The Washington times., 1903-08-19
Commercial Increase of
More Than 500 Per Cent
in Twenty-Three Years at
Hampton Roads.
POPULATION KEEPS PACE
WITH THE DEVELOPMENT 7
Fair-SiZed Cities Now Oc-
cupy the Former Sites of
Towns That Were Little
More Than Country VIII
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In a report Just issued by the com
mercial bodies OF Norfolk is contained
the reason for the gigantic struggle
now going on between some of the
greatest railroad systems in the United
States to get into the territory in the
southeastern portion of the country.
This report shows that the business Of
the Virginia ports has increased no less
than 500 per cent since 1880, business
growth that is unequaled in the annals
Of commerce in any part of the world.
The report also discloses a growth in
the interior of the country which is as
remarkable as that on the seaboard,
where Norfolk, Newport News. and ad-
jacent towns now have railroad termin-
ais and steamship docks equal to any
in the United States. excepting only
Boston. New York. and New Orleans,
and one or two ports on the Pacific
Coast 1t would seem that the cities
within the Virginia Capes are crystal
lizing themselves out of the dreams of
Washington, who intended to make the
National Capital a great center of COM
merce, into the concrete reality Wash
ington intended the city now bearing
his name to be.
Industrial Growth.
It was not until 1882 that there was a
railroad down the peninsular from
Richmond to the sea, but since then the
ing with the other industries, and that
these industries have increased wonder
fully is shown by the figures in the
report. In twenty years the capital in
vested in the Old Dominion and the
other parts Of the Southeast in manu-
featuring has increased from S272, ,244,-
564 to S1.154 .O02 1858, Of 384 percent,
while the increase in the most favored
part of the North was only 252 per cent
The value of manufactured articles in
creased from $457. .454, III to 81, ,46S. .643. III.
or 219 per cent against 149 per cent IN
the remainder of the country The In
crease IN Virginia has been 400 per cent.
against 34s in all OF the South and 252
for the whole Of the United tSates.
Armies Employed.
The report reduces these figures again
and IL shows that the most remarkable
growth OF this great increase IN business
wealth has been in, and in the territory
around. Norfolk, Newport News and
Portsmouth.
The biggest employers of labor are the
railways. which have working for them
10000 men. The shipbullding company
comes next. having 1000 men at work
In each case 70 per cent of the employees
are skilled mechanics who earn about
$50 a week.
The Chesapeake and Ohio and the
Southern Railroads are the largest en-
ployers. individually. Of labor. It was
the former road which did the yeoman's
work in building down the James River
valley to the Virginia norts. From Rich
rnond it reached Norfolk and Newport
News, thus giving the Central West its
first opportunity TO get it's products to
the European ports without having to
send them through the costly ports OF
the North.
First Consolidation
1t was also the Chesapeake and Ohio
which was the pioneer in that system o:
fng consultations, which probably
reached its limit for the next decade.
anyway, in the recent Seaboard- Frisco
Rock Island deal
Shortly after building down the valley
OF the James the Chesapeake and Ohio
made It's connections with the Cleve-
land. Cincinnati, Chicago and st. Louis
Railroad, the big Four" by which It
made Itself an outlet TO the Atlantic
Seaboard for the wheat, coal, food stuffs.
agricultural implements. furniture and
the other manufactured articles and
products OF the richest part Of the coun-
try which the Big Four gathers.
1t was this traffic which first COM
nenced the prosperity at Hampton
Roads. The Seaboard Air Line. the
Southern. the Atlantic Coast Line the
Norfolk and Western, and the lesser
roads followed the Chesapeake and
Ohio. and today all have many millions
OF dollars invested in their terninals.
In addition there has Just been COM
pIeted the new extensions OF the New
York. Philadelphia and Norfolk Rail-
road, the Pennsylvania Railroad branch
which is the direct line to the north.
Great Exports
With all of the freight over these lines
pouring into the ports, there is scarcely
anything remarkable in the wondrous
growth IN exports which followed. This
export trade jumped from $8.OOO, 900 in
1880 10 more than $50 .OOO, 900 last year.
Naturally the railroads brought an in
creased population into the territory,
but those who are not familiar with the
situation are going 10 be surprised when
they read the figures. 1t is the wonder
ful growth OF Chicago OF early days over
again. only In a softer, more genial
cline
In 1880 the entire country around
Hampton Roads could boast only 40 900
population. Now Norfolk and Ports