The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-09-16
Wonderful Progress Was
Made in the Past
Few Years.
REVOLUTION IN
WAY OF FARMING
Increased Tax Values Over a
Million Dollars-Prosperous
Condition Of Farmers-To-
bacco County Becom-
ing Grain Pro
Queer.

CHATHAM. PITTsYLVANIA co. VA.
September Pittsylvania county. named
in honor OF the Honorable William Pitt.
Earl OF Chatham. is the second largest
county in the Commonwealth of Viz
ginia. second in territory and second in
population. II contains gSs square miles
and In this respect is exceeded only bv
Augusta county. which is twenty-six
square miles larger. II contains accord
ing 10 the census OF 1870. a population
OF 1884. which does not include the popu-
lation OF Danville. and I'm this respect Is
second only 20 Norfolk county. which
has nearly four thousand more people
IL Is a long county. extending from the
North Carolina line northward a distance
Of forty-four miles TO Campbell and Bed
FORD counties. and from Halifax on the
eastern side. distance OF sixteen miles
al the widest part. to Henry and Frank
lin counties on the west.
Pittsylvania county has in time fur
nished the Commonwealth with some Of
ITS great mon. and to-day enjoys the
distinction of being the only county in
the state 70 furnish two Governors in
succession-Governors Montague and
Swanson. But this is not to be a politi
cal story. but a tale Of the solid pros
perity of solid section OF the old Com
monwealth
This county has probably partaken more
largely Of the benefits of the present ora
OF national prosperity than any county in
the state Of Virginia. In fact during
The past few years the Industrial r0ndf-
tons ~ the county. including farming
have undergone n mild revolution thlt mas
proven Tor the county good. The estah-
llshment OF many Touring mills I'm differ
ent parts OF the county. and tho inn
provement and rebuilding OF many old
ones, have had a tendency 20 make the
whole agricultural part of the county Joss
81" tobacco grower and more ~ n grain
producer. II is now the bo1st ~ many
Pittsylvnnians that they are hog ana
hominy folks now. and not So much Of
tobacco worms" as they used 10 be-
Chatham the county seat. which also
takes its name from the popular English
scholar and statesman for whom tho
county was named has also gotten .
livest and most prosperous inland county
seats IN tho S-ate
Figures That Talk.
q few comparative figures. taken from
. the books Of the County Court clerk. the
commissioners OF the revenue and the
county treasurer. Will speak loudly and
tell the story better than any language
The Times Dispatch man can employ.
However. before giving these instructive
figures an explanatory note is necessary.
The lands or Pittsylvania county like
those ~ every county in the State. are
not assessed according 70 their true value.
For some reason. political or otherwise
the assessors have Outra ge0usly under
valued lands when they came To Ak their
tax valuation For instance the writer
knows personally of q piece - property in
very prosperous part Of the county
which has changed hands several times
V1flIfn the past two decades II has been
assessed for the past twenty years at So
per acre. Twenty years ago 10 sold az Dr'-
vate sale for ST per acre. Fifteen years
ago 10 sold AT auction Tor $24 per acre.
and six months ago q sold AZ auction. by
order of court. nj SOS per acre The pres
ent owner would not take S25 an acre for
e.. The increased valuations that viii be
noted below therefore. consist entirely
improvements that have been placed
upon the lands
According ~ tho books IN which clerk
s s Hurt and Treasurer W. n Duncan
gave me access the real estate I'm the
county was assessed in 1901 at S3.1S7.3Sl
and the personal property az S79l14S:
total S2.97S.535 In 1905 real estate val
uation was S4.215.f95. an Increase Of 81
COS sos personal property. 81 2S9 S13 an
increase of $49S 665. The total is S5.5oS-
sos making grand total Increase Of 81
527 973 over the figures made Eve years
before. II IS worthy ~ remark that the
bulk ~ this Increase has come in sight
within rho last three wears
Decrease Worthy of Note
Here are some other figures. takeo
from tho treasurer's records thar speak
loudly or the county prosperity.
When Treasurer Duncan went TO Rich
mond % settle with the Public Auditor
on the 1913 levy the figures showed fh7t
the Auditor was in debt 30 the treasures
in the sum ~ $40. that IS IN say th-
treasurer had paid out FOR court expenses.
etc. that amount in excess 20 tr. state
taxes that had been collected Nr hirf
When be went 10 Richmond to make a