The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-01
NORFOLK.
Rapidly Forging Ahead as Sea
port and Financial Center.
,snecial to The Tlmes-Dispateh.)

NoSESJ,iS VA. December 31.--Norfolk
citizens have faith i'll the CROWN vi ~.
city. They declare that the recent srea.
advances in all OF the INES ., Oh n os WHAT
can be done and that greater progress
Will be attained rs the size and the I'M
portance of the city grows.
One of the first things 10 attract tne
attention of the Stranger, and one OF the
chief sources OF the pride of the citlzens.
are the banks. They are not only iarse
and conspicuous buildings, the newest De
ing fourteen stories high. but they nave
n large combined capitai ana the 80. u
,osits have increased fifty per cent. With
in the last five years. The new puiidlns
of the National Bank of Commerce. which
has just been finished for occupancy TINS
month. entailed cost OF Sioo.No me new
theatre lust begun viii cost $4,000, two
new hotels. one building and the other
dust recently occupied. will cost SSp,ooy,
and new office building of 800 rooms VIII
cost $500. coo. There were ALREADY large
and handsome bank buildings and COM
paratively new theatres, but the progress
of the city and particularly the number
of strangers arriving here daily many
of whom become permanent residents.
demanded greater facilities for business
and better accommodations for comfort.
The number of strangers who arrive
here during the day is one of the fea-
lures OF Norfolk. This is particularly
noticeable in the summer, when the re-
pie from the inland and from the noun
iains come here for the bathing. fish
/. gig. and for the sights and the foods OF
the sea. All the year round, however.
.here is q constant succession of arrivals
by train by ships and by the steamboats,
which ply on the rivers of Virginia and
North Carolina. They must all stop here
IN going from one part of the country
30 the other. There are no through pas
)engers here. That makes the streets
lively all of the time, and in the summer
they are frequently crowded with the
Yxcursionists and sight-seers from the
inland towns of this and other States.
All of the industries have made COM
mendable progress in the output of their
mills and factories. The greatest evil
Gence of the growing Importance of the
city is the tremendous advance in the
price of business property. On some of
The principal streets that has been 300
per cent. within eight years, al which
tinTe Norfolk began TO show the signs of
growth which is surprising to many of the
conservatives and astounding to the pes
EimiSts. But the lumber the oyster and
the peanut trades have developed great
~ within that time. There is Il great
business in fertilizers, in candy-making,
in cotton and silk wtaving and in the to-
bacco business. which was started in an
experimental way here three years ago.
Norfolk is becoming more the centre
pf the fishing business than heretofore.
Many sloops and small schooners are en-
EdSSu iIGic tllt tiLc ny tIc lOCdl
fishermen. They catch oysters during the
Eeason. or a part of 1t, and catch blue
Hsh. shad and trout when the oyster in
dustry is not profitable or legal. Fleets
Of ten and twenty vessels from the
Northern cities come here during the
best fishing seasons to supplement the
local fishers and to increase the ship
ments by The shipload from here to New
York and Boston.
The great industry of Norfolk and the
vicinity is the growing and shipment of
truck. The fields near here furnish vege-
tables, berries and melons to the value Of
100000 annually, which must be brought
here for consumption and for shipment
to the larger cities of the North. All of
the traffic and the business of the city
IS dominated by that one controlling trade
which brings the money here as the profit
to the farmers, who. can grow two and
three cropS'a year and therefore always
have something for sale.
Recently Norfolk has subscribed large
sum of money to the Tidewater Railway.
and, starting from here. there will be
"a section of 100 miles built at Il cost of
10000 a mile, within n year. That will
add a new coal road here, while the Nor
folk and Western Railway will increase
sts facilities for coal by buildn ga fourth
pier of steel and by widening its bridges
here.
More notable than anything else as a
demonstration of the growth of the city
of Norfolk Is tho energy. confidence and
rheerfulnGs- Of the people They believe
that Norfolk has n great future and they
Efc trying to realize on 1t now.