The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-01
WEDNESDAY. JANUARY /, 1919.
RICHMOND IN 1919 AND 1918.

RICHMOND IN io1& AND 1913.
That the city OF Richmond shared in the al
most unexsmpled prosperity OF the nation dur
ing the twelve months which came to a close
last night is evidenced by the figures compiled
from various sources and covering every phase
Of the Industrial life of the oity. steady
growth in ali lines Of endeavor showed that
the steps forward taken during preceding years
we're but the beginnings of the onward march
Of the capital Of the state TO TIE position OF
the Industrial capital Of the South. and that
1912 showed no faltering or hesitauoy along
the journey.
New business houses. new dwellings. new
banks new schools gave proof OF the increased
population and business-proof clnched by
figures There was scarcely line of business
or industry In the city that did not show larger
sales, greater working force and increased ca
pacity, New banks we're organized. attesting
the fact that the business OF others had in
creased TO such extent 70 make add-
tional facilities necessary. Construction Of
more business houses. more factories and more
dwellings, than in 1911 inevitably followed the
expansion of business.
Nothing brings business to q city more
Quickly than the success OF those already en-
gagged in business in that community. Moth
Ing brings capital TO city more quickly than
the presence OF capital, working at a reason
able rate of interest Nothing brings buyers
to city more quickly than the advertisement
OF the fact that buyers are coming. SO In
creasas In the number OF manufacturing and
tchhing plants OF the number of men EN- ployed.
OF capital invested of annual sales. of banking
facilities, of schools, OF homes and of munich
pal improvements, such as witnessed In Rich
n,ond in 1917, can not fail to have the effect
of bringing about still further increase dur
Ing the coming year.
Figures make dry reading. but few telling
the story or Richmond's great industrial prog
ress OF the preceding months will not prove dry
To those who like nothing much as to find
cause for boosting Richmond The statistical
history OF the city's growth during 1912 is told
IL greater detail in the news columns Of The
Vtrrfnidn. but We can not forbear little repe-
tition here More than 1900 manufacturing
plants with q capital of $36,000.00e were in
operation in 1912 whereas in 1911 these num-
bered but 1871 with capital Of little more
than ss5. 100000. The annual sales from the
factories of the city showed an increase of
more than FIVE and a half million dollars and
OF the jobbing houses an increase of nearly
four million dollars The manufacture of to-
hacco led all the rest. with the output OF ma
chine shops second, the total output for the
two being valued at about s27.00o.oo0 or
the iobbers, the grocers, confectioners and so
forth led with more than s21 5000 and the
provision merchants came next with nearly
sl5.o0Q,o00 in sales. The total value OF the
construction begun in Richmond In 1911 was
eix million dollars, while In 1912 an increase
OF quarter Of million dollars over this was
shown. More than $500, 900 was spent in the
construction Of warehouses in 1912 against
about s638.000 during the preceding year
An increase OF twenty thousand dollars for
schools was shown and OF Ave thousand dol
lars for hospitals
The greatest and possibly the most encourag-
ssng evidence uf rho ctty.s growth is 1onnSs lin,
the increase in the number and cost Of dwell
ing houses. Four hundred ana uiuety~two per-
znits for the construction of dwellings were is
sued in 1911. the total cost being slightly more
than q million and half dollars. In 1912
there were issued permits for $40 such build
ings at total cost of about $2.135,ooo.
The growth and progress OF Richmond in
the last decade has been marvellous. A his
tory OF 1t reads like a fairy tale. 1t is a
source of self-congratuiation TO Richmond that
the year 1912 showed that this progress is con-
tinuing and has shown no indications of doing
snght else in the future. The work done in
che pas, la an earnest OF the work TO be done
IN 1913.
ILLUSTRATES AN EVIL
One OF the evils OF our ward system OF city