The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-26
WEST PO|NT,PORT
AND COMING CITY
Town Recovering From
TemporarySetback and
Getting in Limelight.
BUSINESS NOW:
FUTURE OUTLOOK
Stupendous Plans for Develop
ment, Backed by Ample
Capital-Imnense Plantations
Around Town Being Made
Into Small Gardens-Fig
and Pecan Culture.
ny FRANK $. wooDsoS.

Point. which. In the opinion Of some
of its wide-awake citizens, and IL has
some of that kind. 10 destined TO be
NlrSinia's greatest port and shipping
point is not Is great In the matter
OF population as IL used to be. Some
.cars ago. when the Richmond and
Danvillc Railroad, now the Southern
Road Il part of its mighty system and
made this town its deep water terni-
nus. the place had quite a boom. and
many new people came here TO seek
their fortunes. Things changed in
time. The southern got into Norfolk
ana In way neglected West Point
and some other events gave the town
slightly darkened eye. From 1890
TO 1900 the town lost In population
bat ! guess the best OF them were left
mere and could not be driven away
~ what they believed to be only u
temporary setback. for very well they
knew they had good town. healthy
town and pretty town. and In time
1t would necessarily gain more than
IL had lost There was some slight
gain in population from 1900 to 1910.
and the census of that year gave West
Point 1897. not counting the many
people across the Mattaponi and IA
munkeN Rivers. who arc practically
West Pointers. Lattcrly. even since
the census was taken. there mas heon
u small Influx of wide-avakc new
corners who have invested largely IN
property in and about the town. have.
opened UP development shops. and, un-
lcss m!srcad the signs OF the times.
they ana the patriotic citizens and
property owners who We're no, run
away from 3 good town by the setback
reI"rved To. are going 10 make West
iulht one OF NirEinia'a great towns.
an Tact city OF no mean pretensions.
Fish, Oysters nnn Lime.
sut IL Is good town already. full
oil energy and pluSl; and fuIl OF bust
n'ss IL does an immense business in
oscteiS and Ash. there being here four
OYSTER packing houses. which shin the
valves oil over tho country and thus
IL ms 10 the town a Srea, deal of out
SIDE money. The largest OF these
houses also has q lime-g grinding fac
'NrH. the business 81 which Is 10 grind
" al Of tho oyster shells that &C
cunGlnto ~ Ell -FOUR Of the packing
f"useE. and this has grown Into a
goat business The best paving part
OF this business perhaps is the convert
II Of the oyster shells into a kind Of
chicken food. or more properly speak
chicken medicine or tonic. al
though believe thc~ call II food
AIyhow, IT ~ put up in small pack
ages ard Shippcd in carload lots all
over the country. principally TO the
Middle West pcnnsylvauia and West
virginia. and not l!ttts Of tic goods
50 TO South Caroline and Georgia.
where i; Is .oid 10 poultry raisers The
lime factory also does Il large busi-
ness in agricultural ,,mc. said to be
the hnest known for agricultural pur-
noses In that the oyster shell lime is
nore lasting when put Upon land than
the burnt lime. This lime sells readily
{ o. b. al West Point at $3.50 per ton
"a
~ the business. In the fish seasons
there are shipped from here Ito North
crn markets many thousands OF dol
lars worth of crabs and fish. Rock,
shad, trout and all kinds OF fish are
caught here by the thousands In pounds
anC nets and shipped by steamboats, 10
baltimore. New York and Philadelphia,
oysters and shad are preferred over
all others
other Big Industries.
Another big industry here is that OF
tho West Point Panel Company.
large wood working establishment that
employs many hands and consumes
vast quantities of lumber Its prin-
cipal businss is implied by It's name.
and II also manufactures immense
quantities OF veneering for use In the
manufacture of desks, tables. etc. At
present the factory is full of work. and
has TO keep at it both night and day
To keep up with Its orders.
y Another establishment does a large
business in repairing vessels. building
lighters. scows. households. etc. The
Ice Factory and Fuel Company makes
fifteen tons of ice per day from the
purest OF artisan we'll water, and has a
Zig town. country and river trade. The
electric light plant, conducted by q
company furnishes the power for these
FOR the houses OF the people. The Ascety-
icnc Light Company has contracts
with the two TO light the streets and
furnishes light for those homes and
business houses whose owners prefer
gas over the electric light.
Mercantile and Banking business.
Among the dozen or fifteen stores
here there are three large dry goods
and department stores. two large hard
More stores and two largo grocery
stores that much larger town than
West Point would be proud Of The
town has a large and prosperous back
country, upon which these up-to-date
stores draw for patronage. The town
enjoys the bulk of the trade from the
larger part Of that of the people OF
King and Queen, New Kent. Essex and
NiddleseN counties, and then draws
splendid river trade from parts of the
counties OF Gloucester. James City and
York.
The Terminal Hotel and the fam
Gus Beach Park, we'll known summer
sesorts and places of general summer
amusement Of the uplifting and health
fui kind. may be classcd as Industries.
they attract vast crowds In the hot
weather times.
SO good a business town with the
big lumber interest surrounding, must
needs have q strong bank, and West
Pont has that The Citizens Exchange