The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-01-01
Richmond ENJOYS Many ADVANTAGES
Over Other Cities.
COMMANDS AN IMMENSE TERRITORY.
Complete shipping Facilities Both By
Water aud Rail-For manufacsur~fs,
Jcbbers, Truckers and Fanners
Her Location Ia superb.

For goods OF local manufacture W
seek further than q local market. all
of the country are easily accessible.
great cities north OF Richmond AND
thickIy- populated New England
are reached by both rail and waters
at rates OF freight that put manufacturers
OF this city on a par with those situated
much nearer the consuming districts.
Two great trunk lines reach from Rich
mond 10 the Middle and Western States.
giving quick service and az low, II not
lower, rates OF freight as from any OF tho
large cities IN the East.
To the South and Southwest Richmond
Is at least ono day nearer, and consider
ably less in freight rates than any city or
Importance north of this point.
Export lines to Europe from Newport
News ana Norfolk. and low rates cf
freight TO New York eAable Richmond
manufacturers who have export business
to transact IL TO advantage.
Certainly no manufacturer who desires
10 distribute his goods II. any part OF this
country or abroad can complain OF tho
facilities offered by this city as a distrib-
utlng center.
But 1t is as a .obbing centre that the
Virginia capst@. stands pre-eminent in the
South Al Jobbing business must be con-
fineG to more or less limited territory,
and few cities have inner field or as
large an expanse OF country as Rich
mcnd has.
The principal agricultural products OF
the South are cotton and tobacco. ana
so much attention is paid to these staples
that an unusually attractive business H.
offered to the jObber In dry goods. boots
and shoes, groceries, provisions Tour,
hay, fertilizers, harness, hardware. ana
agricultural Implements.
In all these lines Richmond does n large
business because OF the great natural ad-
vantages she has, first, In getting her
supplies, and second in distributing them.
A GREAT EMPORIUM.
The mills and manufactures CT New
England can 10y their products down In
this city by tn water routes from Bos-
ton, Providence, and New York. at not
over the cost of drayage on the same
goods In a large city iike~New York.
The staples, imported snd domestic, of
which New York is the great source OF
supply, such as coffee. sugar, etc, are
laid down in Richmond by steamers at
cost so reasonable as TO insure that no
ether city can have any advantage over II.
and few can equalNt.
The great grain Fields of the West and
their products seek Richmond as their
emporium for the Southeastern trade.
Flour provisions, hay, ana an such afti-
cles are brought by the great trunk lines
that centre mere at as low. or lOwef.
rates of freight as prevail 20 any Eastern
city. and so IL will be found over the en-
tire list OF products brought here for dis
tributlon. Richmond has advantages sur
passed by no other city competing for the
Jobbing trade and equalled by few II any.
The district in which these goods are sold
IS very large une-SOt cling tne rhore
States OF Virginia. North Carolina. and
South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama,
with the Southern part OF West Virginia,
Eastern Tennessee, ana parts OF Flor
ida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.
In all this wide eXpanse Of country there
Is no city 50 admirably situated Tor con-
trolling the trade IN these States as Rich-
mond. To almost every part OF this great
field, she has the choice OF two or more
routes to all points south OF her, she
can deliver goods one day quicker than
any OF her Northern competitors, sand at
a lower rate OF freight and as II has
been seen, goods are delivered here AS
cheap or cheaper than in these competing
cities.
BIG SUPPLY MARKET.
The rich farming and stock country OF
Northern and Piedmont Virginia, and
North Carolina. the coal and iron mines
Of West Virginia, the tobacco fields OF
Southern Virginia, and North Carolina.
the fertile trucking and lumber country
of Eastern Virginia ana NORM CarOnua.
the cotton fields Of the Car0hnas. Georgia.
Alabama, and Mississippi all look TO
Richmond for their supplies. Her trade
is steadily and constantly increasing. All
this section, to which this city caters Is
growing in prosperity, and II is not only
the agricultural interests, but a steady
Increase OF cotton ana other manufactures
thai Is adding a large number OF wage
earners 10 the population, and cOnse-
quently an Increasing number OF consum-
crs
The old system Of crop liens Is almost
thing Of the past, and business Is get
ting more and more on a cash basis. With
a few more good cotton crops. the South
ern farmer Will be the richest agriculture
list In the land, and as he Is "A liberal
spender, merchants can look for con-
SANITY charging business.
Another important advantage Richmond
possesses Is her splendid banking facili-A
ties. Without good arrangements OF this
kind business would be very much him
dred. The Richmond banks have large
capital and pursue hncIai pOncy wan
merchants, and manufacturers lOaniug
money at reasC nable rates, and encour-
aging local industries all I'm their power.
They have direct correspondence not only
with all the large cities of the North and
West, but with all the banking towns IN
the States worked by Richmond jobbers,
thus enabling them TO make quick cot
lections at small cost, very important
matter.
Richmond has also Advantages In low
rents for business properties. moderate
wages Tor all employees, cheap carriage.
and moderate expenses OF all kinds as
compared with her Northern rivals
Her genial climate permits work all the
year round under the most favorable con-
ditions, and a pleasant and homogeneous
people add their attractions as a city OF
residence. But 30 much depends on truns-
portation facilities TO ensure and main
tain success as a distributing centre. enat
the question may be asked. Can the rail-
roads not by change of policy destroy
Rchmond's position as u distributing
ccntre2"
INDEPENDENT or THE LINES.
The answer Is that Richmond ~ precti-
cally independent OF any combination OF
railroads that can be made against her.
Some interior cities, when they found
railroads not giving them proper facili-
ties have been compelled to build OPP
position lines OF road 10 secure fair
treatment. No such course has 10 be pur-
sued here.
James river gives cheap transportation
70 all. Instead OF having 10 build a rail-
road. Richmond merchants have only to
charter steamer and they are en- equal
terms With all their rivals But no such
results are 10 be feared. On the con
trary. all the railroad lines cenferlng
here have always shown "A liberal dis
position TO foster and encourage the In
dustries Of the city and when any grfev-
ance has been properly presented N has
invariably been remcdied.
Merchants and manufacturers OF this
city act we'll together, and have efficient
Exchanges and the Chamber OF Com
meice. The latter maintains a traffic bn-
reau charged with the special duty OF
seeing that Richmond IL not handicapped
In any way by the railroads. and this
bureau has done excellent work in REM
edying many minor grievances against
the various transportation lines and en-
larging Richmcnd's field for distribution
There are many other minor advan-
fages that cannot be touched on IN this
article. Only the broad. salient advau-
taees that Richmond possesses over her
rivals IN srade have been mentioned but
has been said 10 show that with