The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-21
MERCHANTS CALL
FOR ANNEXATION
Retail Association Adopts Reso-
luton Urging Speedy
Union OF Cities.
SEE GREAT BENEFIT BY u
Importance OF Better Lighting
Facilities for Broad Street
Ably Presented.

| After an address by Business Man
| ager William T. Dabney, of the Cham
| Der OF Commerce, on the progress OF
Richmond and the needs for the city's
| further growth and development. the
| Retail Merchants Association In an
! nual session last night by unanimous
| vote Endorsed resolution favoring the
| annexation or Manchester as soon as
| 1t could be accomplished. Members or
| the association further, at the suE-
| gestion of John G. Corley pledged
themselves to use their influence with
their Councilman to the end that 1t
| might be done with the utmost dis
! patch.
| In his speech, Mr. Dabney went into
| the history of the cty's growth In a
brief manner, beginning at the time
when tho limits were east of Monroe
Park. lie pleaded for sites for man.
ufacturtng plants and homes for tho
| operatives within the limit OF their
earning capacity, pointing out the fact
| that nearly all he available locations
of that kind had long since been occu-
| pied, leaving Manchester as the only
logical place. after bridges have been
| provided for such extension. He
called upon the merchants to disre-
| gard persons who opposed the move
for selfish reasons.
Urge Consolidation.
Amid the greatest applause John C,
Corley offered the following resolu-
ton. on which the association voted
| standing:
\ Whcrcns, after tho most cnrcful con-
silcrntiOn and earnest negotiations lie,
tween representatives OF the city OF
Richmond nnd representatives of the
city OF Manchester, aided by commit.
tees of the Richmond Chamber OF Com.
mercc and of the Bushes, Mems As.o.
citation of Manchester ana ChestcrfcId,
nm agreement has been reached with
reference to the consolidation of the
two cities which IL equitable to all In
tcrcsts involved: and
Whereas, 1t is confidently believed
that the general welfare and progress
OF both communities wiz be grcntiy
promoted by their being united in one
municipality under the charter of Rich.
mond, and that the said consolidation
will lead to better facilities for con-
municntion between the people ON the
north and south sides of the river by
| the construction of u modern bridge,
unu tuSt Sucn 1AclItleS VIII Ie1N 10
the rnpid expansion of manufacturing
aud commercial interests of the en-
lnrgcd city. and the supply OF n mucJl-
needed want Of cheaper and better
homes for operatives and residents Of
moderate means, and
| Whereas, an ordinance has been pre-.
pared cmbodyfuE the terms of the
InSreemcnt for consolidation, which,
under the Constitution of the state pro-
Wiling for the consolidation of cities
and towns, has to he adopted by the
i City Council of Itichmond. Dc 1t
therefore
Resolved by the Retail Merchants
Association of Richmond, Tint we
heartily indorsc the consolidation Ui
the two cities as provided by said or
dinnncc, and earnestly petition our
representatives In the Legislative
Richmond to adopt said ordinance III
soon ns practicable TO the end that tIlt
further steps necessary to consumInatt
the consolidation of the two cities, may
he taken in the near future, and thu
benefits and advantages to be derived
c by the citizens OF both cOmmunttlci
Y from consolidation may he realized.
: To Light Broad Street.
n Having reviewed the work OF thu
. Chamber of Commerce for the pas
; year and remarked upon its relation
:, with the association. Mr.. Dabney wen
| into q discussion of the benefits to b.
/ derived by the citizens. especially tn
/ merchants of the retail districts. iron
the new municipal lighting plant. II
l said that the present lights on Broa
i Street were the worst he knew OF IN
city of Richmond's size; that but 70
4 the merchants signs 1t would be a.
A. most impossible at night to tell whit
man from a negro. Concerning IN
i new lights proposed, he thought the
1 would be but little better. Hc pre-
scented drawings made by Enginee
Trafford showing three lights on eac
pole, and proposed that the assocla
ton urge the Council to have SIN Q
these placed on each block. three Q
a side. from the City Hall TO Elp
Station which, he said, would max
Broad Street second only to BrondWa9
In addition. he outlined a plan 10
widening the sidewalks. suggestin
that six feet OF the street on each $40
be taken up for this purpose, thu ~
greatly enhancing property on th
north side, and certainly not detractin
in the smallest way from that oppc
site. He estimated that the cost
the two propositions would approx
mate $4,000, adding that m view
TIC AZ ClllZcllS WV
he thought the Council would az lea,
share the expense of the sldeWall
which. according to the present la'
is charged to tho property owner. y
Officers Elected. -,
At the business meeting preced! ~
the dinner at which Mr.. Dapney spok
the following officers were electe q. .
President, Y. A, Miller First v VAC.
President, Samuel Cohen;s second VIC
President, Ed. G. schmidt; reusure
T Fl. Kaufman, and Secretary W.
Clarke. Jr
Board of Drectors--C T. Norma d
Il. a. DIETRICH, ]. G. corley. ~
Boschen. Leon Dcttlebach, Mred, =. " !
gems, I. Q, Miller, Moses iI mar
II W. G, Malone and Charles Rose'
Reports of the officers for tue Pc pa
year showed that it had peen M ~
II satisfactory. There are nov lao n -,
on the roll, which is the larsesa nu -
Der since the association WIS =, =
ganized, It being an increase g, o. o. 49,, us
the year preceding. The CredlI I "a
showed very largo increase, a liz !
Il ~ n