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

fort. 1t has passed ordinances CLOSING
barrooms and poolrooms at midnight, eff
1ectlYe FEBRUARY LIST. It proposes to in
crease the police force and to increase
the salaries of police officers
One OF the most noteworthy public i'm
provements handed down to the year 1907
by the year 1906 is the proposed reclama-
ton Of the Fulton Flats and the raising
Of Lester Street to such height that 1t
Will be above the level of freshets in
the river thereafter. Incidentally, acres
OF low lands Will be reclaimed and made
valuable for manufacturing sites and
business property. This matter and the
electric light and power plant, the re-
Mobilization of the Gas Works and the
construction OF a colored almshouse build
ing are matters undertaken, but not actu-
ally~entered upon before the close of the
year.
Tho provision of urban necessities and
supplies for the new territory added by
annexation Is another Important matter
which will 60 over to the New Year, and
require great deal of thought, labor
and expenditure of money The outlook
for the municipality for the ensuing year
is bright for oven greater substantial im-
tprovement and growth.
Steady Growth in
Manufacturing Lines.
As manufacturing centre. the growth,
OF Richmond during 1906 has been steady
and remarkable. With q total investment
of more than S32,OOO.OOO in all classes of
manufacturing. embracing the greatest
variety imaginable, the sales Of products
for the year have exceeded s77.OoOOO0, and
more than 81, 600 persons have been given
steady employment at q satisfactory
wage. Tobacco maintains its supremacy
as the citys greatest manufactured pro-
duct, including cigarettes, cigars and
cheroots, and all forms Of smoking to-
bacco. The total output Of smoking to-
baccos. cigarettes. cigars and cheroots ng-
gregated more than six million dollars
iE value. while the production Of manu-
featured tobaccos other than these re-
presented value Of more than fourteen
millions of dollars. Over ten thousand
persons We're employed in the various
branches Of the tobacco industry alone,
and the output exceeds that Of any former
year. "A
Next to the tobacco manufacturing In
terests, the largest industry OF the city,
measured by the. value of output, Is the
of3farming implements. tools,
supplies and such things. the output Of
which was near $4,000, 900, Next to that
ranks the manufacture OF Fertilizers
Which is also related to agriculture In,
asmucll as the product Is sold to the
farmer. The output of fertilizers alone
during the year exceeded $S00O,OD in
value, and large operating force was
employed, The product Is distributed
the entire country, and Its
swells the revenues of rail-
ways, of the Federal government and OF
various other agencies.
/ Despite the custom offmany old-timers
to deplore the supposed decline Of the
city's milling interests the facts and fig
ures show that Richmond. with its modern
milling equipment ana large mills, work.
Ing full time and often day and night,
tho milling products OF tho city exceeded
in value and In volume Inst year any
preceding year. and aggregated tho hand
some total OF A,000,00O and more,
Perhaps the most noteworthy growth
during the year has been that Of shoe
in which all the local fac
tories have made greet advance With
three large manufact tories and numerous
small ones and repair plants, the capital
Invested rs more than three-auarteys Of