The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-03-03
THE GREATER NORFOLK.
What an Observer Has to Say on
the Matter of Annexation,
A VERY VALUABLE PAPER.
A Citizen Of Brooklyn, N. v, Gives
His Views. A Sensible Letter.
Norfolk, Portsmouth, Berk-
ley and Surroundings
Should Be United.
BRooKLYS. n. Y, February &c, 1895.

BRooELYS. n. Y, February &c, 1895.
Editor OF the I'irgnian:
recently received several COPIES
OF your LIST OF January VIRGIS1AN.
1t was remarkable paper-fully
up TO the metropolitan standard
aud with few equals read 1t with
great interest and was delighted to
see the progress and advancement
OF Norfolk. was especially inter.
ested III those articles pertaining TO
ennexlng Portsmouth. Berkeley anu
Huntersvile to Norfolk. On the
subject of greater cties absorbing
lesser ones | have always had IA very
decided notion in favor OF annexa
tlon. Norfolk Is the largest city of
Its sizes in business way, that have
ever visited in the United States
and l have, time and again, been III
al OF them, except those on the
faclfic slope. You may enter Nor
folk from any direction, she does
not make favorable Impression, as
her business and great industrial
and commercial capacity warrants.
This was, perhaps, the fault in
measure of locating the town at the
extreme head of navigation, which
reverses the laws of extension and
trade, down stream instead of M,
which l do not think has been any
thing to her disadvantage. When
last In Norfolk l could very readily
see, with the anneXing of The Lam
Derts Point district. the great in
huence 1t was having IN new build.
lngs being erected III the business
portion of the city, including the
great driveway leading toward Lam
bert's Point. When Norfolk be
comes built up on the banks of the
river, extending down from Atlantic
Citys abe will then begin
TO SHOW TO ADVANTAGE.
TO stranger when entering port
by her great waterways, what her
greatness Is, and nothing will bring
that forward as quick as annexation.
1 think that there is no doubt. if
this district had not been annexed
there would not have been sucn
great progress in improvements in
any direction, There is one thing
very certain, that the money bags
OF Eastern Virginia and a great nor.
Slon OF North Carolina are conferred
AZ Nrrfolk, and will remain there
!or all time to come, and we have
long since learned that 1t is IN the
interest OF business to center under
enc influence of the money mower
My experience end observations have
been that annexation OF the smaller
10 the greater has been in all cases
oenehcial to both, but to q greater
extent to the lesser, which has de-
rived more benefit in the way Of
taxation than the greater. There is
another respect which | have oh
served very closely, and I am sure
shat II VIII hold good between Nor
Job, Portsmouth and Berkley, that
II they remain separate as now. that
when Norfolk increases in wealth
20 per cent, neither Portsmouth nor
Berkley will increase over 5 per
cent. This is history beyond doubt.
as regards the greater to The lesser
Some forty years ago
sRooKLYN ANNEXED wILL1AMsnURg
lying on the East river. q slow o;tv
oil several thousand population and
nearly as old as BROOKLYN. At thar
time there we're farm lands intar
Vening between the two cities for a
distance of nearly two miles. These
!ahus came In taxed as farm lands
LOT certain number of years. bnt
long before the taxing limit exuired
the intervening distance had bean
laid out in streets and avenues. ana
building progressed at great rate
ana she Williamsburg portion in.