The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-03-29

! ~ of Virginia, the eastern shore of Mary
land, North Carolina, South Carolina,
North Georgia, East Tennessee, North AL
ALBANIA and all along down the coast
to the jumping off point at the tip end
of Florida.
WHOLESALE BUSINESS.
! In the course of time the wholesale
business in Richmond has enlarged and
grown and branched out until every line
is now represented here and represented
fully and adequately The merchant from
the towns and from the country can come
to Richmond with the most elabora tie
memorandum book his varied retail trade
and demands can suggest and right here
he can fill up every line and supply every
want.
Richmond is especially strong in the
grocery and provision lines! in boots and
shoes, in hats, in dry goods and notions,
IN clothing, in drugs, in saddlery and
harness and buggies. carriages, wagons,
and vehicles generally, also in farm i'm
PIGMENTS and farmers supplies. In build
ers' materials, iron products and stone
works it cannot be beaten and III crock
cry, fancy goods and general supplies it
plays second fiddle to no market in
the land On the third page of this
issue will be found some very interesting
information for the visitor within the
gates. That page forms a perfect direc-
tory that is worth preserving for guild
ancc.
Richmond is fertilizer headquarters for
the whole Southern country, and the
orders for all classes of fertilizers must
DRIFT here at last. They might as well
come on here at first, along with the
other orders, for everything and any
thing that the retail merchant may need
IN his business.
TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES.
Eichmond's transportation facilities in
and out of town cannot be surpassed by
any market that caters to Southern
trade. 1t is the home office of the
leading Southern lines, notably the Sea-
board AIR Line, the Southern Railway,
the Norfolk and Western, the Atlantic
Ccast Line, and the Chesapeake and
Ohio. These railway lines, with their
ramifcating connections, reach every
par! of the South and Southwest, and
throw the Richmond wholesale mer-
chant in quick and cheap communication
With his customers everywhere, from the
Potamac to the Gulf and put him on
advantageous ground as against his trade
competitors in the cities to the North.
as well as to the South of us And then,
too, he has the James River and the At
lantic Ocean at his command for cheap
transportation for his goods, coming in
as we'll as going out. thus enjoying wa
ter rates going and coming In addition.
the Rappahannock and the York, the
ChoWan, and the Black Water, the
Staunton and the Roanoke, and other
streams are in easy touch and always
available for cheap transportation to
and from points on their banks and on
the big streams and bodies of water into
which they empty.
THE CENTRAL POINT.
The time will come, and that at no
distant day. when the whole South will
know no other wholesale center beyond
Richmond. To this end Richmond people
and Richmond merchants have been
working for these many years, and will
continue to work until their bright hope
"a hope that is encouraged by natural
adv antages, and is being still further en-
ccuraged by the energy and push OF all
the people of Richmond, shall end in hap
by fruition.
For many years past, the wholesale
trade OF Richmond has been increasing
by the gradual process. In the last four
or five years it has passed the gradual
stage, and has been going up by jumps.
The merchants ard their army of drum
mers have determined that it shall go
this year and for the next several years
az a still greater gait. To this end they
are putting forth much effort, and,
knowing the sterling character of the
men engaged in the Wholesale business
in this goodly town, The Times-Dispatch
can but believe that abundant success
will attend their efforts.
OTHER THAN BUSINESS.
Richmond is strictly business, as has
been outlined above; it believes in bust
ness, and it carries business methods INTO
its municipal affairs. AS its business
grows, its government grows. and a few
figures from official books of last year
will but emphasize the business that has
been dwelt upon. Richmonds real estate
values increased last year S1,4S7, $50 over
the preceding year, and her personal
property $6,317, 240. The official figures
taken from the books of the tax man.
STOW also that last year business Ii
Genes enjoyed an increase of close to
fifty thousand dollars, and that taxes
assessed at the old rate of taxation ran
up to the tune of sixty thousand dol
lars. The city's income taxes and Ii
ccEses is now close to a million and a
hall dollars