Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-01


| forth we viii give Richmond the benefit
| OF every dollar we spend when we can
| do as well or almost as we'll as by spend
! ing IL elsewhere, and our city will pros
per and will be sought by others as place
OF residence and place to invest their
money proftably. JOHN NJ. TAYLOR.
some Pressing Public Needs.
To the Editor OF the Dispatch:
How TO improve the conditions of our
! city, for the coming year-a wide field
| for thoughts and suggestions and per-
haps, I'm the multiplicity of opinions some
practical results may be obtained.
shall endeavor. in short metre. to devote
my attention 10 public needs.
l. The Common Council should make
liberal appropriation for street improve
ments. one must acknowledge that this
department requires needed attention.
Our main thoroughfares, as well as our
private streets. for a metropolitan city,
are In very bad condition, aud bad
streets make bad impression on visitors.
?. The city should be liberal In charging
for the supply OF water. for no gift can
be more appreciated than It's liberal use.
and charges should be very moderate; and
TO consumers for family use. the uniform
charge should be, where meters are in
use, 10 cents per 1000 gallons. This would
result very beneficially for hygienic pur-
poses.
8. Cleaning department OF streets and
alleys. and the removal OF garbage should
claim more attention, and the appropria-
ton should be commensurate with its
needs. There is nothing of so vital i'm
portance as this branch Of our govern
ment. for cleanliness is next to godli
ness" and TO ward of diseases one must
always be prepared 1t is too late when
the effect OF carelessness is felt. "a
stitch In time saves nine"
4. a united charity relief association
should be formed for the distribution to
the worthy needy of our city. Churches
of all denominations should contribute to
one fund. this fund to be controlled by
an executive committee. who should have
established headquarters. with proper re-
gistraton and clerks. who would person
ally visit and report on all cases Pracu-
cal relief should be given, so that the
worthy could regain a standing in the
community, obtain work. and become self
sustaining. The practical results would
be very beneficial. both to the donors
and the recipients.
All city appropriations should go
through this channel. ! am just getting
warmed up over the public needs" but
must close, because j am taking up too
much Of your valuable space.
JULIUS STRAUS.
Encouraging Signs and Urgent
Needs.
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
The real estate business has been dull
for the most part during the past year,
as was generally expected. Compare
lively few sales were made. except under
deeds of trust and DEGREES of court, al
though In the latter part OF summer and
the early fall there was quite an increased
demand for houses to rent. resulting in a
large number being taken and the rent |
lists" very much reduced.
AS to the coming year. with the pros
poets and hope of an economical admins |
tration, by which taxes will not be in |
creased. the likelihood of an Improvement |
being made in our present city and State |
laws, thus Offering some inducements TO |
capitalists and others to invest their |
money in real estate, the establishment |
Of the sugar beet plant, the enlargement |
Of one Of our public institutions, together
with private enterprises, we have reason |
to think that business will improve. If |
the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Com
pany could be induced to begin the work |
of building the Compromised viaduct and
handsome depot, il would be the means
of giving employment to a large number |
of our mechanics and help greatly to
stimulate industries and build up our city.
1t might be well TO mention that with
in the past two or three months we have
had calls and received letters from par
ties from Wisconsin, Nebraska. and other
Western States wishing TO purchase lands
in Virginia which is another gratifying
feature, as we believe that immigration
of this kind would result in much perma-
nent good TO our whole country.
Altogether, the outlook for the future
seems TO be better than this time a year
ago. JOHN r. GODDIN.
They should wake Up.
To the Editor of the Dispatch:
l have been reading and seeing the
progress of your-to me-very valuable
paper for many years, and / think If you
will lust publish how il was done, and
advise others to do likewise, and your
good counsel followed, the city will at
once be improved.
No. while you are at work the city
sleeps and. OH how ii does sleep-as no
other city of its size on the globe. That
is what makes IL so good, but not progress
sive. We in Richmond sleep, while other
cities near us are wide-awake. taking
from US what nature intended should be
ours. What use do we now or have we
ever made Of the immense water-power-
the greatest natural source of wealth
running by our doors to waste? The
country builds up cities, and we should
encourage the farmer not only TO raise
what he is now doing, but every article
of agriculture that is imported into our
SYSTEMATICALLY such as beets for
sugar. broom-corn, &c. The raw material
brought here will build up factories, re
fneries, &c. See the progress of the cot
tOn-mils in Lynchburg and Dan
VILE paying large dividends and in
creasing capacity every year since their
and each of the towns depend
ing upon one or two lines of railway only,
and no water transportation 10 compete.
What is the matter with Richmond and
its good people? They are asleep! l viii
further prove it 10 you. If Richmond
people were awake would they for one
moment allow those cOw-sheds which
the Southern and the Chesapeake
and Ohio railroad companies call {
the Richmond depots to remain?
Show me another city in the whole world :
hat would stand such negligent treat
nent from railroads deriving such Dement'S
as they do from Richmond? Perhaps the
new generation will wake up, and then we
may get a progressive. hustling manufac-
turing, and commercial centre, which ma
ure intended Richmond 10 be, and then
he numerous For Rent" OF stores and
dwellings, will disappear.
Yours truly, FRED. >. MYERS. '
Trade should BE Diversified. :
70 Tho Editor Of tho DiSDatch: :