The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-23
LIVE MEN THERE:
BANKING CHANGES
A Town That Was Once Dead
Now Opens Up With Bright
Prospects for the Future.
Industrial Plants Now
There-Chances for
Others.
By FRANK S. wooDsoN.

Burkeville. Va, July 22-Nottowav
one Of the best among the southside
virginia counties, has several good
towns and illages-town and villages
that do an immense amount of bust
ness In their way, and are capable
OF doing a great deal more. Burke
Vile is one of these towns.
who In Virginia has not heard OF
Burkeville, the junction of two rail-
roads the old town that was in the
good old days of long ago known
as Burke's Junction? 1t was thu,
known because 1t took Its name from,
good man by the name of Burke.
and. secondly, because it was the place
where people changed cars from tho
old Richmond and Danville road to
the old Southside road and vice versa.
The Richmond and Danville is now an
important link In the great Southern
Railway system and the Southsids
railway is Just a short link in the
great Norfolk and Western system.
but all the same the two roads con-
tinue to cross right here and be-
cause they do cross and because thew
fight for the freight and passenger
traffic Burkeville enjoys all of ths
privileges that are granted in what
is known as the Virginia city basis
rate" That means that Burkeville
and any enterprises in Burkeville and
merchants
good freight rates Petersburg or
Richmond or any other Virginia town
or city.
Under these conditions Just why
Burkeville has not grown and pros
pered and become a manufacturinr
centre and e wholesaling centre and
a big town 1t would be hard to tell
unless one knew a thing or two on
the side. have found out a thing
or two on the side and I am inn
pressed with the Idea that this town
for long time was afflicted with toe
many old fogies: old dodgers who by
the wills of their ancient fathers
owned too much OF the property of
the town and the surrounding section.
These old fogles were 10th to part
with their ancestral possessions.
could name a number of cases in the
which Burkeville had a chance to arise
and get up and be mighty, but was
held back by these old fogies, but
maybe it is best that I should not. It
is enough to say that II the old fogies
who held forth in Burkeville had been
real wise in their day and genera
ton the town of Crewe might not
have been, and the Rurkeville of to-
day would be a combination of Crewe
and Burkevllle. and the combination
would be a mighty big and mighty
The BurkeviIIe of To-Day.
Nevertheless. Burkeville is a pretty
good country trading town. and I
have learned by walking about it's
domain ;nat 1t not only does a good
deal OF business, but that 1t has rea-
son to be proud of its schools and
churches; its business houses, its no
tells. its bank and its manufacturing
enterprises, and It's many handsome
homes. And the Burkeville of to-day
Is nothing to what the Burkeville of
the next decade can be and ought to
be and will be If the people will just
get move on themselves and look
industrial facts right in the lace ard
act and govern themselves accord
ingly.
Mind you. am not reading a lesson
to Burkeville folks. Probably they
know their own business pretty well.
but maybe a hint or two might not
be out of place
But 1t is the Burkeviile of to-day I
am call ! upon TO talk about. Accord
ing to the reports OF the census taxi
ers the population of the town is
something more than $50 This popu-
lation is scattered over a great deal
of ground. for the town limits OF
BurkeNflle are immense. There are
some suburban folks who would add
largely to this populatio IL they We're
willing to admit that they were Burke
vile folks All the same. the folks
come in here by droves. and they love
to mingle with the town folks,
Industrial Enterprises.
OF the Industrial enterprises in
Burkeville 1 have space TO mention
only few. The j. L Bradshaw Coop
erage Company, OF which Governor
Mann is the president and j. l. Brad
shaw is the shining light and gen.
eral MANAGER, is a wood working es-
tablishment that does a big business
The company makes millions upon mil
lions of barrel and keg headings and
slaves This company has five or six
branch shops and saw mills. and ell
that kind of thing. and this Burke
VILE shop is the headquarters for tho
immense business the company does
in several counties and at several mill
plants These people ship the pro.
ducts of their various factories to all
parts of the country. but mainly to
the North and Middle West sections,
where the fruit dealers and the crock
cry makers and thu nail makers are
only too glad to get the Virginia
boxes and baskets and kegs and other
utensils made OF the old Virginia pine.
spokcs aud Wheels.
Another enterprise here in Burke
Vile. and one that employs a large
ment Of the Pittsburs (Pal Wheel
Banding Company. AS understand IT.
this big shop. and IL is a big shop. Is
only minor branch OF the companys
bigger shop up in Pennsylvania This
shop makes spokes and rims &C he
used in the bigger wagon and buggy
factories up North. end In the mean
time they are working q large number
CONTINUED on Fifth Pago.)