The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-14
British American Company
Will Probably Erect Large
Manufacturing Plant
INCUBATING WEEK
IN REAL ESTATE
Negotiations, Conducted by
Agents of Tobacco Cor
poration for Property in
the West End

Many whispered conversation have
been held by real estate men the
past week In regard TO the inten-
tons of the British-American To
bacco Company. the officials of which
haye been conducting negotiations
with a number OF property owners
for large tract of land. evientiy
for new manufacturing plant.
1t is now fairly wei. established
that the British American Company
Intends TO build new plan. in
Richmond. which Will be devoted en-
,irely to manufacturing. The COM
pany now has a place OF business on
Canal street, but no goods are
manufactured. The stemmeries.
which were operated at iErham.
-. u, before the dissolution of the
American Tobacco Company. were
moved 10 Richmond se.erai months
ago. nd the entire buat3ess of the
British American Company In the
Caroiin=s and Virginia has been CEN
naiixed in Richmond. Since the
dissolution Of tho American Tobacco,
Company, j. II. Duke has become
the president of the British-Ameri-
can Tobacco Company with head
Quartered London. Mr.. Duke IN
now devoting his antir- time to the
extension of the business OF the
COMPANY, which means that It's pro-
ducts will be sold in IKE four cor
ncrs OF the earth. * WAS under
IN, .sIr... ton OF the genius of Mr..
Duke teat the mammoth business OF
the American Tobacco Company was
established. Hanpersi in his ope-
ration at the American Company by
the decision Of the Supreme Court.
4 gI4xt-. t,ua rot TaA -n nm, j,.yt
where he viii have tho whole world
as Gis field az activity. AT the pres
ent time. the British American Com
pany hats no manufacturing plant Of
any consequence In tbs Piedmont
section. The greater number II the
bfands which were formerly Sold in
Furoae aud the Osient b. The British
American Company were taken over
ny the ether companies into which
''le ..n,trican Tobacco Company Was
divided.
All of which is TO say, tina. the
British American Company will need
large factory in the Piedmont Sec
ton to supply the foreign markets
which AIR. Duke intends to Invade
from his London headquarters. De-
Setopments which have come Ia light
here and there during the past week,
tend strongly to show that this
manufacturing plant Is to be located
In Richmond.
Negotiations have been under way
for the purchase by the company
of large tract in the West End.
Several property owners have been
consulted in regard TO The sale OF
their holdings. The negotiations
have all been in tho strictest secrecy
and 1t Is not known positively
whether or not purchase has been
made. A large tract was sold on
the Boulevard for a manufacturing
site, but IL is not definitely known
whether this WAS for the tobacco
company. The price was in the
neighborhood of $4,000, and the
tract is considered very desirable.
The entire transaction Will likely
come TO the light within the next
few days.
General Heal Estate Activity.
a prominent real estate man, old
AT the business. characterize the past
week as being IAN incuhating week."
A large number of deals have been
in process Of negotiation. but few
were closed. Many deals which had
been made the previous week. more
closed the past week. All OF the
suburban agents did some business
last week. and attention has been
largely sGenteTeu III THIS 0ITeCltofi
There II still an intense interest In
the final disposal Of the matter Of
the extension of Monument avenue.
The Street Committee Will act on the
proposition Tuesday evening and the
matter will then lie taken MP by the
scsornnsoft Council. There Is an ever
whelming sentiment In favor OF the
extension. and the real estate men
point out that 1t would be almost
criminal to neglect the opportunity
to provide the city with such a mag
nificent boulevard when 1t can be
done at this time at SO little cost
The Swceny Branch farm. through
which tho proposed extension win
pass was taken over the past week
by the United States Suburban COM
Tany. The farm comprises about zoo
acres and tho price paid was $35,
J. Thompson Brown reports the
sale IL the Hicks Livery Stable prop
arty. on Second street, batween Grace
and Broad, to Byron Baer. The
stables, which have been nuisance
to the residents and shopkeepers Of
this section for many years. will be
pulled down. and three modern
stores win be erected on the site.
The plans for the stores have al
ready been drawn and the construc-
tion work wilI begin at an early date.
The Stiegle home place at the cor
ner Of Laurel and Franklin streets
Nas been taken over by the City In
vestment Company. The purchase
price war e3O.OOo. The property was
bought Tor Investment, but II II
thought that . modern apartment
house will be erected later.
Furniture Company Assisns.