The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-12-31
SUNDAY. DECEMBER 81. 1899.
GREAT YEAR ron nlCHMoND.

Tho wear 1890 IL unique in the cCm-
,rsroiaI and Industrial history OF Rich
mond. Taking It altogether II was per-
hans the most prosperous year that the
city has ever known. II was certainly
the most eventful year. speaking from
the commercial and industrial stand
point. From 1898 to 1898 Richmond was
alnrst at a standstill. and some oil the
most sanguIne men in Richmond took tho
gloomy view. and had almost brought
themselves TO believe that Richmond was
finished town. The factories were
working on half time very few new in
dustries started up, ms - men were out
of employment and II was said that
there were at one time one thousand
vacant buildings in Richmond.
But I'm 1898 the wheels again began 70
turn. and Richmond made decided pro-
gress The progress begun in 1898 and
was continued In lsg9 and from month
10 month there was o steady advance
The last cav Of the year finds all In
dus,ries working on full time. every man
in town. who is willing to work with
profitable employment. large number
G., new industries under way. and almost
- habiiable house in the city with
a tenant In It,
Elsewhere the story is told in figures
but IL Is not amiss for us TO reproduce
some OF them In this review. In 1886
there were 9s4 manufacturing plants in
Richmond giving employment 10 1856
hands. and with an aggregate output
valued at ssi,569,ec5
To-day there are 1.2i5 plants. giving
employment to 1.223 hands. and the
sales for the year amounted 10 tn'sG6.98
one OF the most extraordinary features
OF this exhibit Is that the capital en-
ployed IN 1899 was only about half mill
lion dollars greater than the capital en-
ploved IN 1896. Yet the number Of hands
increased nearly 5co0. and the sales in
creased nearly slOoOOooO. This is most
gratifying as showing how much more
probably capital Is employed in Rich
xnond industries now than It was In
1896. and the statement which is to-day
sent out will be a splendid advertise
ment for Richmond as a place for invest
ment
The iobbing business also makes fine
showing, the sales for 1880 being ,35.777.-
gs5. as against s29.sS6O52 in 1895. whereas
the increase in capital. employed by the
5obbers Il less than $4,000
But the year 1893 is most notable for
the number and importance Of new en-
terprises First OF all perhaps. should
be mentioned the building Of the Rich
rnond. Petersburg and Carolina railroad.
by which the seaboard Air Line gains
give US a new trunk line 10 the South
which will De second IN importance 10
no other line south OF washington. The
Headquarters OF this system Of roads
VIII be In Richmond and II will be in
sanss a Richmond institution. for It viii
be controlled by Richmond capitalists
and operated from this point.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Company madc common cause with the
eeaboard Air Line and agreed upon terms
for the erection Of union depot build
ing. The Chesapeake and Ohio Com
pany Is also making Improvements in It's
trackage. eievating the tracks along
James river and bringing them into the
e1ty overhead. This will greatly facili-
tate the traffic OF the Chesapeake and
Ohio ana make Richmond more than
ever an important point on its extern
sive lines.
Next we may mention the Inaugural
ton OF the ship-building industry I'm this
city. our chip yards now are well es-
tahlished, and having demonstrated their
capacity to build torpedo boats. the gov
eminent readily awarded the William II.
Trigs bodybuilding Company the con-
tract TO build an armored cruiser ct
cost OF more than a million dollars.
II 80 also gratifying that the eompli-
Gated street car question has been set
tied. Z party OF Richmond capitalists
having obtained control OF oil the various
iinss embraced in the system operated
~ the Richmond Railway and Electric
Company. ana Il will net be long before
ali these lines will be thoroughly re-
sa,ssd end equipped with modern cars.