Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-05-03
.,,p WARDS OF Our CITY.

PRESS.
THE WARDS OF Our CITY
would that the CITY Council would cut
CLAY Ward into two wards. Justice
nublic convenience, and honest dealing
with the voters of that section OF the CITY
demand that this should be Done Al
present. in the way Of sending members
10 the City Council, the man VINO HN''
IN CLAY Ward has not half the poltical
mower that one has who lives in other
wards that might be named. IL Is
shame that that end of the city. win
its ynst population and great assessor
values is deprived Of its fair voice III
our municipal legislature.
The ,ori Sinal town OF Richmond lay be
tween what is now Eighteenth and Tween
tv-afth streets. At the close of the iate
var our city's western boundary struck
Main street between Madison and Jeifer-
son and crossed Main running nearly
aue north and south. This made the cor
roration line cross Clay street near
smvth street Soon after the close oil inc
late war the boundaries Of the city were
extended 20 the present line, except that
onite lately the territory surrounding the
lee monument has been added 20 the city
under the name OF Lee District
Most cities Of our size have about ten
wards. 1t magnihes the importance OF
n city I'm the eyes OF the world TO have
numerous wards: but Richmond has been
slow to take hold OF this idea, and, so
instead OF having ten wards here, we
have but six. and instead OF numbering
tbem 90 that "the ninth ward
and "the tenth ward" may be spoken
OF with due JUNCTION in the presence OF
strangers, we continue to call our wards
by names viz.-Marshall Ward, Jeifer-
son Ward, Madison Ward, Monroe Ward
Jackson Ward and Clay Ward. Nor
would we recommend a discontinuance
of this practice II the City Council
chooses to number the new ward or
wards, well and good but let us cling to
the old ward names for six OF our wards.
The three original wards were Jeffer-
son. Madison, and Monroe. The three
new wards added after the close of the
late war were all named after men who
had been citizens Of Richmond-that is
to say. John Marshall. Henry Clay, and
Joseph Jackson Mn Jackson was a very
worthy gentleman, who was for fifty
years a clerk in the Capitol, who owned
"A great deal Of land north Of Clay street
and whose name was. therefore, given
TO that section Of the city.
Jefferson. Madison. and Monroe, too,
were dwellers in Richmond from time to
tine. but never with the intention of To-
eating here. so far as we can recall.
Clay gave up his employment here as a
dcputy.clerk IN one of the courts TO go
10 Kentucky, where he rose TO eminence,
and was usually right. but never could
b elected President Chief-Justice John
Marshall spent large portion OF his life
here. and the house in which he long
lived stnl stands at the northwest corner
OF Marshall and Ninth streets. and his
body lies buried in Shockoe Cemetery.
tAmong the post-bellum occupants Of the
Marshall House were Ex-Governor Henry
=. Wise ana Colonel Frank G. Rufin)
Monroe. who. tradition says. boarded I'm
'she old stone house" C'Washineton's
h,Adquarters," so-called) also lies buried
IN Richmond. IN Hollywood.
So there were good reasons for naming
or wards as they have been named. ana
W would not abandon these names, but
W need additional wards, and
additional precincts too. ana We
trast that It viii not be very long
before the City Council gives the subject
serious attention Let the Council con-
ssdcr what farce IS made OF popular
representation when a ward OF the popu-
iauon OF Gay is given no more repre-
scntatlyos than ward Of about half
Ina; population. Nor should the Coun-
ca sail 10 give some consideration TO the
suggestion that Richmond would be mag
nincd in the eyes Of many II IL had more
wards.
The popular idea seems TO be that the
only change needed now Is that Clay
Ward should be divided into two
wards; but we cannot but be-
iicve that before many years
have passed Richmond will find
a. 10 her advantage TO make a complete
Encouragement OF the ward and precinct
divisions OF the city Meanwhile, let tho
City Council cut Clay Ward into two
parts. and then so lay of the voting
precincts of the two wards rs that no
one Of tham shah have an excessive
number OF voters In IT,