The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-12-20
Norfolk Zeal Estate Transactions As An
Index Of lis Commercial Soundness.
TWO MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ANNUALLY
Grange Hnuds by Property Trans
rcrs ana BniIdtng In This CITY
Great Enterprises F.ookinS for
Sites on Shores of Hampton Roads
-iiright Things TO Come.

nnd no more unfailing method or deter
mining the difference between a state of
healthy and stable development and an
Inflated boom" than the prices and val
uation of real estate. Here, as elsewhere
this rule operates, and be it said to the
crcdf, of our city that state of whole
some growth, and strong, non-fictitious
expansion is evinced by the test. Prices
hold up here alike through periods OF
business activity and prosperity, uncer-
tainty and downright depression. No
matter what the excitement In outside
commercial circles may be caused by,
no matter how price may fiuctuate else
where, values here never shrink, but
with every new assessment their taxa
BILE amounts 20 up. Every class of real
property in this city has advanced from
80 1-3 to IS per cent within decade.
BORNE OUT BY FACTS.
This Is not the idle boast of jealous
newspaper. Investigation will prove
that these figures are correct and fur
thermore that they axe conservative es-
Inmates. Several ;aleS have recently TAX
en- place I'm this city. where the property
brought more than double the amount
Cor which It sold less than ten years ago
BRIGHT PROSPECTS.
The development in the real estate
business has been remarka BILE during the
past year and every agent. dealer. bro
ker, and property-holder in the city
takes highly roseate view of the pros
poets for the coming year
They have all been in correspondence
with capitalists who have been attract
ed by the splendid advantages possessed
by this port and city. Reports of the
safely large earnings OF investments adj
Tantageously placed In this city have
gone forth TO the outside world and
those men who have money to place
have their eyes turned toward this
city.
NEW ENTERPRISES.
Some of them desire to invest here
as speculative move merely while
Others are looking ipr sites upon which
TO establish new enterprises. which will.
give employment TO labor and help to
swell the city's commercial greatness.
by iar the great majority of the later
class have been attracted more by the
advantageous legation of Norfolk and
consequent low rates of transportation
than any other cause. Its extensive
transportation lines, ramifying into
every section of the great producing sec
lions. and to the grand home markets;
the ample transatlantic steamship trans
portation facilities, connecting for or
running direct TO the worlds leading
markets have all combined to make
Norfolk grand center for great man
uiacturinG city with hundreds OF thous-
anus OF spindles. and thousands of looms;
It's SKY darkened by day with the smoke
OF scores of factories or lighted at night
by the blasts OF dozens of furnaces
WILL. BRING THE MILLS.
30 the seekers after sites for manu-
Featuring establishments are looking this
way. and If the majority of them which
are now favorably considering LOCATING
IN this city, do not come here il viii
not he the fault of those hustling. bust
ness-llke, enterprising men. the real es-
Inte dealers and promoters of Norfolk
Ihese gentlemen confidently predict that
not only Will their clients come and
bring their mills along with them. but
tnat they Will bring their neighbors to
Ihis magnet of commercial attraction
hampton Roads. and that upon It's
shores they will settle themselves and
their enterprises until we shall have in
the not tar-diStant future the great
metropolis which every son of the South
iahd believes VIII some day cover the
spores OF Hampton Roads. consumma-
lion that every one of them would de-
light to live long enough to see.
COMMERCIAL SUPREMACY.
The strides the city has already taken
toward this position of commercial SUI
premacy, as evidenced by its great ey-
Dot .Iade: the cen. ling here of trans
La INES; and the internal i'm
provement and development shown hy
the real estate transactions all goes 10
snow mat this contamination Is not long
10 pe Delayed. and that each succeeding
ye"r brings the city nearer the goal of
her ambition. "
DIRECTION OF GROWTH.
me present year. as has been stated.
mas peeh. despite business depression
ana many other adverse Influences. one
" the most successful periods in real
estate operations in the city's history
ihere have been marked improvements
internally, new buildings ronia cinS
many old and unslghtly str,irtmras
Whlle vacant lois have been buiIt nnon
quite largely. Handsome mansions md
cosy cottages. business blocks and oGine
buildings and homes for big Industrial
enterprises have all been erected. and
besides all this work of Improvement in
SIDE the city proper there has been a
broadening and frightening of these
same borders. Norfolk has outgrown
her limits. but in what direction more
man any other II is difficult TO saw
mere seems to have been very gene
RAJ eXpansion-the town has spread nut
IKE ran. or course Industrial dcveI
opment, which makes great show
mugs the water front but back ont on
Church street and CRANKY street ex
sended, and in Brambleton. the COSY lit
tie homes are constantly being erected
and the stores and industrial establish.
ments follow the homes So the civ
con inues TO grow and the land comma
MICS sell lots and wonder where tho
tn;ng VII stop. Lots all out on both
sides OF Church street and CRANKY street
extended are being sought after, and
during the past few months many of
them have been sold
The ives: side property Is also boom
inE and much building Is going on In