The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-07-03
ODDS AND ENDS.
An Item Here and There Worthy
of Consideration.

tits q matter of gratitude that in spite
OF our own troubles, and we have trou-
bles Of our own. we are able to think Of
ophers and their joys without envy. Our
good sister city, Farmville, has attained
\ her one .hundredth birthday. One hun
sdred years ago there was boom where
the city now is. Lots were in demand,
but unlike lots OF to-day they were easy
to get If the prospective owners would
agree to build houses upon them. 1t did
not make much difference what the
Houses were to be, just so each lot had
one. 1t was a good idea and no vacant
lot lay monument to the fallen hopes of
some investor. 1t is a pity that some Of
these old boom time principles were not
handed down to us. We might have
still lost our money, but our misfortune
would have at least been hidden from au
unsympathetic public. Farmville is
rich in history. 1t would be interesting
uno fitting il its citizens would prepare q
sort of memorial volume containing the
story of it's life, its people and the many
things that have made up it's surround
ings during the one hundred years OF its
existence. A centennial celebration
would be observed with pleasure ~ Vir.
ginians all over the world. May another
and another century pass as lightly over
our sister city. -
There is rejoicing in another city not
far distant from IS. Buena Vista has
gone dry. A determined band number
ing about seventy two tried and faithful
men went to the polls and before the
world said eve would have drink But
it didn't work and Buena Vista is dry.
There was boom there also some years
ago and the vacant lots can be seen with
the naked eye. No houses. however
rude, were, like the early days of Farm
vile, built perforce upon them. Only
few hopes and some magnificent air cas-
Ties protected them and an occasional
potation of $50 forth and he joyful"
But the boom is done and the town is
dry. Poor crops one year and a drought
the rest-yet they keep on digging"
There ID heavy dew in some districts
There are many little thugs about the
city that might he polished up both for
our permanent comfort and for the sake
of what is going to be said of us abroad
by the delegates to the coming conven-
ton. We have naturally one of the pref
tiest Gf not the prettiest) cities any
where and it should be matter of pride
with us that no little thing should be
neglected that will tend in aDv way to
detract from favorable impression upon
strangers. One thing that is AN eyesore
to lis all is the vacant space between the
Ponce de Leon hotel and the old Times
building. 1t IS in the very center of the
city, next door to one of the principal
hotels and close to the car line and the
Campbell avenue thoroughfare. It's posi-
ton is such that.it forces itself upon you
whether you want to look at it or not.
Aside from the unclean and unhealthy
look of the stream flowing there, one has
also such n delightful view of the back
premises of a number of the Salem ave-
nue. stores, and they are not ut ali attrac-
tive. There is an easy remedy for this,
or at least something that can be done
for which the public would be most CRATE
full. 1t would not cost much to build
seven foot board fence along the side
walk, and 1t may he possible that the
owners of the vacant lots will be willing
to help pay for hiding them, and it may
be that the merchants on Salem avenue
will contribute something towards cut
ting off the view of their back premises.
The rear of no store can be kept partic-
ularly neat-or is kept SO. IL would
indeed be Il kindness if the matter were
taken up.
Another gentleman from the country
has written about the condition of the
road leading out of Northeast Roanoke.
What he says should be warning to
those in authority that it is about to
bring about serious results. This Ioad
is in awful shape and certainly should