The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-04-07
FRIDAY. APRIL !, 1905,
To the Common Council.

To the Common Council.
STRIPPED Of, all personal interests, the
bare proposition before the Councii 70
night can be reduced to Two clcar GU
ma decided issues. Does Richmond need
liberal xpansion, and can she pay Tor LOT II I
For the first, the answer OF every NOR NOR
q tuary table, the reports OF tho real estate
agents the price of property, the congos-
tion Of Richmond when compared with
other cities Of America, thc1 absence OF
sites for manufacturing plants within the
CITY limits, aAG the rnpracticabilitv OF
giving water and gas TO industries located
in the county, have all conduced to create
- popular demand for liberal expansion
that is ;,s deep as it is clear. NO
official need put his car TO the ground
10 detect the distant rumbling OF TINS
avalanche, for there is no one IN Rlch-
mond to-day, be he never SO far removed
from the intercourse with people that
make this city, who does not hear the
cry of the man Of moderate means for a.
thome that will give him and his children
moderate comforts. This cannot be done
by annexing a few acres In the East and
West Ends The only, the obvious and
the unacceptable remedy is to 60 North.
,rhe longer the Council delays the more
apparent the popular need will become,
nor will delay make any other solution
more possible Every need Of Richmond,
moral and physical, the requirements OIL
tho private citizen, the needs of the great
manufacturers all alike demand broad
gagged and liberal expansion northWard. II
Can Richmond pay for it? is the next
question: and The Tmes-Dispatch rn-
hesitatingly afflrms that 1t cam and
could, we're the cost tenfold what 1t VIII
be A conservative estimate shows that
Richmond will only have to oxpcnd $1a,-
600 year for five years In excess OF
tho revenues of the territory added IN
order to furnish that territory city con-
vcnicnccs. and this without any increase
OF the tax rate for ten years. At the end
OF the first five years period, reassess-
mcnt can be made which even at the ex-
listing county rate will In all probability
largely reduce this small outlay.
The matter of expansion has finally
come down TOWN issue between those who
wish for an intelligent progress, and those
who in the words Of Lord Bacon. BY
froward retention OF custom do ofttimes
work more damage than revolution.
The Times Dispatch believes that the
live men will easily and speedily put TO
rout the ..froward retaincrs Of outwoin
custom
Two amendments are to be offered In
the Council tonight to the ordinance for
extension of the city limits, as recon-
mcnded by vote OF TO . in the Ordi-
nance Committee. Both OF these amend-
mcnts should, and in all probability will,
he adopted by the Council by the large
majority vote, which VIC confidently be-
lleve will be given upon the final adop-
ton of The ordinance as amended.
One amendment, TO be proposed by
Councilman Cannon provides for preserv-
ing unchanged the present eastern cor
poration line from the south bank of
James River to The south line Of Osborne
Street extending tho line castwardly along
den Street, there uniting with and con-
K tinuing tho remainder OF the line as pro-
posed BY the committee recommendation,
The effect OF this amendment Will be to
leave outside of tho city portion Of the
Cedar Works property and all Of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad yards,
these exclusions being for the all suf-
ficient reason that they do not lie in the
patti Of TIC c.tys growth and are not
needed for its further progress and de-
velopment.
The other amendment. to be proposed
by Councilman Pollock, provides for terms
much more advantageous for the terri
tory taken in than those laid down as tho
minimum basis by the Anderson law,
This amendment provides for ten year
guarantee of~thc tax rates prevailing IN
the territory added at the time OF ex-
tension. and for the prompt issue OF bonds
TO the extent >of twelve per cent. OF the
assessed value of the real property in the
added dstrcts--to be wholly expended In
improvements in such districts. Assur-
anccs Will be thus given OF immediate
Improvement and development Of Sht
added area. Better than this Will he the
effect in securing new manufacturing
establishments IN the new territory byitht
guarantee nf low tax rate for a pcTioc
OF ten years.
The good effect upon the city's srowil
Yiu BIZ immediate nhaa exDaas;nn J.