sopped up. / say stupidity, because lots are
| in no condition 10 be sold until they are
clothed with surroundings of value. Lots IN
| a new town, say half mile from the lay out. "
with no improvements near by, cost say 500
per acre Put down eight twenty-five feet
| lots 10 the acre AZ the usual sale during the
recent boom. these lots sell at from $500 TO
81 900 apiece The original cost, being 6y
the above figures. S25 per lot. IS not the sell
ing price ridiculous For the bidder, after
buying his lot ut auction. turns around among
the people and is not able TO sell for 900
what he has just paid $500 for. WhyI
NUDE LOTS.
Because the lots are nude. They are not
fit for marketable appearance Ihey are not
clothed with industries that will give money
TO the working man TO pay rent for home
and to support family in that home. After
all. the home of the workingrnan is the heart
of every city, The avoidance of this princi-
pie is the great trouble about booms. But
do not think that trouble exists here. To re-
turn TO the remark made above. bread cast
upon the waters comes back. Industries cast
upou lots come back in satisfaction to buyer
and seller This principle has been the lead
ing motive in the policy OF VI. Erskine Miller,
president of the Stanton Development Com
pany. That is why the property was not
thrown upon the market year ago. Money
could have been made by it, but it would
have been 10 the injury of Stanton.
Stanton cannot afford TO be injured. With
city of character it is as with man OF
character, there must be caution and con-
sistency and conservatism OF movement.
There must be the difference between the
''bob-tail" train and the trunk-line yestibule
of the Chesapeake and Ohio plunging along
in the full glory OF a through Garner. Staun-
ton has not stopped at every station OF public
impulse, but has started from given point
and proceeded to its destination with all Its
executed intentions as passengers.
AN HISTORIC LEGION.
Let us see: This town, one hundred and
fifty years old, has always been solid. IL
came about by the law of natural selection.
Original settlers picked out crossroads,
where now is the intersection OF Augusta
and Beverley streets, and said this IS trading
place. From that point stores and barter de-
veloped until a city resulted, which was
called Staunton. 1t has now 1900 inhabi-
tants. a banking capital of Sl.500000. five or
six female schools largely attended from oil
over the United States, a military school,
schools for boys. a'fpee school with thousand
pupils, three banks, churches of ell denomi-
nations four papers. including one daily,
education and warm social qualities, coun-
try round about which is not surpassed IN
richness anywhere in the world. and which
produces grain and fruit and vegetables. oak,
hickory, ash, walnut and chestnut III abun-
dance The region is an historic one, having
been battlefield twenty-five years ago from
Staunton TO Harpers Ferry. The climate.
among the bouyant ranges OF the Blue Ridge.
is one TO which the people of the South hock
during the summer months. and one which
produced that hardy set of soldiers who went
largely towards making Stonewail jackson
what he was i'm his marvellous campaign IN
this marvellous valley.
Now. then, after the smoke cleared away,
and men North and South began to have
clearer views of one ano<her's hearts, there
came about friendship and inquiry followed
friendship and men came down here trOnl
the North. Northwest and West and looked
into the merits of our raw material and found
our professions good. They found that they
were dealing with honorable people who had
abundance of raw material which heretofore
had been known under the heads of cotton,
grain, sugar, timber. DC. But a new era
sprang up and minerals came to the front,
and the Valley of Virginia came TO the front,
and Stanton came to the front because there
is iron in the Valley of Virginia and exhaust
less beds of coal west of the Alleghanies.
Stanton asks no odds. 1t is able 10 make It's
own living. 1t has been doing so since its
foundation, and has been DONG 80 BEAUTIFULLY
and strongly. But Staunton is by no means
blind to the new riches which have been lately
developed near by. 1t has simply fallen IN
the procession, taking It's own time, and now
tells strangers from all parts that 1t Will take
its money and put it with theirs and develop
the great mineral resources that have been
found 10 be here after letting them examine
everything to their satisfaction. That IS the
whole story.
THE SOUTH GROWS.
Another phase of the question is this: it is
one that [ have not seen touched upon; | do
not see why the South. Of all the sections in
this country should not grow. There was
boom in the Northwest which is now apo
pletc with high values. There was a boom
in California which is now shriveled with the
consumption of values. New England knows
how she has lost her money in the mortgages
of the West People constantly come and
fill up the country, and have looked to the
best place: have been steered TO the different
parts of the country by great railroad corpo-
ratiOns. Thus Minneapolis and st. Paul
have been built up into jobbing centres by a
great back country backed up by the North
ern Pacific with Swedes and Norwegians.
But the people have become restless. They
have not been making living in many parts
of the West. and this is the reason their eyes
have been turned this way. In the first place,
they asked, have you anything to give us
living! The South has generously replied TO
ali inquiries by ample and broad advertise
ment. In Virginia the South has done this
both west and east of the Blue Ridge. and
Stanton is the only well-defned and solid
city in Virginia west of the Blue Ridge.
Stanton Is going to have its sale of its city
lots on the I'd and Sd Of June. and is going to
have a drawing of lots on the 4th of June. In
addition to what the city is it offers as an in
centive TO buyers the following plants, which
have been secured TO give a money value to
the lots offered:
BoDLEY WAGON COMPANY,
mammoth enterprise whose buildings and
lumber yards cover twenty-four acres Of
ground. their main building being S40x126
feet wide, two stories. with quite number of
out-buildings. This establishment will en-
ploy from $50 TO 200 men, all able-bodied
mechanics.
THE JOHN KRoDER CURTAIN POLE AND BRASS
FACTORY
will occupy three acres of ground, the main
building being three stories, 50x200 feet with
several other large buildings to CORE
spond. This concern will employ from $50 TO
200 mechanics
A. J. swEKNY SONS COMPANY,
founders and machinists. Their plant will
occupy about FIVE acres of ground, embracing
one-half dozen buildings running from 80 TO
200 feet in size. They will employ from 125
10 $50 skilled mechanics and manufacture all
kinds of iron work.