The Washington herald., 1912-07-08
By NJ. +. LEWIS,

Petersburg, Va, july :, lslz.
Petersburg, familiarly known as the
-cockade City" is situated at the head
of navigation on the Appomattox RIVER
twelve miles above its confluence Win
the James. 1t was founded by Peter
Jones in I7ss. and incorporated IN lisi'
According TO the census OF 1910, Pet
. ersburv has a population of A,lA, show
ing an increase of 2.317 over 1900. This
increase was made In the white popu-
lation only and amounted TO % per cent
the negro population OF the CITY peihs
now about the same as in lsOO
Petersburg has shipping facilities which
are responsible for much of the progress
the city has made in commerce. Ihree
trunk lines of great railway systems
operate through Petersburg. The Norfolk
and Western is the means OF transporta-
ton East and West and the Atianuc
Coast Line and the Seaboard Air Line
run North and South There is also
deep water transportation to the sea,
vessels plying directly TO and from the
port of Norfolk.
The Virginia Railway and Power Com
many has already developed 6,Op horse-
power at its power plant on the Apo
mattox River, and will soon increase TINS
amount to ZOO horsepower. This power
will be used not only to run the cars
will also run the cars in Richmond ana
Norfolk. in addition TO the line now
connecting Richmond and petersburg
and the new line that will probably De
built between Petersburg ana Norlolk'
The high power transmission line whlch
the company is building between Peters
burg and Richmond at cost OF ABOUT
s25o. 900 will probably be completed During
the summer of 1872
In 1910 the assessment of real estate
amounted TO s9,s20.7s0 which compared
with s7,Os9, 30 for 1905 shows an increase
of s2.7H, $50, or IS per cent. Personal
property returned for taxation in lslo
amounted 10 Sc, $50 as compared with
S,4s6,5eo in 1905, an increase of 2.2S2.o9C.
or 20 per cent Thus the increase of real
estate and personal property combined
amounted to S4,973, $50, or i3 per cent.
Within the past few years the city has
appropriated large sums for improve
ments to sidewalks, roadways, ana
sewers 1t has a modern telephone sys-
tenn, three daily newspapers, ana attrac-
tive parks The Petersburg Gas Company
has greatly enlarged its plant and eX-
tended its business, and is Installing
larger pipes and improving its service
generally Petersburg owns Its water
works. and its water supply ranks very
high in potability and purity. Recently
the Virginia Railway and Power Com
pany has entered into a contract with the
CITY TO furnish electric power to distri-
butte the city water at the rate Of cent
per kilowat hour, which is the lowest
rate for such service ever secured by
any city in this country.
The climate of Petersburg and the sur
rounding country is a feature that Is at
tracing many home-seekers TO the local.
ity With an average winter tempera-
ture of 80 degrees, spring and autumn
PT
average of 20 degrees, this section is free
from the extremes of heat and cold.
Health Conditions Good.
General health conditions have greatly |
improved in the past two years. One |
sanitary inspector was added to the force |
of the Health Department, and an appro- |
priation made for the erection of con- |
tagious disease hospital Health laws
and regulations are more strictly en-
forced than ever before in the history |
of the city. Since the office of milk and
food inspector was created, in August. |
1893, most satisfactory progress has been
made both in the care and cleanliness
with which milk is being produced and /
sold. The dairies now furnishing milk
to the city compare favorably with any
others in the State. there being some
which score IS per cent.
Dr. X A. Martin Is the nealtn olncSr,
to whom a large measure of credit is
due for the present efficiency of the
Health Department. The last report of
the department shows a condition that
should be extremely gratifying to the
residents of the city; every branch of the
showing an Improvement over
former conditions.
Many Public buildings.
r ,latively Petersburg is now better
equipped with public school facilities
than any other city in the State. During
the past year two large and modern
grammar schools have been erected at a
cost of $4,000. The city's appropriation
for public school expenses during the
last year was S51,97s.s3, as compared with
$4,000 five years ago. an increase of 225
per cent.
Petersburg has forty-eight churches,
all the principal denomina-
tons
During the year the post-ofice paid
money orders amounting to sSl9. 9.S7412 as
against 500, ,30115 in 1909 an increase of
s1l5. 572-97, or 56 per cent
During the past year about 100000
pounds of manufactured tobacco were