The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-21

to. be competitors are represented In
the board of directors. Aside from
giving Richmond some status as n
competing point, with water transpor.
setion' Richmond makes only incl
dental use Of this steamer, and, IL the
frank statements OF the owners are. to
be accepted. the boat has never been
profitable.
This arrangement would not inter-
fere with the through traffic between
Richmond and Norfolk, because the
steamer returning from Richmond to
instead of at Richmond, would con
tinue on next morning to Norfolk and
thus permit of the handling CT the
through freight without transfer; the
only difference would be that iEBtead
of lying over at Norfolk and Richmond
these steamers would spend the night
Mt Clnremont and be available for
carrying products and passengers to
the cities and reach them during BUSH
ness hours. OF course, this plan is I'D
fanced tentatively, as n suggestion to
the several business organizations of
Richmond. as to this opportunity for
boosting Richmond by going outside
the corporation limits and ehelpirg to
build up marvellous section Of coun-
try which has been etrangled and op-
pressed by conditions which the busi-
ness brains and capital of Richmond
can remedy.
some Interesting Figures.
During the past two census decades,
Prince George and Surry counties, to-
sether making one of the most attrac-
i've sections for development III the
United States. have just about held
their own In point of population the
first having slightly less than 5000
and the other 4 very slight excess over
that figure. The acquisition OF upwa rds
OF 700 thrifty Austrian families by
Prince George has been balanced by
the departure OF about the same num-
Der of colored people who are gradual
ly drifting to the Northern coustwise
cities; while the Northern and West
ern farmers of English. GermDn and
scandinavian extraction, who have
been moving Into Surry county. are
just about Offset by I; similar exodus OF
colored folk
Both counties are showing substan-
tial Improvement in the character OF
their farming activities. but the pro-
cess of change Is SLOW one.
While some OF the lands. under
scientific treatment, have an earning
power equivalent to interest OH +.
valuation OF $1,000 per acre, the great
bulk lies untitled, the owners looking
for some return on their Investment
through the sale of timber products,
VIC ScSliOU OeiHS tnlCRly StuuucG with
yellow pine. which propagutcs very
rapidly and Is quick to recuperat9 from
the onslaughts of the timber operators.
In Surry county probably less than
10 per cent Of the available area Is
cultivated. There is not an acre of
this cultivated land, nor single in
habitant out of the 5000 that Is not
either directly or remotely tributary
to the city of Richmond. either In the
matter of purchase Of the farmers
supplies or in the sale Of his product
more 80. great deal, than TO any other
business centre. What would II mean
to the city of Richmond IL this Hection
We're adequately settled up and Its
farming. operations brought up TO
compare with the best examples which
1t Is now able to show?
Is II not reasonable that Richmond
ra Their more than any other financial
centre, should see the advantage of In
vesting capital in the section, clearing
up the wild lands, building houses and
country to desirable classes OF home
seekers?
Recent sales of large bodies IF these
wild lands have been made at prices
per acre scarcely equivalent to the
annual rental value per acre demand
cd for improved lands in Sur:y coun-
ty. Such situatlon--thc disparity
between selling price and earning pow
er, owing to the lack OF an eff cient
working population--is absolutely un-
paralleled in any other part OF the
country.