The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-26
BIG PLANTS NOW
FILL THE VALLEY
Lower Section of City Growing in
Industrials I'm
portance.
DEPOTS AND FACTORIES
WITH BIG WAREHOUSES;
Heart of the Valley Great Rail-
way Yard With Two Sys-
TENS Making Use
Of it.

There is probably no locality within
which has attracted more general at
tention within recent years on account
Of its sudden and unusual develop
ment than that section known as the
Valley, lying north of Main street and
between the heavy bluffs OF Twelfth
street on the west and Twenty first
street on the east.
The story of the development of this
Of the city. and by the ceaseless ac-
tivity found there one Is Immediately
impressed with the fact that this de-
welopment Is by no means ended. but
II rather just reaching Its fun strength.
The erection OF the handsome Railroad
~. NJ. c. A. on Main street, near the
splendid passenger station. and the
construction OF large freight depots,
have recently added to the substantial
appearance OF that section. And other
buildings are going up and being plan
ned.
The heart of the valley is great
railway yard. centering around two
great freight stations at one end and
ending with the Chesapeake and Ohio
sfnps and the plant Of the Richmond
branch of the American Locomotive
Works at the other
Following the roads came the rail-
road hands with their families, build
Ing small houses along the edges OF
q the valley. practically from one end TO
the other. and running UP into the
streets that cross These in turn
were followed by small stores of every
kind. furnishing food and clothing to
the hundreds OF people who derived
their sustenance from railway en-
ployment.
Two Great Systems.
Two roads are in the vaiiey--the
chesapeake and Ohio and the Sea-
board Air Lisae. Each has its freight
resolving depot, newly built of brick
and concrete with heavy steel con-
Stractton, and modern in every de-
tail OF construction and equipment.
capable Of handling the enormous
volume of traffic which these roads
have built up, and capable likewise
ment which are simultaneous with
the expansion of the industrial in
terests and possibilities OF Richmond.
Finding the valley suitable for
many Purposes the Chesapeake and
Ohio railway some years ago put its
shops there. Just beyond these shops
u the locomotive plant. one Of the
1 largest and foremost not only in the
u United States, but in the world, its
products being now in nearly every
rtyiiized country where they have
made name for themselves to be
Dnvted ~ all other locomotive build
err
This plant employees between two
and three thousand men, its monthly
xpay-roil being stupendous, but II
hssertheiess operates REGARDLESS OF
many shops In other localities to sus-
pend. and its yards are kept fun near
u all the year around with locomo-
Il ttvoe In every stage of construction
from the skeleton frame to the finish
4 VI product.
Warehouses and Factories.
Following these improvements nat
snrAliy and necessarily from the In
n AuatriAl standpoint came the great
u warehouses and factories, many OF
which are now established In the val
\ lev. where shipping facilities for GER
tain destinations are practically ideal
and where the warehouses and fac
& tories that have been fortunate
enutigh to procure desirable location
are doing a tremendous and growing
y business.
These industrial plants are now
skradually pushing back the small
homes occupied by the railroad men
for the sites are of great value and
Il afford possibilities to he found in nc
\ other section OF the city. The occu-
L pants OF these houses. taking advan.
Z kAge Of the street car system which
reached into practicalry every part oil
Richmond and its suburbs, are NOV
Ing thair families to other parts al
\ town DESERVING the valley for good
and al finding that they are enabled
4 10 liSe just as cheaply elsewhere and
s4Han reach their work with little in.
h c0nvenience,
Thus the valley is reaching the full
ssetrength Of Its development. and II
4 boeouning q great railway workshop
md a shipping center from which
manufactured articles are sent L
every part Of the country. while tht
warehouses assemble products worth
q fllione OF dollars annually, adding
Sffy materially to the wealth ant
Al pfospsrity Of the city.