The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-04-06

or the various suburban attractions
about Richmond, Paramount, on the
easterumost end Of the city, in a northeriy
direction, is perhaps the largest ana ltle
most flourishinE Formerly part u
Henrico county and later Il special dis-
trict controlled by a Board of Commis-
sioners, it is more recently an 1ncorpoile-
cd town, with a Mayor ana Souli e.l. =,
indications other than these progressive
stems noint to the future development or
Eairn,o1,nt. Houses are going up now IN
considerable number and others are 10 ue
erected The condition OF thoso o"ci-
lines already there is excellent
are no negroes in tho place ana the slene
Of a. saloon in Paramount mas no. oe ~.
seen for many a day. Onoer tig ~ ~,
rauin,e various improvements WI pe
,,ads IN the way Of sanitary conditions
.,reets lights and other things. Inc
tow in fact. while not booming, is Keep
ing we'll up TO the modern pace ana SHOWS
no sign Of a. tagging step.
HISTORY OF THE PLACE.
Fa;rmount was separated from Hcnrlco
county something over two years e ,,.int1
was established as a spcclal ui'ei ~
Prior to that time for several years :.
had been in the hands or the tai.ilto 4,.e
Land Company. AS a special a..
amusement Of the affairs OIL the pidee
vas vested In a Board Of Commissioners
coDs,stin,- of four or five well-knoWn gen
tlemeu. residents Of tho district. Ohtll "a q
short time ago this arrangement was 49,
rorce when the people got tired OIL the
suecial-district scheme. flnally d.
snecial meeting the commissioners rehuei.
I'd account of their stewardship o'1o
.tenned down and out in favor OF some
etI,ar Wan some wanted to return to the
county but the progresslves. VINO etA
,,,od fiat this would be a backward step,
r,era In the majority and carried inc Gay
for inco1-pora ton. The necessary papers
,r.re drawn UP, and Mr.. Thomas W. Gard
nov representative from Henrico Ill the
TJo,sc. offered a bill giving the town
charter. -, ,,o,,7
meanwhile an election had been hElo
.nd The first Mayor was chosen IN the
r,areon Of Mr.. T. Walker Jeter, a weil-
Known Young man Of the county. y
Connci1. consisting Of five members. were
also chosen When the charter had peeil
gotten Mr.. Jeter was promptly sMoin
In and the little suburb began It's ne as
an incorporated town. 3.
Tho boundaries OF the Town s.loW ,,, ~
TO be perhaps the largest suburb around
Richmond. Its eastern end corresponds
with Twcnty-fourth Street. while on the
wcst It is bounded by the Mechanics
Vile Turnpike. On the south 1T ends at
Street and On the west at the farm
Of Mr.. w. II: Brauer. Since the incos-
poration the place has been divided INTO
five wards.
At the present time there arc in Fair.
mount about 175 houses, mostly plain
and OF frame, but substantial and neat.
The population is made up of about IoD
white persons. BY a stipulation made
when the Paramount Land Company was
in control. no property can be sold TO
negroes, certainly not before 1917. There
ic We faroi11, in r.
| mount, which was there before the land
| company came into possession, and which
now won't set out In addition to the
houses already in the place, there are
| sixteen others now in course OF construc-
| ton, and five more are to be built later.
These houses arc to be sold to actual
| settlers on accommodating terms as TO
cash and time. Other inducements likely
| to attract desirable residents are offered.
| Conspicuous among the larger buildings
| in the place is the Fainount Methodist
Church. OF which the Rev. J. o. Babcock
| is the pastor The Fairfield High School
| building is also noticeably present. 1t is
situated at Twenty-first and T Streets,
| and is q large brick building, one Of the
best Of its kind IN Virginia outside the
larger cities. There are or teachers In
the school and about $50 pupils. Three
large grocery stores also grace the new
town of Paramount. The Baptists are
| building a church which is to be one of
the most handsome in the East End and
tho Christians are looking, out for lot
on which to build. Last, but not least,
1 Paramount boasts a street car line, which
runs on schedule which will be im-
proved very shortly.
WHAT WILL BE DONE.
These things Paramount already had be-
| fore it was a town. Now that it has be-
como Incorporated other things are to fol-
low. a census Of the town has just been
! taken by, the Councilmen. The sanitary
1 conditions, which always have been good.
i will be improved. Some system of light
! Ing the streets will be adopted and, what
/ no other town has. perhaps, ansa dju1ct
system for lessening the danger Of FIRE.
i The Richmond department. attends fires
4 IN paramount and Yet the people want
4 Ia be safer still. "A bucket brigade Ill
be organized. and while he fire depart PAL.
1 fap of n IN itS