The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-12-21

While the agitation in Richmond
against what Is termed by those who
are agitating the smoke nuisance" Ia
going on, and while two 'ubcommit-
tees in city council are wearing
wrinkles in their forheads In deep
thoughts as to how to abolish smoke.
( he re are many equally as ernest cit
liens In other sections Of the coun-
try. reaching out for srnokestacks and
their accompanying volumes of the
densest OF smoke.
While some of Richmond's leading
citizens are demanding thu abolition
Of smoke, thereby giving u the world
an idea that Richmond prefers to be
It's quiet. old-time dignihed easygoing
self, instead Of its present wide--
awake, reaching-out self, there are
others who are running around so
fast seeking the means OF making
smoke. that they reek in smoke Them
selves, 30 eager and warm is their
quest,
There are other cities seeking all
the sources from which smoke arises,
and they would be glad to secure
pointing toward the skies from the
big Richmond manufacturing plants
Here is an article from the last is-
sue of the Manufacturers Record.
which may be read with interest:
Once upoa a time in n Southern
city representative OF an associa-
ton supposed TO exist for the promo
ton of the Industrial life of the COM
:nunity appeared before Legislative
body in advocacy of n radical propo-
sitlon for the suppression Of smoke.
Ia-annthar- Snuthern- city there-haa
long existed OPT osltion to the estab
iishment OF 'anufacturing Industries.
on the ground that smoke from
factories would mar the attractions
OF the place. In both cases little
thought had been given to the econ
omic possibilities ia devices for reduc-
ing to the minimum the waste fuel
by way Of smoke, but the thought was
OF smoke as q nuisance. Much prog
fass has been made in the perfection
of smoke preventing or SHsoke-co
Stunning devices. but Ii Is not diminish-
ing the respect in which the facts
typIfed by smokestacks are held by
progressive minds. A striking in
stance OF this is the statement. made
by w w. Dickinson. OF Little Rock,
president Of the two plants mentioned
by him, as follows:
Everyone is willing to admit that
Industries contribute largely t, the
progress and growth of a city and
state. bnt few re alize their value In
comparison with other producing ele-
ments.
For example, we call attention to
our two plants, the Arkansas Brick
and Manufacturing company and the
Big Rock Stone and Construction
company.
These two industries manufacture
from native raw material about 5000
carloads of finished products annually,
valued at $500, 600. 1t would require
plantation e 1855 acres. producin.
half bale of cotton per tsre at $50
per bale, TO bring this amount OF
money into a community The an5
nual production of $500. 600 In ma
teriai from t,'ese two plants Is nearly
one-half the value of the entire crop
Of cotton raised in Pulaski county on
1000 acres which Is about $4,000
bales, valued at $1.0So.0 600
These plants produce in money
value an amount annually far IN ex-
cess of the total crop OF corn, rice and
oats raised in Pulascki county. The
corn crop is 1850 bushels. produced
on $4,000 acres, at Is cents per
bushel; amount s35S,500. The crop
OF oats is $4,000 bushels. produced on
1000 acres, at 40 cents Der bushei:
amount $4,000. The county has /, 400
acres of rice. producing $4,000 BUSH
els, at 81 per bushei: amount. $780,
600. The three crops total $432,e00.
which is s67.100 short OF the annual
products Of these two industries
We cannot place too high value
on our farmers and farm products
but we are not awake to the value of
end Manufa curing company and the
Big Rock stone and Construction
company produce annually a money
crop valued at one-third }, the total
market price of Pulaski county's four
leading agricultural crops--the cotton
produced on 10000 acres. all the corn
produced on $4,000 acres, the oats on
1000 acres and the rice On 1900
acres. the Total OF these four great
crops being S1,512. 900.
The number of mercantile stablish-
nents and the volume of business are
controlled by the trade limits OF their
territory, The farmer cannot exceed
the productiyeness of his land and is
limited to the crops that can be pro
duced in this climate, bur Industrial
Little Rock snd Arkansas Is without
hounds and its possibilities without
limit. We have the whole matte n anS
the world az our territory To per-
nit one smokestack to get away from
us that we might have sectred Is a
crime
This statement is given the title
''Smokestaclss" by the board OF trade
OF Little Rock, which ia circulating 1t
widely and calling upon everyone in
terested in Little Rock and In Ar
kansas to read 1t.
Nothing can do more 10 advances
the agricultural Interests of q section
than the development OF industrial
enterprises making use of the raw ma
terials of that section, whether they
are from the forest, from the fields
or from the mines Their location
within the section tends 10 assemble
workers who must depend upon
Others to supply them with food, ana
II the policy of patronizing home in
iustries IS pursued the asricuiturists
ought TO DO aole to obtain their manu-
featured goods at better advanage than
IL they had 70 nay freight CharEeA TOR