The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-17
Many Great Works Have Brought
Complete Changes,
flhDUCT AND POWER-H0USE
These and The Stipyards, the Development
Compauy's Dam and The Seaboard
Bridge src the Chief Features
of the New Landscape,
Very Different from
the Old.

When the Manchester man who returned
TO his home last night after an absence
Of a year. walks out this morning and
casts his eyes across the James he will
jump.
he will not feel at home. He will
think some mistake has been made, may
be that he got off at the wrong station.
But a few landmarks will show him
that he is looking over towards Rich
mond. The tower of the jefferson, the
City Hall, and the old Capitol up on
the l,:ll, the Gallego Mills, the Chesa-
peake and Ohio grain elevator will ap-
pear familiar Otherwise. he would have
little 10 remind him of the Richmond
of year or eighteen months ago.
IT IS EPoCHAL..
The complete transformation of Rich
mondrs Waterfront, from a point a lit
tie below Hollywood. down 10 Twenty
third Street. is 2, feature oe the city's
history nothing short Of epochal 1t is
believed that no city in this country was
oyer more radically changed and im
proved 1t is hardly the same city.
Richmond people have not yet. awakened
TO understand changes which have taken
place The accompanying cut, made from
:, drawing by The Times artist, will help
TO convey an idea oC the stupendouS
changes mentioned.
TIE c. s. @. NIADUCT.
The most prominent feature Of the
picture. and OF the changes which have
been wrought, is the great stee, viaduct
OF the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway.
built on piers in the river from a point
fnst east of Hollywood Cemetery 10
about opposite Thirteenth Street. This
feature Of the elevated way which the
Chesapeake and Ohio is building through
Richmond is decidedly the most striking.
Its magnitude is difficult of eNasgera
lion. The work of securing foundations
for the piers above required operations
on = great scale The erection of the
piers. or pedeStals, was Il great under
taking. and for months a large force
of men. operating the largest lifting. ma
chine ever constructed, has been en-
.aged IN placing in position the steel
.;,,nerstrIlcture. The work MAS COM
p.eted last week. The portion Of the
v!adrct built over the river is absolutely
ready for the trains.
Many puzzlinS problems confrontei
il,s engineers who had the work OF con-
st,uc,ion IN charge. 1t Was found to
be necessary 20 jitNc Ike NitsNhSt l's'S'e
over the Free Bridge and under the
Petersburg. or Atlantic Coast Line.
bridge. The first problem was accom-
nIishcd with comparative ease The
second vas more difficult. but It. too.
has been solved. and the river portion
of the prodigious work is at last accom-
plishcd.
THE POWER PLANT.
The harnessing of the heretofore
wasted water-nowcr of the James has
worked great changes. One of the most
,onspic.ous features of the waterfront
is the po,ver-nouse OF the Virginia Eiec-
,rfcal Railway and Development Com
many whose lofty :stac, towers far
above all surrounding buildings. and is,
i, fact. one of the tallest in the country.
,f,he stack is in effect solid block of
stone. as II is built up of concrete. The
electrical company Will resolutionize
manufacturing In Richmond. as il will
s,,np,y light and power by means of the
underground conduit system. The great
plan. is simply to be used in the utiii-
zatton and distribution of the great
rivers power heretofore practically
wasted.
II should he mentioned that one of the
great features OF the electrical co,npany's
plant Is not shown In the cut nor can it
be seen from the Manchester side of tile
river Aiiusion is made to The great.