Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-01
THE CITY'S PROGRESS.
Her Growth and Development Have Been
Steady Despite Dull Times.
THE OUTLOOK is NOW BRIGHT.
Practical Evidences That business
VIII lie Bester--Grent Improve
mcnt. That Are PIanned-shOuId
he a Tourist Point.

bC ~
From the standpoint Of the Chamber
of Commerce. an organization devoted TO
the furtherance OF business interests OF
the community and to the promotion OF
its general welfare ald progress, a re-
Prospect of the year Affords ground for
encours cement and renewed faith in the
future of Richmond II our people show
that unity of purpose and local enterprise
which the situation demands.
Subject. as we have been. in a greater
or less degree, to conditions which have
for a long time disturbed the material
progress of the entire country, the state
of transition to better times has. OF
necessity. been with US, as with all
other communities, one calling for pa
tience and perseverance.
The depression in business due to those
conditions having eliminated in the
two years preceding 1895, it has shown
for the period under review very
gradual improvement.
Most of the articles OF manufacture
and commerce are still upon a COM
paratively low Level Of prices, but an
advance in values has occurred which
should have afforded margin Of pront
upon the years business, for their pro-
duction and distribution.
General indications point to a natural
process of recuperation and TO some IN
crease i'm the volume of transactions,
which Justify the anticipation of more
r...I
and the resources OF the country have
time and opportunity to become more
fully operative.
The output of our Richmond manufac-
lures for 1895 amounts to So. .o2s,o0o show
ing an increase of about I per cent. i'm
the value of produces over the preceding
year.
Jobbers' sales for The came period
amount To S0,1s95ei. showing 3 l-3 per
cent increase oyer 1894
Bank clearlngs. estimating the last two
days, amount to sl20- 1915. against
Sl13.327,s SIS for 1894 an increase or nearly
62-S per cent, and the gross earnings
of the railroads centering at Richmond
all indicate an increased traffic.
THE CITY'S GENERAL PROGRESS.
The general progress Of the city Is
indicated By its remarkable and substan-
tial growth. Building continues upon our
residential streets, upon the suburbs, and
at villa sites i'm the vicinity; while in
the matter OF public buildings an i'm
pulse has been given which marks
new era in our development. Each recent
year has seen az least one or two build
ings OF a public or semi-public character
added, at which the community may point
with pride Especially is this true with
-, H. ssTaffareafs Hotel - and IL
has hardly gotten fairly under way when
we have the gratifying inteliigence touch
ing the plans for the great improvements
OF the Chesapeake and ohio Railway
Company. including handsome and COM
mOdiOus Nain-street depot which Will
doubtless be followed by some arrange
ments for better passenger accommoda-
tons for the Southern Railway Company.
With these equipments completed or
i'm progress for receiving and enter
tanning travellers. IL seems timely to sug-
gest that movement should be made
to place Richmond upon the regular tour
lists list of the principal roads hand
ling this class OF travel.
Richmond has not heretofore been
classed by the railways as a tourists
point: nor have we heretofore proposed
such classification. though feeling its want.
our artificial advantages having been in
ferior to those of our neighboring COM
petitors.
These disadvantages have now been re-
moved. as stated above. by the erec-
ton of a superb hotel. with a popular
and widely-known arrangement: and the
railways of the country taking new and
progressive views. have changed their
policy fayorably towards making tourist
rates to cities where they had formerly
declined to do so. fearing that what they
call their commercial Understanding
the ordinary travel on full rates-would
be impaired by round-trip tickets at re-
duced rates-an anticipation which is hap
PLY being dissipated by experience.
At the present time tourist-rates are
being made and advertised to San Fran
ciso. Cal. Portland. Ore. etc, etc. on
the Pacific coast. Charleston. Savannah,
etc. etc. on the Atlantic coast, New Or
leans. Mobile. Pensacola, etc. etc. on
the Gulf coast. and are a source OF
mutual advantage 10 both the railways
and the public and the cities concerned: :
and. without argumsnt. these facts de-
monstrate their necessity to our present
well-being and future development.
DELIGHTFUL WINTER RESORT.
be offered TO the increasing number OF
people each year forced from colder cli-
mates OF the North between the months
of November and April The southerner
who fingers after the mountain and sea-
shore resorts are deserted but when II
Is still too warm TO return 70 his south
ern home, can be equally well entertained.
And the general tourist. who travels
to see. and to study history by visiting the
scenes OF events which made history
and the memorials OF them. can find no
section more richly endowed by its past
with points OF interest or associations
OF this character.
In addition to the advantages OF climate
and healthfulness and the beauty and at
fractions OF Richmond. our people are pro-
verbally hospitable. and the charm OF
the place IL sensIbly felt and acknow-
ledged by strangers.
Our metropolis IL also fast becoming
an educational centre OF no small i'm
portance. Besides it's splendid free
school system. the two medical colleges:
the existing denomnational colleges. and
the excellent private seminaries which
we had. the McCabe school has been
added during the year. and the Union
Theological Seminary. OF HangIden-Sidnev
College. is TO be handsomely domlciled
upon the Brook road. just upon one of
our most attractive suburbs. Most OF
these institutions, besides educating and
In their influence elevating our own peo-
ple. are patronized by number OF
students from abroad. send out annually
living advertisements OF Richmond and,
frequently bring valuable acquisitions to
our popuation In the person OF gradu-
. sos aud their families