The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-01
THE MARCH IS
ONE OF PROGRESS
President Morris, of the Chamber of
Commerce, Pleased.
RlCHMOND'S RECORD LAST YEAR.
Many improvements Were Made and
Great Undertakings Were Either
Completed or Begun. The Out
look is Very Encouraging.
Editor of The Times


sir.-The close OF the present year. whidl
is also the close of a century, affords OPP
portunity for d Retrospective view OF
many events which have passed into his
tory, but, as numerous communications
which Will reach You at this season, l
shall content myself by referring only
Ie sonsc Of the most notable.
/ am well assured thatlast years bust
ness viii show handsome balance upon
the right side of the ledger, and that the
reaction following the depression os a
few years 800 was based upon u solid foun-
dauon: was guided by u conservative spir-
it. and has produced development along
natural lines i'll response TO the legiIi-
mate demands Of business.
Compared with 1899, which in many
respects was a record breaking period: our
factories turned out during the fiscal year
just ended products valued at $4S, Sc, S64 !;
jobberS made sales amounting to $3S,-
6S4 zoo, and the activity shown in those
and other lines Of business reflected by
increased transactions in our banking in
StItutions. the clearances showing jan
uary's increase of about SS,692 647 over those
of last year. OF a total of Sl1i,5S3. 1874
Vacant houses. of which there We're
many a few years ago. are nearly all
occupied. and notwithstanding the activity
witch has prevailed in The building trade
for the last two years, general demand
renting purposes.
The number of failures during The year
have been remarkably small. indicating d
healthy state of trade and The sound con-
dition Of our numerous industrial estab-
liShments.
THE IMPROVEMENTS.
No great addition to the number of our
manufacturing enterprises may be cron-
tcled for the past twelve months, but in
1883 and 1900 we embarked upon certain
undertakings of such paramount import
ance and magnitude that TO have carried
them through or towards Il state of COM
9lletion: gave full employment TO our
resources, and 10 considerable accessions
OF both capital and labor from abroad. To
cite a few Will prove this closing year
OF the century most conspicuous in the
history of Richmond's commercial and
Industrial progress. Those to which
shall refer are either of great public utili-
Iy. are OF such Il character as to eSpe-
cially call for notice from the fact that
they provide the means for unprecedented
development in the future, aud have all
feen long and eagerly anticipated from
line standpoint of this chamber.
Thus the construction OF the Richmond.
Petersburg and Carolina Railroad and the
erection OF its bridge across the James
river, connecting the Greater Seaboard sys-
tenn with this city. was an event 10 which
we had looked forward for years and which
MAS accordingly celebrated with the pro-
foundest interesta the building of Tie
Chesapeake and ohio\ Railway viaduct
down James river and Dock Street now
we'll under way, is a most necessary and
unique project. and the erection of the
Union Depot of these Two lines, on lower
Nam Street, promises 10 infuse greater
activity into that section of the city; the
comp et.an OF the Southern Railways
passenger depot on Fourteenth Street sup
plies lons-felt want both by that COM
pany and the travelling public: the final
settlement OF the street railway ordinance
es, fixing ti,s relations between the Pas
senger and Power Company and the Trac-
ton Company, with respect 10 each 9TH