The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-23
PUBLIC HEARING
ON ANNEXATION
Special Committee to Open Sub
jet for Debate on Tues
day Night.
MANY FAVOR LIBERAL LINES
Reasons Advanced for General
Extension OF Present
Boundaries.

Annexation will be the absorbing
topic at the City Hall this week The
special committee appointed by the City
council some weeks ago has organized
and set Tuesday night at s o'clock
Tor public hearing to open the sub
1ect for discussion. Representatives of
suburban communities seeking annex
alton. OF business organizations favor
ing enlargement OF the city and of
workingmen desiring some reduction
or exorbitant rent charges are to be
heard
The special committee consists OF
Alderman Joseph l.. Powers chairman;
Ordway Fuller and w. j. Gilman. and
Councilmen Morgan r. Mills, w d.
Butler. Carter c. Jones and Jacob TIM
iauf All are men OF long experience
IN city affairs and most OF them took
part either in the annexation of 1906
or the proceedings for tho consolida :
ton of Richmond and Manchester in
1910.
Favor Liberal Lines.
Every argument that has been adj
vanced so far points TO annexation
along comprehensive lines. Among the
cider members of the Council it is gen
orally conceded that a great mistake
was made in circumscribing the lines
In 1906. and that the ctty's prosperity
has been in spite Of. and not because
OF. the foresight Of the Council at
mat time. More dcnsely populated
than any city Of it's size in America.
and with a large population on it's out
skirts. neither counted In Its census
nor subject to it's health regulations
ana police supervision. and with prop
crty values soaring beyond the reach
OF people or moderate means, and with
the suburbs laying off their streets
helter-skelter. with no idea of n gen
cral city plan, it seems evident that
Richmond is far behind the march Of
progress in the matter OF boundary
extension.
facturer requiring several acres for
the location or a new plant rejected
Richmond Notwithstanding induce
ments offered by the Chamber OF Com.
msrce. because of the high rents thai
his working mon would have to pay
and because Of the exorbitant cost OF
suitable site whore police and fire
protection was available. More thar
one such instance with names and
, dates will be laid before the commi,te,
by Business Manager Dabney. of thc
Chamber OF Commerce, who will an.
pear before the special committee a.
an earnest advocate OF mmediat and
liberal extension
I.ess Than Half AtIantn's size.
Richmond's area is eleven square
miles one OF which lies in the river
bed. Atlanta. with population OF
$4,000. has twenty FIVE square miles IL
dts corporate limits. Birmingham. Ala
| the most rapidly growing city In tn,
| South, with population Of 1872 900. ha!
| forty-ciEht square miles. Des Moines
| with only $4,000 population. has fifty
1--we square miles. or FIVE times the ares
OF Richmond Denver has sixty SQUARE
lac u T,r1aa
OF the South. with n population Of
$4,000. has 1876 square miles OF terri
tory.
From the health standpoint. the ar.
gument IS even more urgent. o.
! course there arc attractive and vel
! laid GU; suburban settlements a.
healthy as could be desired. but thcr,
arc also right on the borders OF Rich
mond large settlements. white ant
colored where sanitation is ignored
There there is no form or supcrvisio,
! ar regulation whatever. whore there /:
40 sewerage of any kind. and wher,
che water supply is from shallow we'll
INTO which flows all the filth OF IN,
neichhorhood, and where dairy farms
whose milk is excluded from the Rtch
nond market, peddlc their product
From these sections. some OF then
| within few blocks OF good Residential
property in the city, there has beer
| traced more than one epidemic OF con
taEious disease, while such places
white and .colored. are the natura
refuge OF those who wish to keep be
! yond the arm OF the city polive.
No Plan Supervision.
No form of building laws apply ant
! all manner OF cheap frame houses nav,
| been erected. with no supervision a.
! to plans. construction or fire hazard
| and no requirements as to sanitar,
| plumbing or proper electrical install
lation. Streets are laid OFF by real es
| tate promoters without regard to an,
! continuous plan. and without any pro
vision for drainage, entailine on tn,
| city heavy burden of damage wheI
| these streets are later taken in
widened and graded. and in many In
! stances in the present corporate limits
II has been found Impossible t,
| straighten streets that were improper
/ ~ laid off while in the county
I The first matter for the committee
TO determine is whether 1T will dea
separately with each suburb petition
| ing for annexation. which would NEAR
a restricted and limited growth. o
! whether il will go more generally int,
! the extension of the city hctwcel
! straight lines, dncluding all OF tn,
/ suburban communities now built I'm
! and also sufficient room to provide 70
| the growth of the city for some year.
| to come.