Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-06-29
A TALE OF TWO CITIES.

we happen to know some Bingham
ton IN. 70 people, who are very good
| people, and far above the mean spirit
OF disparagement exhibited lin the fol-
lowing extract from an editorial of the
Evening Herald of that town:
People who live in this city and who
seldom leave it's environs to visit other
places of equal size, should take n trip
10 some Southern city, like Norfolk for
| instance. and they will be ut once i'm
pressed with the difference between the
Two places. Here the streets are clean;
the walks we'll laid; the houses neatly
| painted: the business blocks have an
air OF thrift about them and the equip
ages are modern and comfortable.
In Norfolk the streets are dirty.
What LITTLE PAVEMENT there Is is
uneven and badly kept, the walks of the
principal business streets are uneven
and narrow; THE BUSINESS BLOCKS
| HAVE RUNDOWN APPEAR
ANCE: signs hang awry and fresh
paint is n rarity.
ION THE RESIDENT STREETS
THE YARD FENCES ARE BROKEN
OR LEAN; most of them need repairs:
the lawns are not we'll trimmed, and
the dwellings look as if they needed a
thorough renovation"
The Herald. then, follows this gra-
tutous, false and abusive description OF
Norfolk with a very laudatory article
on Binghamton. with which we have
no quarrel. save so far as 1t is used
to depreciate this city. Binghampton
is rated in the geographical directories
as a pretty little town Of $4,000 inhabi-
tants. in Broome county, n. Y. not far
from the Pennsylvania line, having
some fine water-power. manufactures,
| &c.-but chiefly noted for its large in
ebriate asylum.
But it is an old and true saying that
comparisons are odious," and that
town is to be pitied that does not pos
sess merits that do not depend on dis
crediting some other place. or that does
possess a journal that docs not know
how to exploit and justly commend it
without detractfng from the credit due
other towns or cities. If what the
Binghamton Herald says of Norfolk
were true. that would not justify its
malicious onslaught: but 1t is not true,
except In that sense which travels from
Dan to Beersheeba, and finds all foul
or barren. or that confines itself to the
slums. TO enjoy fit surroundings. fit
smells and other developed sensations
| and sensibillties.
Norfolk, like all seaboard cities, has
some malodorous sections and people,
and some unseemly aspects: but as
ladies and gentlemen who visit us find
| good society here. SO the observer
among us, II he be not irresIstibly at
tracted to the haunts of filth. vice and
criminal pauperism. can find clean
streets. unbroken pavements. hand some
residences and elegant grounds Nor
are our business quarters. to the intelli-
| gent eye. repulsive and loathsome, but
are only marked by the trails and
| movements of n great and growing
commerce that is nowhere the nurse OF
dalntiness and fastidious cleanliness.
Norfolk, like all busy seaports, has its
unclean and shabby districts and su-
burbs; but how absurd to compare a
rural village. of the interior. with Is, 900
| citizens. with a great and growing port
like Norfolk. having a population OF at
least 100000. in sight on land and water
II not permanently housed within It's
municipal limits. Norfolk. notwith-
standing tho disorder. clutter, CRIME,
trash. wear tear and neglect OF beauty
or even of neatness. that result from
her situation and business, has an
abundance of handsome residences,
streets. pavements. grounds. &C.. to
make several Binghamtons. superior to
her in all the exceilences OF which the
Herald so rudely brags; though while
here or here he ever were), he confined
himself exclusively to those more con-
genial portions. which. While enhancing
his comfort. also afforded him material
for Islander and instrumentation.
Let the Herald-m learn from the
following. taken from the American
| Register. of Detroit. how an honest
and decent notice of Norfolk is not for
hidden by sectional hate even in cities
further North than Binghamton:
NORFOLK, Vain spite OF many
! S1.00 and other consideration transfers.
| the realty business of tile city and SUI
burbs footS up nearly three-quarters OF
a million since the beginning or the
year. Many new companies are organ
izing. some with heavy capital. engage
| ing in industrial enterprises and en-
| tering upon extensive land and de-
| velopment projects. The navy-yards
employ upwards OF 1900 people. the
| payroll being about S125. 900 monthly.
THE unprecedented activity in all
! Industrial lines the busy hum and whirl
| of wheels and factories in aud about
| Norfolk furnish Il most conclusive ar
gument that the dreamy South Is OF
past history: that in its place has come
Il new and busting race OF commercial
| people. as keen and aggressive as any
| in the world.
"Ncynr before has there been SO