The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-31
PETERSBURG ON
THE APP0MATTOx
One of Virginia's Very
Best Towns; Grew From
A: hes to Greatness.
MANY INDUSTRIES;
GREAT B USIN ESS
The Old Town With War His.
tory Keeps in the Industrial
Limelight and Proposes to
Stay Right There-Won-
dcrful Growth in
Decade.
BY FRANK 5. woopsos.

Petersburg, Va. March 80 Som.
vars ago came to Petersburg TO
write something about Its commercial,
development OF course. knew about
the good towns fine war history. but
was not writing war history. slice
had ceased TO edit Our Confcoc,at
column, and as my space was limit "a.
confined myself strictly 10 the Indus.
Ilal Development OF Petersburg for a
nan dozen or more years back Thus
grossly offended one OF my bsgl
friends In the town. who said that any
newspaper man who came to Peters
ours to write II UP and ignored IT.
war history did not know his bus. ness.
In sslt-defense ! replied TO my friend
1hat l was dealing only In today.
news; that all the world knew that
Petersburg stood the brunt OF the d.
VISITATION 10 the South which charac-
terized the last days Of tho War Be-
tween the States; all tn world knew
that General Grant knock I'd the town
oil 10 thunder. and as all OF the world
had heard but little about Petersburg
since, II was OF the opinion that II was
Etill knocked all to thunder
NY mission was to show that Peters
burg. like other Virginia and South
ern towns. had overcom. the wreck OF
war and WAS doing business at the old
stand in the up-to date Southern fash
ion. And ! had n good deal 10 talk
about in that industrial story OF sew
eral years ago. To-day ! have inuch
more to talk about along the same line,
Tor the Petersburg OF to-day IS much
bigger thing than 1t was when talked
about II eeveral years atsy
But She Came Rack.
II Is very irne that the knocking
tho old town got In the war days set
&, back right nmartly. 1t is possible
that Petersburg was slower than some
fh.ar Int. =.
catch on to modern methods and air
the Ike OF that. There were various
conditions that contributed 10 this
state OF affairs. Modern l ailway dcvel-
opment. In G s.nsc, sidetracked Peters
burg for few years after the war
and II way made II merely way
station. but through the energy and far
sight OF its solid citizens. Petersburg
forced itself upon the main lines OF
railway traffic and became a very i'm.
portant do; on the map OF the renewed
South. A decade or more ago these
patriotic citizens decided. and decided
IN very emphatic way. thar they M.fa
no sidetrack folks; they showed that
they commanded n trade situation for
big part OF Virginia and a large part
OF North Carolina that was worth con-
side-inS. They were right about that.
for they had, and now have. the geo.
graphical advantage. AMI the town is
the centric OF what really believe is
The best farming part OF the old State,
or Of the two States. may say.
That Petersburg has forced It's way
TO the front and mad. itself felt in the
commercial world is due vcry largely
TO the real estate agencies of the town
and moro largely perhaps 10 the Cham
her Of Commerce, an active organiza-
ton which FOR the past de>adc has
done wonders TO bring the old town
otherwise
Down to the Facts.
But now leaving Pctersburg's wal;
history aside (and that Is all in tn,
books, let's talk Il little about its
commercial development for the pasr
ten years. William NJ. Martin, the sec
rotary OF the Chamber of Commcrc> :,
who daresny has done more than
any other one man 10 make Petersburg
and its advantages known, talked tic
me a great deal. I will sum UP some
things III told me- all of which he
will swear to. and so Will /. Here are
some notes he dotted down for mo:
Petersburg. Familiarity known as the
"Cockadc city is situated at the head
of navigation on the AppomattoN
River, twelve miles above it's con-
huence with the lanes According TO
the census OF 1910. Petersburg has
population of 2i.127, showing an in
crease oil .,Jl over 1900. This in
crease was made In the white popnla-
ton only and amounted to IS per cent
che negro population OF the city be-
ing now about tho same as In 1900
Petersburg has shipping facilities
which are responsible for much of tho
progress the city has made in com
mercc. Three trunk lines Of great
railway systems operate through Pc
Il sburg, The Norfolk and Western
rs the means of transportation cast
and the Seaboard AR Line run north
: and south. There is also deep water
transportation to the sea- vessels ply-
ing directly to and from the port OF
Norfolk.
The Power Plant.
The Virginia Railway and Power
Company has already developed 5000.
horsepower at its power plant on the
AppomattoX River, and will soon In
crease THIS amount to $1,000 horse.
power. This power will be used not
only to run tho cars In Petersburg
and light the city, but Will also run
the cars in Richmond and Norfolk in
addition TO the line now connecting
Richmond and Petersburg, and the
new line that Will probably be built
between Petersburg and Norfolk The
high power transmission line which
the company is building between Pc
tersbSrg and Richmond at cost or
about s250,000. Will probably be COM
plcted during lhc summer of 1912.
The Assessment md Values.
The assessment OF real estate to-
day aniountsfto $4,000, 900. which COM
pared with $1,0a9,c10 for 1905 shows