The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-11-15
.C|TY'S GROWTH IS
MOST PHENOMENAL
SLOW IN GOING AFTER INCREASE,
But PERSISTENT IN
THE END.
HENRICO COMES FIRST
MANCHEsTER's CHECkERED CA
REER ON THE QUESTION Oh
CONSOLIDATION SHOWS
HER GRIT.
HENRICO COMES FIRST

1884, 500. This is a gam o. nearly luB,-
600 in the last quarter OF a century.
For many years Richmond held 10
it's slow conse rvatism, it's oidiash-
toned, easygoing way. Everyone in
the city knew everyone else, and new
fandangies were tabooed. They were
the good old days, however. and
many of the friendships made quar-
ter of a century ago hold better than
many newer ones.
In the early eighties Michmond be-
gan to shake herself free from her
deliberate, slow habits. and started
on a race for population, business, en-
terprises of all sorts.
West .of Richmond College there
was nothing but vast arid fields and
hedges Barnum's circus used to show
on the lot at Broad and Lomhardy
streets Barton Heights and Chest
nut Hin were hardly thought of, and
Manchester was buried within her
self
For ten years or more annexation
was talked of by the younger sets Of
business men, and finally the annexa.
ton seed was planted in the minds OF
the bewhiskered councilmen OF the
city assembly of Manchester, and that
body sought a union with the larger
city. Richmond was not ready. how
thtlr anu wien lilt ptpPpstlNASii was
made by the delegation from the
south side. it was spurned by the
Richmond council.
The Clamor for Territory.
What do We want with Manches-
teri" they asked themselves. We
have more than We can take care OF
now"
The younger set continued to ham,
mer away. Not dismayed, they began
to clamor for more territory and more
people.
I'VE must become the metropolis
Of the South" they said.
So. early in the present century, the
council Of Richmond again took up
the annexation question They sought
the humble Manifestations, But the
humble ones refused to come over.
When we wanted to come YOU
turned us down. they SAID, now you
can look elsewhere for your popula-
tion.'
Then the council looked around
and found that Henrico county had
plenty of available property and peo-
pie, so the plan was laid. and after
much argument. many proceedings
and heated discussions, on December
9Th. 1905. a large slice OF Henrico was
added to the city limits, bringing
with II a population of 1875. a large
amount of this population was car
ried back into Ginter Park, Highland
Park and other suburban townships
and then the city got busy again with
Manchester.
Through a legislative act the con-
solidation of the two cities became eff
fective. and on APRIL 18th. 1910, four
years after the first annexation, Man
chester became part and parcel of
Richmond. with its population OF
1880.
This carried the population beyond
the 100, GOO mark. and Richmond ne
gan to swell in business Importance,
Not Boom Period.
Not satisfied with the large in
crease within ten years, further steps
were taken looking toward a still
greater increase, and this led up to
the annexation which has just been
brought about. and which carries the
population of the city above the $780,
900 mark.
AS the city's population grew it's
Importance az a business and educa-
tionai centre also grew. Richmond
was placed on the map in capital let
ters, and month by month Industries
were added TO the list, hundreds ot
ployment. and the substantial growth
proved to the world that Richmond
was not passing through a BOOM
period
TIE nearby suburban villages have
grown into towns, and farms and
market gardens have been pushed
farther into the country, away from
the hum of industry's wheels and
from the noise of the crowd
II will not be many years before
Richmond will again expand. The
next slice. it Is said by the wiseacres,
will come from the far eastern sec
ton The territory out beyond the
National cemetery and beyond Oak
wood is rapidly becoming thickly
populated When street car facilities
are improved in that direction the
waste places will build up and cheap
er property will appeal to the man
whose income is not great.
The South side is also rapidly grow
ing The change along the Forest
Hill street car line in the past few
years Is wonderful.
with the gain of nearly 100000 IN
population within a quarter of CEN
fury 1t is not unreasonable to expect
within another quarter of a century
a population far above the 100000