The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-18

effort made several years ago In TINS al
rection and srenuously opposeu pJ tns
same gentleman who are opllosins
now? Mr.. Easley harns on 1nutuaI ca -,
change Of benefits and gross INJUSTICE
to be done residents of the territory It IS
pronosed 70 annex. I readily concede
that the benefits atspresent are not mu-
tual," but altogether on one side and III
favor of the man who happens to pc a
large owner of houses and lana Just out
side the limits Of the city. ne same
benefits, however, do not accrue TO the
owner of one little house on a twenty-five
foot lot alongside, of others like his own
contguity to Richmond should be gwen
credit for so per cent. OF the value OF
land so stated, and this is in part due to
congestion of our population in restricted
area. the former to his advantage, the
latter our misfortune. Richmond 1ur-
nishcs place and population in which ana
with whom the gentlemen who are In &C
tive opposition conduct their business
and make their money result IN beneHt "
the corntryman, no corresponding bche
fit to the city. The owner of much lanu
and many lots and houses can usually
have his home in q lot Of sufficient Oh
mansions to give him drainage by tlllns
to some near by stream and thus rio hlW-
self of danger from disease by sehcli's
off the offal originating about his mouse.
Hs can usually have his home plped Tor
distribution of gas and water ana arraaee
to furnish throughout his nome ootA
these comforts. but the many, many oc-
cupants Of houses on the twenty-five ioo1
lots are compelled to suffer the annoy
;lnce and disease resulting from hith they
cannot get rid Of This affects them oy
circulation in the air any by hiterihg "
the water into the earth. &c. TOO, they
endure danger and discomfort from use
of oil lamps and a tramp cut or oools
in all kinds of weather for their water
supply. To this latter class the advance
of the city into their territory must pe
looked upon as Veritapie 49, 5oes
| Easlev very generously says that ne ooes
not want to expose our mortuary ssatis,
tics We'll, we feel the same way :'ooti.
Henrico county, except in SO lar do
NAV help to bring about an lmpio'eihe,.s
in their own and CUT unfortunate coiiui
ton, I am very certain MI Easley uiu
not know where to so to look for stat,s-
tics along this line as applying 10 nc
comfy. IL he had I am sure on TINS SUD
iect he world have modified his language
and evinced a little less confidence. me
CITY Council Committee, charged with ODD
tanning information as to population, etc,
in the territory being discussed, hfst as
certained the number OF male persons
over twenty-one years of age, multlplieu
l.. bv five and found q population OIL ABOUT
a. 400. This is the accepted RUE ana IS
believed to yield full count. Now. we
know the death rate in Richmond during
1000 and we know the mortality rate from
typhoid fever and accept his statements
along that line We also know that
there were 6o3 dead bodies brought into
the city from without her limits during
1900. and the health records show that
nearly all Of them came from the terri
tory in question and that twenty-five OF
them died of typhoid fever, TINS number
being considerably more Than one-fourth
greater than the total number from the
Same cause out of our $3.50 population
durig the same year. Who will say that
opposition to bringing these people into
q position where there Is prospect for re-
lief by the introduction Of sewerage and
city water does not almost border on an
offense against humanity? Certainly
shall the thoughtful citizen within the
city raise a prayer to Heaven to remove
the menace to the health of all her citi
zens. In the increasing density of our
population, now more than thirty-two to
the acre, and subsection to the baneful
effects OF odors and particles Of offai
blown over our streets and into our homes
with every wind from the north. west or
east, hunlaity demands it in the inter-
est of the vast majority Of residents in
the county and for all in the city of Rich
mond. To permit such conditions to con-
tinue is but to invite an epidemic Of dis
ease each summer. if not in winter as
we'll.
NEEDS MORE ROOM.
me same gentleman in a, recent COM
munica ton in two Of our daily papers
has laid great stress upon the fact that
our motive in desiring annexation is to
make a better showing in population.
This has been partially our object, but
there are other more important consde-
rations WHICH make it exceedingly desira~
BILE. a large majority OF the people liv-
ing in the proposed annexed districts are
daily employed in the city of Richmond
and are actually part of the city, using
her banking facilities, her streets. fire
protection, police protection, and all OF
the other advantages as far as they can
get it extended by the city of Richmond,
and no part of their prosperity or COM
fort has been increased by any action Or
expenditure of county OF Henrico, except
some little improvements OF roads in the
county, and l believe if the concensus OF
opinion We're taken of residents of this
particular district that Is per cent. of the
people would cheerfully vote for the an
neXation under the plan recommended by
the subcommittee, Of which I have the
honor to be chairman. Richmond is COM
PEELED to have further room to grow and
to extend her streets and facilities for
improvement as Il great commercial city.
and unless we shall build in the air there
is but one direction in which we can
make this extension, and reiterate facts
stated in our report that there are few
cities, If any, in the Union wIru same
conditions but what would not have an
neXed this property many years ago.
He seems to lay great stress upon the
failure of the city to be able to give all
the relief and Improvement that is want
ed in various directions. respectfully
call attention to the fact that the ability
OF the city to expend for her various
needs is 100000 per annum greater to-day
than 1t was four years ago. and this with
considerably reduced taxation, as assess
nent Of real estate was lowered 100000
in 1890, and certainly specific taxes and
licenses have also been reduced. Some
mention has been made OF the fact that
the city has not given the necessary re-
lief and Improvement III Lee District
that it was entitled to, but that was more
fault Of property owners than of city gov