The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-22

mot tomorrow or next week or even
next year-but it is going to get them.
and older people than the writer Will
live to see Blackstone a city of vast
proportions and see 1t more than main
tain the title 1t claims of being the
Hub OF the Southstde." But AM not
here to act as prophet but rather to
record the living facts of to-day, and l
return to my subject.
a Splendid Printing Plant.
A story of Blackstone would be In
complete without Il mention OF its
newspaper enterprise. The Blackstone
Courier, published and edited by Mr..
w. A. Land. is one OF the best and one
of the most influential weekly papers
in the State. Mr.. Land took charge OF
the paper something like decade ago,
and when he did so he took in hand q
pocketful of type and big debt. That
was all he bought. hut he took hold of
Blackstone, and Blackstone. realizing
that 1t had gotten the right man In
the right place. took hold of him. To-
day Mr. Land presides over $4,000
newspaper and job printing plant, and
his influential paper has rs large a
circulation as any weekly in the state.
The plant is well out of debt. its owner
is largely ahead of the game. with n
splendid little home and an interesting
family to his credit, and In addition
Mr.. Land Is what the old P'ttsv1vania
darkey described as zone OBJ de mos
permanent citizens OBJ de town.
The Town Government.
Much of the prosperity of Blackstone
may be due to the splendid hotels that
have ma, always existed here. The old
Blackstone Hotel has long had a rep
utation. and that good reputation is
still maintained. Two other houses
rave sprung up In the latter days. and
tneg, TOO, are good. An adjunct to the
hotels Is found In the towns three
n 1nc NryI,l o1,
COMFORT to the army of drummers that
come. here from time to time and have
10 canvass the big back country that
surrounds Blackstone.
me town government is very
small matter. for the moral sentiment
ana the good behavior OF the people
are such as to make town govern
ment really Unnecessary Neverthc-
Tess. there Is town government, Mr.
george p. Adams Is the Mayor and
behind him there lisa Town Council OF
seven members, and Ithave been In
serlraa that there IS really. n town
, ~ !, !, have s; SO little to do they do not
stranger within tho gates.
Good Water Abundant.
from three hundred foot we'll, which,
IS operated by q compressed air sys
| ILLS SS 6Lctn lne water Is
forced from the we'll to an overhead
tank, from the flow OF which the town
IS amply supplied with superior
water, The we'll has flow OF one
hundred gallons per minute. fThis
flow keeps the tank we'll supplied and
the town finds itself we'll axed for
water for all purposes. and with an
abundance ready for use il til case
or ire and for the operation Of the
Very efficient volunteer fire depart
ment. which Is ever ready to do the
l honors for the town In the event
OF general conflagration, an OBJ
portuntty which has never yet come
up In the calendar, q.
4.5 The Outlying Country.
Notwithstanding all OF Its enter
prlses, It's banking facilities its in.
,iustrial ventures and all the like 81
that, the fact remains that Blackstone
IKE every other good Virginia town
depends upon the back country tol
ITS support, and In this respect
Blackstone Is especially fortunate. 70:
1t has the hest back country In Vir-
slnia to draw from. The good lands
which surround Blackstone for thirty
4 or more miles can grow anything thai
the taste OF man calls for, Mr., n. II
FRED lclssen, one the best informed
l linen ! have met here. and man who