The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-18
The Views of the Busi-
ness Men Met on
the Streets,
REALTY KEEPS PACE
WITH GOOD BUSINESS
Property Has Long Been Below
Its Value congested City Has
to Spread to Meet Demands
Of Increasing Popula-
ton Safer Than
Stocks.

Stocks.
The continued activity in Richmond
real estate is a matter of surprise to
GONE people, but then there are some
people who may be called ultra conser-
vatives, not to say croakers. Such have
been asking for the past two years such
questions as these: why should there
be any noticeable ADVANCE In realty In
Richmond2'' What Is there or what
has there been to Justify 2" why has
real estate become such good invest
nent?t'
a Times Dispatch man went out yes
terday to giye q few citizens here and
there an opportunity to answer the ques-s
lions that arc come times heard. a
number of business men who have good
reasons why Richmond realty is a good
investment declined to be quoted II their
names were 10 be called. and declined
simply because they are unnecessarily
modest and without good reason have an
lvcrsop' 10 having their views exploited
In newspapers.
Il, One Of those who can be described as
one of the best business men In Rice
Inold. u most conservative man. and n
lifelong citizen who loves Richmond,
spoke most enconragingly. even enthus-
fstfcally. not Only of he activity In rea!
estate. bur In all lines OF business. Said
he: at Is not o boom In the true ac-
ceptat!on of the term. but whether you
cnll IT a boom or by some other name the
business activity and the prosperity OF
1ishf tfd n In trul md
gratifying causes. Richmond is in a bet
ter condition 10 take advantage of the
general prosperity. OF the country than {
ever has been during my lifetime. ] AM.
convinced that this ~ true because her
people are more united than they have
ever been before and arg puting together
better than eyer before in tho c!ty's hfs-
Tory. When was n hoy heard my father
complain OF the lack OF harmony anf,
united action on the part OF Richmond
citizens.
Acquiring Commercial Pride.
.'In my business career have had
occasion for many long years to complain
Of similar conditions here. During the last
few years the people have come together
and to-day they are as have said.
pulling together better than I have ever
known before. We have always had =
plenty OF pride here of n certain kind
but what I may term commercial pride
was lacking for so long.
We are acquiring commercial pride
now. and 1t is paying big dividends. We
are beginning to talk up Richmond with
enthusiasm instead OF talking 1t down
or tlamning It with faint praise. as used
to be the custom. This. as much as any
thing else. more than Anything else. per-
laps. puts us In splendid condition to
take advantage of the general prosperity
that IL blessing the land. We are taking
advantage or 1t and the"boom,', ii you
want to call 1t that, &. mt simply q
real estate boom, but e general boom
and realty is simply keeping up with
the procession. Improved business In
crcnses the number Of home builders
and home owners and that is what has
brought about the activity in real estate.
Therefore, it is q healthy activity II
am neither buying or selling real estate
and i have good home and plentys,ot
business to require all OF my attention,
and therefore am not interested IN an 3
way in the real estate movement, but
am glad TO see 1t. for 1t tells of Rich
mond's prosperity as perhaps nothing
else could.
More People, More Houses.
Another level-headed business man
4 said: '.The activity In real estate. IS
easily explained: Increased and rapidly
irrn-aastng pspulariorx ,inc;ens.d ,a7sla
arpiaiy increasing money-muking COM
Ing into an already congested city 70 to
II make expansion ana mouse pullolhe apso-
lutte necessities. IS
People coming to Richmpnd to make
itStheir homes must have somewhere to.
live, and people who are making money
are going to have god houses to live in
especially when they expect to live in
them all their lives. These things think
explain the Whole thing.
A half-dozen# business men met on Main
Street, who do not wish their names call
ed. expressed similar views and all
agreed that the so-called "boom'' in real
estate prevail In all lines Of business.
and being due to natural causes cannot
be other than permanent. Some
scroa kefs Or ultra conservatives We're
met and they shrugged their shoulders
III and expressed q fear that in some par
" tscular localities some of THE prices re-
Gently paid for real estate were higher
than circumstances would Justify, but none
OF thenls believe that Richmond property
# as n Whole is selling beyond its real
value. s' !,
An Official Opinion.
MT. q A., Hawkins. tho commits sioner
OF me q revenue, and o. mar IS hose official
s posi- ton makes him, perhaps, the hast
Judge In the city Of Richmond Of "a li,es.S
#ntd; The fact Is there has beon3I M
ID ext ordinary ndSNnce In S Richmond
srealtys except on four streets: on Bponfi
and Main, west Of Twelfth Street; on
Grace, west OF Lpmbardy, and on Mon
iument Avenue west OF Lombnrdy. md
~ the advance there JUST had to take place;
@ there wns no help for 4 t. Just look q 4
the situation. There Is absolutely no.
unmproped property on Grace sstreet
east of Lombardy. and very little on
Franklin Street east Of Lombardy, md
still less on lain east Of that point
Influence of tho prosperous :. times hnvn
made money and want to huildn Ice homes
ss,--homes to cost fom tlye to ten Thousand
3%dollas ana mp Who're are they to buy;
@ lnnd upon which to build them? I, They
Simply had to d 10 west of the points 4
hnu