The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-01

able labor. and the prospect is brighter
for the new year than ever before
Among other industries that have
tthriven Is the great plant Of the Ameri-
can Can Company, In the northeastern
portion OF the city. which is increasing its
equipment and capacity by the construc-
ton OF five-story addition. a large
force has been steadily employed there,
and the output has increased during the
year.
The Tredegar Works never. make any
unnecessary publicity as to their opera
tons. but have been working steadily ali
the year and employing all the desirable
force 1t could secure. It's year has been
very prosperous one in every way.
The Richmond ForgingB Corporation, a
new Industry. found 1T necessary to double
It's capital during the first sly months
of operation. and is getting all the orders
1t can fill. and even more. The same is
true of the stove manufactures, the cast
lngs plants, the machine shops and all
phases OF iron manufacture,
The Commercial Life
Of the City Expands
The commercial life Of the CITY has
made quite as remarkable strides as tts
manufacturing interests. and perhaps even
greater. Richmond as distributing CEN
tire for large section Of States. and IN
many lines for large portion of the
South. is Strengthening its hold upon
its own supremacy and is distancing ri
walls. 80 n
4 Allied with and necessarily important to
the commercial life OF the city Is Its
banking and financial institutions. These
have always Dtood high in the South and
tne city has long enjoyed an enviable rep
ntatlon for the stability and strength OF
Its banks and the conservative progrese-s
iveness of their management, having hal
fewer defalcations failures Or embarrass-
iments than almost any city OF its popula-
ton and wealth in the country All OF
them have paid dividends during the year
ranging from 5 or to 10 per cent. an
nually. and in at least one case the cap
,ital has been almost doubled The First
National has increased its capital from
$780, 900 to- 100000, and is paying large
dividends on the greater sum- The South
ern Interstate Bank has beg,A operations
and Is paying a dividend and doing
satisfactory business, The Common
wealth Bank. which has Just begun bus-
ness, pdld a handsome semi-annual diyi-
dend Just as well us the Oldest and larg-
est, and promises to become one of the
strong institutions Of the city
s The Bank Of Richmond will in q few
days Increase Its capital from $500, 900
to one million dollars, and has just moved
into one Of the handsonest banking
houses In the South. Other banks have
improved their banking houses ana added
improved furniture and fixtures.
The commercial life OF the city. 90
varied and widespread as to defy spe-
has closed year OF phe-S
nomennl growth and prosperity. The
capital Invested In the jobbing trade alone
has Increased s6,50c,000 during the year
Or more than doubled, being about ST.
800 900 in all. Tho sales for the year by
the Richmond jobbers aggregated moro
than sixty millions OF dollars, ana ex-
tended into far distant States. Additional
are being sent out and new
territory constantly opened up to the !
drummer" Made in Rch-
mond' might be stamped upon articles
sold all over this and foreign countries.
Sales OF groceries. liquors, etc., lead the
list, with provisions second, shoes and /
BOOTS third, and dry goods and notions
next on the list In the amount OF capital |
Invested and Of annual sales. In the
shoe iobbng trade the capital Invested
amounts to a million and a half, and the
annual sales about six and a half mil !
Ions. Dry goods and notions come next,
With sales of over four and a half mill
Ions on an Invested capital Of nearly
,ne million.
One might go through the entire list
md compare the results with those showni|
! year ago. but the story would be the
same athroughoutSnnd may be toldFin tho
me word--progress. The plants OF vari-
JUS jobbers, like those of the n,anufac-
urers, have been enlarged In dimensions
md capacity, and the business has In
'reascd uniformly and steadily, ana is still
srowing every day. With tho same rate
# Increase maintained. the end of 1907
viii sec Rlchmond's Investment In the
obbng trade twenty millions, ana their
ales In excess of n hundred millions OF
lollnrs. These figures explain tho phe
lomenal growth OF banking also
The retail trade has shown stendyt
,rowth also. all the large stores having
increased their establishments and on 4.
arged their stocks, and without an en-
option, SO far MS heard, ali Of the
stores report the best December b,,si-
less OF any similar month In any former i
ear, Sf ~ II Esy -
Many New Buildings
Have Been Erected.
The year has been noteworthy for the
many handsome dditionsS to- the Scity's
argo business structures. NAM turing &