Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-08


| be sold and the money applied to reduc-
ton Of the debt or to permanent improve
| ment OF streets. The income OF Man
| chester for last year was s}5. 3;2.9s. The
| annual fixed charges are i7,699.S3. am
| advised by good authority that the de-
| felt OF more than $4,000 Is exceptional,
| and Is accounted for by the great In
| crease of delinquent taxes due TO the
| depressed business condition and to the
| equipment OF the Fire Department. For
three or four years prior to that time
| there was an annual deficit OF some 5000
| or 5000. But how has IL been with us?
| our dencit last year was over $4,000.
| And ] suppose that In these exceptionally
| bad years most cities have had a like ex-
pcrience.
Whatever may he the annual cost OF
maintaining the Manchester side "a sum
not yet ascertainable). it will certainly
| be less than at present, by reason of
| the reduction OF some OF the expenses
| made possible by the abolition of certain
| salared offices, and by the sale Of GER
| tain properties. not necessary to be owned
| when Manchester ceases 10 have a sepa-
| rate corporate existence.
The interest on the purchase-money re-
ceived from the latter becomes appl-
cable TO the same purpose. or the prin-
| cipal may go to the permanent-improve-
Richmond will assume a debt much less
| In proportion to taxable values than her
| own if the two cities are to be united
and VIII manage the accounts of in
| come and expenditure on that side of the
| river at greater advantage and smaller
| outlay than can be done under present
management.
Let us develop more public spirit. Let
| us walt and work together with one aim
| a N a crf1f To- q u
| united city, and do what we can TO ac-
| c0mplish a great destiny.
Opposed to Annexation.
The second speaker introduced was
| Major James II. Dooley. who is opposed
to annexation. Major Dooley was cor
| daily received.
think 1t is proper. Major Dooley
| began, TO say that | have not In any
manner sought TO make myself conspi-
| cuous as an opponent OF the scheme OF
| annexation, to consider which we are
| assembled this evening. Somewhat 10
| my surprise, for / had not even expressed
| an opinion on the subject. except by
| declining TO give the Richmond Dispatch
an interview favoring the project, the
committee OF the Chamber of Commerce
singled me out and urged me 10 meet
| the advocates of the measure in TINS
| discussion.
| Il
| when ] reflected that the success of this
agitation might seriously retard and
| cripple the growth of the city Of Rich
| mond--our beautiful and beloved parent.
| whose interest are my interests, win
| whose fortunes my fortunes are thorough
| ~ identified TO whom and with whom
| am so bound that a blow at her Is
| blow at me: that a hand upliftcd in her
| defence is a hand upifted In my defeiSe-
| IL, &, 1ttf. TO -
taton. And when / look upon this body
! Of men, representative Of her business,
| her wealth, and her enterprise. | am
| glad to be here, because | feel that you
| are capable of approaching and passing
| intelligent judgment upon the cold, dull
| facts and figures which 1t may be my
| duty to bring to your attention. Many
people go through life believing that the
| management of public affairs is above
their comprehension and must be left
| TO their political leaders. 1t Is not 50.
| All that we have TO do is TO give pub
| lie measure the same careful considera-
| ton and bring TO bear upon II the same
methods of reason and logic by which
we judge our private business, and We
| can form concerning IL an equally accu-
rate and reliable judgment.
HOW THIS OPERATES.
To illustrate this: Suppose that one
| Of you was n rich and successful farmer
| ownins a fine estate of 2. 100 acres, when
| is about the size OF Richmond upon
| which you and your ancestors for many
years had expended your labor and money
In making improvements, building roads
| and houses. draining the marsh lands
| and fertiliZing the hills, until ii has be
| come highly productive and capable OF
| yielding an enormous revenue. | am
your neighbour, owning a poor tract Of
coo acres. which is about the size Of
| Manchester: ! have poor houses and
| poor roads. my land is unprOductive
am running behind my expenses, and
| getting poorer every year. l come TO you
| and say. My friend, you and j are good
neighbors; let's go into partnership. /
| will put my COO acres against your 200.
| will break up housekeeping and come
to live with you. which will reduce ex-
| - nSe-. We will manage the property
| Jointly. We will have a common treasury.
| and out of the joint resources we viii
| make my lands as rich and productive as
| yours You shall have four ifths of the
| revenues and / one fifth. We will have a
| big Joint estate How fine 1t Will sound TO
| say that we own 1900 acres Of land. Ger
| tainly you could not fail to see the great
| advantages which such a business ar
| raugement would bring to me. But If you
entered into such g. partnership your
|
mittee or "a guardian; and yet that Is
lust the sort Of a partnership which IT
| il proposed that we shall form with Man
| chester.
TIE CITIES COMPARED.
Compare the two cities. Here stands
| Richmond, with $40 acres and $1,000 peo-
pie. with her elaborate gas-plant and
| water-works, her glorious monuments ana
| lovely parks, her Fire Department, SUI
! perb in its equipment and efficiency: her
| handsome and costly military armor1eS.
| high schools, public free schools. ana
| market-pl1cos. har miles upon mileS OF
| paved streets, her magnificent CITY Han
| public property valued at more than "
ooo 900. a city famed for her beauty and
| attractions: a wealthy city, and solid as
| the granite hills that rOck-rib the noble
| river flowing at her base. Across tnat
| river is our poor neishbor, with her V''v'
| Deople. living in houses lighted py OH
| and candles, furnished with water from
| a stand-pump; streets of dirt ana huu,
| or so badly paved that the work Woulu
| have 10 be done over; in want oil every
thing that beauties or renders Guy
| attractive and exp citing to get eNeryt ','hs
| AZ our eypense by means of annexation.
THO solitary object in favor of the project
&c that we will add 10 our population
the 1000 people living in Manchester.
| am nrepared 10 concedc that population
| il desirable: but not every populauoh'
ana not population under all circum-
| stances and conditions.
| Suppose this was a neighbofihB ,o".'
of lO.O00 people, amongst whom the cf'iiii-
nal classes largely predominated' OF
| ernnose IL was a suburb WIN
| populayion composed prihclpalS
| ~ paupers and beSgars' lou
| surely would not consider 1t anVisaple
40 annex such a suburb make 1t INTO an
additional ward, and invite 1t TO sehd
conservatives TO your city Counch, u
tex the property and business OF JeHe1Son'
Madison. and Monroe wards. In oruer
n show that the population is desirapie'
| Won must show that ii viii brihs you
sither an increased business. an enlarge
mont of the basis of public credit OF az
| least that it Will bring revenue enough
IN nreyent the new ward from being
| burden upon the old wards. That mas
| NOT been and cannot be proved.
PRACTICALLY PART NOW.
| | will show the reverse: First IL VIII
hiring YOU no increase cf business. Man
chester. as far as business is concerned
Is already a part Of Richmond. The TWO
| cries are connected by five bridges ana
| ave railroads. These bridges ana rail-
! roads give ample facilities Tor hVe titles
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