The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-04-19
With q Number Of Suggestions as to
What She Should Be.
gER NATURAL ADVANTAGES SUMMED UP.
A Long Pull, "a Strong Pull, and Pull AL
Together What Is Needed to MAKO
Her Forge Ahead.

business. both in Richmond and throughout
the State That general, steady and healthy
advance is possible. and the material pros
perity OF the city much accelerated, IS per-
fectly manifest to those who are dispassion-
ately considering the situation.
OUR NATURAL ADVANTAGES,
There are here great natural and acquired
advantages which, if properly used, would
epeedily bring such tide of prosperity
as would bear upon its bosom a wealth. OF
growth and real advance in every department
of business. More than score OF cities mat
but a short time ago had a smaller population
than Richmond have already outstripped her
in the race and some Of them many hundred
Der cent From being the fifteenth city In
population in the United States, she IS now
the thirty-ffth. The others have gone up
ahead Nashville, Atlanta and Memphis, and
dozen Others of less population, are pushing
her rapidly in the race for the next decade.
As rule the whole question OF the progress
and development of city can be reduced 10
mathematical problem.
Given certain surroundings, so much push
and enterprise of her citizens, so much III
ducement to outside capital and activity 10
come in, such n condition Of newspaper nDer-
alitv and energy, and your increase Is SO
much.
THE SOUTHERN TIDE.
But this is modified favorably in our case
inent of money aud business toward
the South The tide has turned very
manifesty from the West in this direction;
The time has arrived in our affairs which, II
taken at the flood" will lead us on to fortune.
This is shown by the phenomenal growth In
Georgia. Alabama. and other Southern cities.
IL has come 10 Virginia, and is coming 10
Richmond if energetic efforts are put forth by
us to take advantage OF 1t.
HOW NOT TO DO 1T.
How not 10 do it ~ as easy as rolling of
log. 1t is only necessary TO OFFER no induce,
ment or encouragement TO outside capital and
men TO come here: for the papers to avoid on
all occasions any mention or encouragement
of the manifold enterprises here, without pay;
70 keep ON adopting as a rule for street I'M
provements the Arkansas Travellers idea
about the roof of his house, which was very
full of holes and very leaky-"When
il rains it can't be fixed. and when
il don't rain il don't need hxDg; y
TO build up all the rest of the State and trust
in the Lord for Richmond; to keep the town
within its present area, of five square miles
and advertise its death rate as heavier than
sny other city in the United States except
Charlottesville; TO allow the railroads to con-
tinue to make way-station OF Richmond, IN
stead of coming into 1t. That and Few
other plans that might be mentioned will help
wonderfully in diverting capital away from US
and give good show for the new enterprises
of the South elsewhere that are reaching ont
their hands and Offering lands and money and
everything TO induce immigration and capital
OF course il is very easy 10 find fault; any
body can do that. and advice is usually very
cheap on the market.
PROFITABLE SUGGESTIONS.
But often a suggestion, an idea, even the
calling attention TO facts perfectly patent.
will do good. To bring manufacturers here,
TO bring in population and add to the pros:
perity of the cityrequiros effort. and plenty OF
e, al md ,tpNonuipU zeal and
perseverance,, requires q wide range of thought
and action; but it can be done, and success
fully DONE For this 'consummation devoutly
10 be wished. the present status can be very
materially improved in several respects.
OUR NEEDS.
There is needed here wide and generous
lberality on the part of the press IN advertis-
ing all the growing Industries OF the cry, IN
taking new enterprises by the hand In the
most whole souled manner, giving them IN
every case big send of. " and encouraging
them by kindly notices and attention after
wards. Such a course might not bring at
once so many shekels into the Golfers OF the
newspaper, but would advantage them more
in the long run, in the added
prosperity that would be brought about. The
manufacturing, commercial. and real estate
interests of the city should have the fostering
care of the press their condition kept before
the public by free advertisement and constant
individual mention, and the most herculean
efforts should be put forth TO advertise the
city's advantages in the North. so as thereby
10 induce Northern capital and immigration.
WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE.
Atlanta, Chattanooga, and Chicago owe
their success to-day 10 the energy and liber
atty and progressive spirit of their press
Through its instrumentality these cities, and
many other Western cities are rapidly passing
all their competitors in the race, and the
press at the same time has reaped mag
nifcent harvest: and something must be
done and done at once, or the tide of pros
perity flowing this way will flow around u:
t. the building up Of Norfolk an6
Roanoke and other places, but leaving US the
consciousness that the golden oppOrtunite:
were not embraced. If we had one-fourth OF
the energy and push as many Of the cities
of the new South, Richmond would forge
ahead with tremendous strides.
Ii is not denied that the papers OF Richmond
are doing great deal of good, but that they
are not doing what they might and what they
ought to do.
DETEIsiEST TO THE CITY.
A real detrment 10 the city is its narrow
contracted limits. The death report for 1891
gives to Richmond the frightfully high rat,
Of twenty eight for each one thousand OF
population. thus making ii. with the excep
ton of Charleston and one other city, the
most unhealthy city in the United States
This is partly owing 10 ITS large colOred pOpu.
lation, but mainly because of its small area OF
only five and one-fourth square miles
Chicago has eighty-f five. Philadelphia twenty
nine square miles, and generally the cities 10y
taking in the suburbs have many times the
area of Richmond. and consequently much
larger proportionate population.
such an advertisement does Richmond in
calculable harm Some of the cities hay,
only twelve and fourteen. and the average i
only about twenty, against Richmondt
twenty eight. The pretext that the cit,
could not make improvements in the add
tional area is altogether unsatisfactory. anC
was not thought of for "a moment in the cas-,
of the other cities The West End and the las
End, the North End and Manchester ough
ali 10 be taken into the city limits. The rat,
of taxation would Of course be somewhat in
creased, but the advantages 10 the city anC
the properties annexed would be very great
OUR RAILROADS
SO much has been said in the press and or
the street about the Importance Of an elegant
trSt-class hotel. that 1t seems 10 be unneces
sary 10 dwell upon it. All agree about this
all appreciate its importance Ii would bring
hundreds OF visitors instead of tens and
thousands Of dollars instead of hundreds
But this would come, Of course. il by some
power the railroads could be induced 10 make
Richmond a railroad town instead of way.
station The Chesapeake and Ohio DUMPS
Its passengers from Cincinnati from its sleeper
hundred miles out. and runs q little one.
horse train through the town. Ii really
runs Its passengers through to Wash,