Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-01
FUTURE OF RICHMOND
Leading Citizens Discuss Plans for Its
Growth and Development.
We MUST ALL WORK TOGETHER.
Spirit Of Cooperation Necessary 10
Make Ours a Great City.
FOSTER SMALL MANUFACTURERS
Use of Our Vast Wntcr-Power, In
creased Railroad Facilities, An
nexaton of Manchester, and Re-
mobilization of Our Tobacco
Market Discussed.

The speech Of Themistocles, the Athen-
| ian, which was naughty and arrogant in
! taking so much to himself, had been a
grave and wise observation and censure
| applied at large TO others. Desired at
feast TO touch a Lutte. he said "he could
not fiddle, but could make small town
great city" These words, holpen a
little with metaphor. yet touch the key
note of the welfare Of a community,
which IS, surely. the realization by in
dividuals Of their personal obligations to-
wards the Commonwealth i'm which they
live. No man can, by care-taking, as
the Scripture says add a cublt to his
stature in this little model of a mans
body; but in the great frame of a large
city it is in the power of every one,
great and small, to add amplitude and
sow greatness to their posterity and sue
cession.
With a view TO stimulating business
and helping to start the new year with
increased vim and activity on the part
OF the Richmond people, the Dispatch
made a request Of certain men of affairs
gressive and public-spirited citizens, that
they would, pro bono publico, give their
ideas as to how business may be inn
proved and the growth and development
OF the city enhanced.
a very prompt and general response
has been made 10 this request, and the
letters. which are appended. contain sug-
gcstionS of great value which are worthy
OF the closest attention. They emanate
from men who have been intimately as
soalted with the growth Of the city, and
will be found Of paramount interest at
this time:
Begain Prestige as Tobacco Market.
To the Editor of the Dispatch
To your kind invitation to make some
suggestions as 10 how "to improve busi-
ness and enhance the growth and de-
velopment Of our city" l would say that
writing for publication" is not i'm my
line but ] Will put down some thoughts,
as they occur TO me, as best / can.
First We must increase our number
of manufacturing establishments Upon
this depends largely our future growth
our capitalists can find remunerative
channels for funds now idle by furnish
ing means to start up such enterprises
and enlarge as the volume of the busi-
ness justifies. We have abundant IA
cilities to manufacture almost any ar
ticle now made elsewhere.
Second. Richmond should regain its
prestige as a tobacco market This is a
subject with which ] am not familiar,
and how it IS TO be accomplished | leave
to the representatives OF that Industry,
among whose members are some of our
best and most progressive businessmen.
Third. 1t Is essential-nay, absolutely
II t-t... 4 IL
upon equal footing with any other point
they should be promptly
remedied, and the transportation compa-
MES should cooperate with the Trafic
Bureau of the Chamber of Commerce in
speedily removing any such difficulties.
Fourth Let us have merchants eX-
cursiOns" on all lines converging into
and become personally ac-
Quainted with the merchants az a dis
tance 1t Will advertise our city to the |
world far better than anything else we
can do At certain seasons of the year |
let tickets be sold 'via Richmond" and |
thus make Richmond a commercial cen |
tre-not a "way-station." The increase |
in traffic will show itself in the item of |
freight earnings Of tine railroads, and |
he excursions once inaugurated, will |
not fail to impress their benefits upon the |
entire community. Let us take up this |
matter and give it a fair trial.
Finally, let US stop all growing and |
let us not continually com |
pare our city with others to our detri- |
ment We know we have a fine city, |
blessed by Providence with natural ad- |
a healthful climate; no boom" |
but solid and conservative |
values. our financial institutions have
passed through this great panic unscath-
3D. and are ready TO assist any le- |
Ultimate enterprise we have newspapers
which keep abreast with The times
n fact, we have everything that makes
life worth living; and we have every
,eason to be proud of our achievements.
Then let every man., and woman, too.
constantly speak a good word for Rich
nond. and soon we shall see the 'im-
lrovcment in business and the enhance
nent and growth Of our city" which we
III so ardently wish for.
l.. 4. MORRIS.