The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-03-21
FREDERICKSBURG
As Seen BY Prominent Writer.
Some of Its Advantages.
WATER POWER, SHIPPING FACILITIES

Good Manufacturing Place - Banks,
Schools and Churches Lumber Gen.
ter-Fine Farming County Around,
Etc.
The following extracts are taken
from an article by Franks. Wood
son. Industrial editor OF the Times
Dispatch. published in that paper
sunday. March 18th:
The good old town from which |
am now writing has a history. a
great deal Of History that runs
away back yonder TO the time Of
George Washington and from the
he time OF that fine old soldier. on
up 70 Lee and Jackson. and the big
things that were done here in the
sixties. The town delights in this
history. and surely il is a good thing
% delight in really wish | had
lime 10 dCive into the Old records
and tell what | could ind from
them. but have not that time. be
-causo I am here 10 talk about TWEEN
icth century matters and the things
IF today II is not necessary for
me TO delve, for are not these things
,old of in the book of chronicles and
al the other books and newspaper
articles that have been written un-
der Fredericksburg da.c
line for the past fifty years? Yea.
verify. Let the chronicles tell the
ancient history. would rather
talk about things Of the present
dime. Indeed. Fredericksburg is
rich in ancient lore and cemeteries
and history and old caurches and
some old folks that have been sleepy
and tired for a third Of q century
or more. but 1t is richer still in
some up-to-date and twentieth ceR-
ury history and this is the thing
hat | came here TO iild out about
nd 10 write about when / did find
it.
FcCd.si,kS Lmg'~ Lon alton.
Fredericksburg is wen located for
commercial development. being al
che head OF high water in the Rap
pahannOck river. and where the
Richmond. Fredericksburg and Po
tomac Railway makes its dividing
point between the national and State
capitals 1t is in a position TO com
mand and demand big things from
The railway and the steamboat haes.
and recently the wideawakc business
folks OF the town have been demand
Jag their righs. and getting them.
TOO
T.a.sr,lt4t,n I.',ii rs.
Within the past few months a
aeDv passenger station that cost a
GOOD deal OF money. and is al olna-
ment 10 the ci,y. mas been erected
and fine new freight depot has
also been put Up.
Twsnty-four passenger trains run
through the city. and they all stop
here and discharge mail and passcn-
gers. thus giving Fredericksburg bet
ter mail facilities than any town on
the map OF Virginia. The post-oi-
fice-and BY the way. The govern
ment has recognized Freiericks
burg importance and erected mere
and Gp-to-date postofiice building
the like OF which few towns IN VIZ
einia enjoys-has increasAf is bust
ness 100 per cent in TWO years.
All OF the telegraph and telephone
lines going north and south have 90
come through Fredericksburg, ana
they all fiad a good business sta
ton here. The result is thai no
town in the state has better ieie-
graph and telephone facilities than
has this town mean through facili-
ties. Then. too. there is 4 country
telehone system with a central Of
flee here that touches all of the ru-
raj districts in a dozen counties
Fredericksburg is, geographically
we'll situated. man can stand on
Maryes Heights and look into sew
eral counties All of these
are rich counties that in one way
and another pay tribute to the town
In these counties best Of products
known 10 Virginia farm lands are
grown. Wheat. corn, oats. rye, to-
bacco. all Of the grasses. including
alfalfa. grow 20 perfection and these
things are marketed in one way ana
another in fredericksburg
Then. too. the finest OF timber
lands are in sight of the town Nat
urallv. Fredericksburg has become
one of the finest timber markets In
the State
Coed Roads and Farming Country.
The farm lands within circle OF
fen miles around the town are
among the best in the State. ana
am told that they sell on an average
for $25 per acre. Right close 10
Fredericksburg. where good roads
and other advantages cut a ngure'
the prices for rich land are above
the average. some of the Rappahah-
mock Valley grounds close to the
town bringing as much as $40 per
acre. Within the past five years rea,
acre. Within the asst five years rear
estate values have increased IN anu
about Fredericksburg, and that Is
due 10 the fact that there has been
wonderful industrial develonlehl
hereabouts in that time. Farmers
have come from the west, the peO-
nlo have begun to build good roads
IN spo,svlvania and Stafford counties
and many other stunts have peen
done 10 increase values. The county
Of spot sylvania not many months ago
voted bonds to the amount OF SlOO'
600 to make good roads in the coun IN
~ centering at Fredericksburg. %
far eight miles of these ROADS nav
been built, and they are OF inc
sand-ciay blend order costing .s,,e
trifle more than $4,000 to the miie,
Forty miles more are 10 DC
bnilt and they will be comple.eu %
fore the summer of this gooo year
is ended 49,
THE railroads appreciated these
efforts on the part OF the people
they got