The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-01
FUTURE.
A Word in Regard to the City's Future
Financial Condition.

When one has examined the figures
which represent the years business, Il
! word in regard to the outlook for Rich
mond's financial condition is amply suGi-
, Gent 10 establish the fact that her fu-
! ture looms up as brightly as Il May
mClning.
the great majority OF our most active
business men, and. in fact, nearly all
Of them, express themselves as more
Than gratihed with the results Of the
past wear, while. with scarcely a single
| exception. they look forward to a far
more prosperous year than the closing
one has proved to be.
The general financial condition Of the
| south, as Il whole, has undergone a re-
markedly rapid Improvement, and many
! direct. as we'll rs external causes, are
from day 10 day Offering TO Southern
trade such stimUlations rs cannot iall
to prove Of material benefit 10 a greatly
| Increased outlay. Business generally IN
/ the Southern states is picking up with
new life. and reports from various quar-
tors show cCrclusiVely toat mafkec
strides are being made 10 revive indus
tries, which have for some time elapsed
into inactivity.
A large proportion Of our jobbing trade
as well as Of our manufacturing output,
finds a market in the Southern states,
and The improved conditions OF these
win naturally add a lively impetus 10
Richmond's sales in those quarters Up
to q comparatively recent date the pulk
Of our manufactured goods, with the eX-
ception Of tobacco, found its purchasers
i'm the South. Now the demand In North
ern markets fc. many commodities made
in Richmond is growing nOticeably larger.
The tobacco men have every reason TO
expect q much larger export trade. Indi-
! cations point to % per cent. increase III
This direction. In Australia the cohdl-
ton Of the money market mas peCh
| greatly improved; money panics IN Ihola
/ and in many European cities nave SUD
| sided 10 a great extent, and, where sus-
Dicion and extreme caution on the part
of BUYERS prevailed TO a iscoplaglng eN-
tent. confidence and a spirit Tor invest
ment is rapidly returning to stimulate
foreign traffic generally.
The bank c-learances are n 1a1r 1hueN
TO n citv's prosperity. The year 1872 FOUND
n number of serious drawbacks to cope
With. and more than once the general
business outlook seemed anything Out
encouraging. The cotton market went
IN a distrassingly low point; the price OF
1 wheat was far below the standard, wh1le
political excitement came in for a prom
nent place to distract mems MINDS from
business activity. Yet withal the bank
\ c1earances Of Richmond for 1892 exceeded
those Of 1891 by S9,133.S35. the increase In
the manufacturing business amounted 10
! 8. 7gS.750. While the capital invested IN
business was far in excess of that OF the
previous year. The total sales In manu-
! features and trade amounted S'S'5t''SSo'
which was far in excess of many OF our
-nrorinent business mems expectations.
With such gratifying figures as these
and with the favorable indications from
every side. Richmond ~iinanclers nay
every announcement TO justify 'hem III
relaxiny their hold upon str'ct eohseINa-
t,er, or1 TO push their wares into new
ard broader tcr-ltories. where they may
o> meet to realize greater profit than ever
- fore