The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-11
BETTER BROAD STREET
MEANS HIGHER VALUES
Business Men Realize That Improvement Of Great Thoroughfare
viii Increase the Assets of the City.

That real estate values will jump
several per cent simultaneously with
the improvement of Broad street is
the opinion of even the most conser-
vative business men of the city.
These point ont, that the $4,000
which has been estimated To be the
cost of the initial improvements is
insignificant in comparison with the
resultant advantages 10 Richmond as
whole IL WIFI he "a wise 77lTs Stanent.
for the city they say, from a purely
mercenary standpoint.
Increased land valuation naturally
means increased taxes. As a result
within very few years the city Will
have been more than repaid for the
temporary disbursement, ana VIII be
drawing substantial interest as well.
Then again II is declared. that the
Improvement of Broad street Is not To
he advocated by virtue OF the fact
that IL will aid toward increasing the
population of Richmond. Ii is an in
disputable fact that first impressions
particularly where a city is concerned.
are most important, Indeed, the man
with money to invest or the pros
pective settler Is guided almost en-
tirely by his first impression.
MIS- TACT mas iDltB bCrh ttdHlHu ny
every successful real estate dealer. He
knows and well, that he has no chance
on earth to sell prospective customer
"a piece OF property unless the land
meets with favar in the eyes OF the
latter on first sight. Ii 1t does not
meet with favor. there is no return
visit. IL the land IL passabie, or rea-
lsonahly attractive. the customer may
eventually buy. but he win take a long
time before he dnSs so. He will
weigh every side of the question with
exquisite Garland before he has
made up his mind, ii frequently hap
pens that he finds another place which
makes an instant appeal. and. desert
ing the old proposition, he invests in
the new.
So IL is exactly. with cities Rich
mond has many features which com
mend il to the investor or settler. Ii
takes but few minutes to point out
these features in manner entirely
irrefutable
But nevertheless some of them
| have To be pointed out said Mr..
Morgan Mills. who ia probably doing
more than any other one councilman
to bring about the improyem of
Broad street, Make Broad street
bigger. better and more beautiful
as the Richmond virginian has adj
vocated.'' he continued, "and you viii
have an argument which will need
, no backing up. for the very good rea-
son that it will be seif-evident.
Let the man who Is booking for
a place to settle come into Richmond.
Let him see a smooth asphaited Broad
street. with the street cars running
along an elevated. grassy bit of park
ing which pleases hts eye. and AT
the same time inpresses him with
the safety II affords pedestrians Let
him note the fine sidewalks and the
| most modern and improved lighting
| facilities, and i'm nine cakes out of ten
he will look no farther He viii be
satisfied--no. delighted.
"As result Richmond will have
gained another citizen. another pair
OF hands to help in building np its
riches. Not only that, hut this new
| settler will write to his friends. Mer-
chants say there IL no advertisement,
| so good as pleased customer The
| comparison is obvious.
FINALLY. there are scores OF rea-
| sons why Broad street should be i'm.
proved against just enc why IL should
NOT. Thas one does not hold water
either. for - deals with expense, and
as has been shown, the present ex.
penditure will yield returns more
than worth while from every stand
| point"
AS result Of ali this. business mer
are unanimously In favor of the pro
iect, and their enthusiasm Is shared
Iii no mean degree by goodIy pro.
number Of formaiities nau6t nscsanari.