The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-02-10
SOME BITS OF HISTORY
The City Fifty Years Old Mon
day.
THE NEXT HALF CENTURY
The First Mayor and Other Off
cials. Her Progress in
the Past. What She
viii Be in
the Future.

I Fifty years have relied around
since the town of Norfolk was hon.
ored with city charter, years in
which there has been some adversely
as well as large degree of prosper
lty. There are residents of Norfolk
who well remember the good old
days" when the CITY could not boast
of 10000 souls, when her business
was confined to one or two streets,
when the arrival of "A large ship was
a great event. Compared with those
times, none there be who will deny
that Norfolk has made very substan.
tial progress.
The Borough Of Norfolk was in.
corporated in 173G. An act for en-.
larglng and ascertsining tue limits
of Norfolk was passed IN l761. An
act adding certain lands of Thomas
Newton to the town of Norfolk was
passed in 1901. An act for ascer-
tanning tho northern boundary Of
Norfolk was passed in 1907. Nor
folk secured her city charter Feb.
ruary llth, 1916.
w ID Delaney was first city NAV.
or; the other officers were Jos ii
Robertson, register; Tazowell Tay.
lor, attorney; q w Chowdery, ply
slcian to the aims house; William
Wake, collector; Arthur Cooper.
inspector; Il. L. Ferguson, Assess
or; Jas Murphy, clerk of market:
A Martin. inspector of provisions;
NJ Steed, guager of liquors; Sam i
Selden, welgher of hay; L Il Lee.
sealer of weights; j Il Wyatt, meas
urer OF wood; W N Gheislen, as
slstant; Josiah Jones, keeper OF the
magazine; Mary Boos, bell ringer:
john Williams, president common
council; Jas L Hunter, vice-presi.
dent; Thos Newton, recorder. MIR
Chas Reed, NorfoIk's most yenera
Die citizen, who is now living and
enjoying good health at the age of
30 years, was member OF the
council.
The Mayors who succeeded Mr..
Delaney were as follows: Simon S.
Stubbs, 1851; Hunter Woods, 1853:
simon Stubs, 1851 Hunter Woods.
300, he died in Office in the fall of
the same year, n victim of the vel.
low fever; Ezra Il. Summers. 1856:
Finley Ferguson, 1856; William W.
Lamb, 1858, also in 1860 and 81, and
was serving Mayor when the United
States military authorities eutered
Norfolk; VIM. Brooks, 1868; jus. l..
Belote, 1864; Thos. q. Tabb, 1866;
William W. Lamb, 1866; John r..
Ludlow, lSG6-63, Francis De Cordy.
1868 70; John b. Whitehead, 1870 n;
John Il. Ludlow, 1872 IA; John b,
Whitehead, 1874 to 70; John S,
Tucker, 1876 to 80; Wm. Lamb.
1850 Sc; Barton Myers, 1868; H.
q. Banks, lSSS9O; Il. Nj. Henry,
March 7th, 1890: Frank Morris, July
!, 1870, died January 10, 1892; S.
Marx, January 18th, 1892, Juno 80,
1892; A. b. Cooke. 1892 to o.; G. ".
Petit, the present Mayor.
Norfolk's greatest development is
IN the memory of the younger gen.
Grafton. Within the past ten wears
flag stations upon many of the lead
ing railroads have grown into cities
OF large proportions, with extensive
manufactures aud trade. While
Norfolk is older than these none of
them are more energetic or active,
The half century is passed with its
JOY and its sorrow, its failures and
Its successes. What of the future?
Fifty years hence The VIEGfSIAS
Will record the arrival of the Nor.
folk aud Liverpool steamers al the
wharyes Of the company ut Sewelps
Point, Lambert's Point will be in
the heart of the city, Ocean View
and its hotel and cubhouses will be
within tho corporate limits.
There Will be four suspension
bridges over the Elizabeth river
from West Norfolk to Sewell's
Point, Primers Point to Lambert's
Point. Portsmouth to Norfolk.
Berkiey to Norfolk. Over these
bridges electric cars will make five
minute trips, and the United States
Congress Will have saved enough
money to build postoflico aud
dredge out the channel to the navy
yard, aud Greater Norfolk will be q
reality.