The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-16

composed of 30e women The Mon
day and Tuesday German Clubs. CON
tanning so society men. give weekly
dances al Masonic Temple during tho
winter season. The athletic clubs are
the Virginia Country Club, with about
l,4oo men and women: the Hermit
tage, with 500 men and women: the
Virginia Boat cub. the Richmond
Yacht Club and the Richmond Auto
mo bile club.
Other organizations with a definite
object are the Richmond Chamber
of Commerce. 500 business men, who
promote the commercial interest OF
the city aud advance it's trade; the
Federation Of Mothers Clubs. 500
women promoting the physical men
tai and moral welfare of children.
and the Nurses Club. A graduate
nurses, promoting cooperation and
professional interest among nurses.
The Civic Improvement League, with
about zoo members aims to improve
the city In cleanliness and beauty.
There are two societies for the pro-
lection of dumb animals. the Audi
bon Society TO study and protect birds,
and the Society for the Prevention OF
Cruelty TO Animals. to prevent cruelty
in any shape or form to animals and
afflicted animal.
OF the numerous beneficial socie-
ties. there are 81 prominent secret
orders-26 for men and five for wo-
men. These organizations have large
memberships, the different orders CT
Masonry alone, containing about 1000
persons and the Elks about 500. They
all do philanthropic work az well as
amuse themselves. In this same class
are the Travellers Protective Associ-
alton and the Mutual Aid Society eon-
nected with Miller & Rhoads.
Besides these, there are branches
of AZ national labor unions in this
city, enrolling $4,000 men and 200
women in the various trades. These
trade unions meet at regular inter
walls in leased halls and are planning
TO buy or build a labor temple. cost
ing about $4,000. equipped with Il
brary club rooms and a hall for gen
eral meetings, in order to centralize
all the unions under one room. The
membership of these unions range
from 800 men in machinists' TO seven
in the ornamental class workers I'M
ion. They all have sick benefit. death
benefit and emergency benefit feat
ures, and use their influence to better
labor and living conditions among
working men and their families.
As the question Of theaters and
dance halls has been discussed at a
former time. | need only add that
theaters and public halls are required
to pay State and city license tax
according to their seating capacity,
and are under the supervision OF
Building Inspector Beck. but the per-
formances are subject to no censor
ship other thur the police. There
seems to be no organization or persons
interested In the welfare of actresses
or actors, the majority OF whom board
al cheap hotels and boarding houses
near the Bijou, Colonial and Lubin
Theater
The question OF the area of unim4
proved land in the city could not be
answered but all vacant lots may be
used for play purposes unless fenced
IN by the owner: The city. with an
area ssf efe&s9sa ana 'ohe-fiaff SQUARE
miles. owns about three hundred and
seventy-six acres Of municipal parks
exclusive of the new Joseph Bryan
Memorial Park. recently given. In adj
dition. the city has six school play
grounds. four leased Fairgrounds, three
baseball diamonds in town and three
at William Byrd Park. The amount
appropriated by the council for play
kfOuiiu purposes TOT ISll Is W. SUI, out
OF total burget of $3.061 ,SS7.S7
As the playground space In 30 linn
tied, the streets Is generally used, and
for this reason there are few ordt-
nances prohibiting street play. Rol-
Ter skating, coasting and various games
are INDUCED in frequently. and unless
one-half OF the neighbors on a block
object, the police do not interfere.
The weakest point in the whole re-
arsati0ael asld Of the city seems to