Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-11

oi the river.
IHOso who went through the fight
Tor annexation. instituted by the
Chamber OF Commerce. will recall the
bitter opposition occasioncd among GER
tan interests and In certain quarters
OF Manchester. and will remember the
cry that Richmond would not keep
| me fair bargain she had offered to
h'r sister city and tho continued
warning tina, Nor las, state would
be worst than the first.
DISMAL PROPHECIES
HAVE BEEN DESTROYED
How those prophecies havo been
nihpEoved Is shown by actual figures
OF Gctnal amounts spent In Manches-
te' according 10 promise. b. the gem
cfaI improvements which have been
wrought above and below her streets
ana by the contentedncss OF the pco-
pc OF being numbered among the
population of the city which Is the
gateway To the South. Even the most
u'sgruntlGd spirits have come 10 a
rea!!zation that Manchester gained by
arhe%auon. and such men as John w
moore, y. S. Wright and &. &. Jones.
VINO led In favor Of annexation. de-
'!are that II Manchester had not been
annexed IL would have been TO her
loss and her discrcd;
One Of the greatest improvements
pr the more recent years since annex :
ation went Into cfcct-nu improve
Inent thai has been Of as much advan-
tag" TO the north Side as To the south
lis the building of Mayo's Bridge, at
round cost of sila.ooo 1t is OF solid
concrete and permanent structure q
ocautiful piece OF work and as useful
rs IL Is handsome in design II con-
!ecS Two streets the one the main
horoughiarc in South Richmond. and
ne othcr "a connecting avenue, with
-
Tahc. Across II are strung strinrs
pr electric lights, SO that il IS well
Illuminated by night as in the day.
puHI; WATER FROM
RICHMOND SETTLING BASIN
FOR more than \ year the water
IMPLY has been furnished from the
nShnonf reservoirs AMI Settling
'asins. NJ a cost OF $4,000, and the
foutasidc IS now piped with gas sun
'iisd BY the city Gas Works at an
pproN!TsAtc expenditure of $4,000
SduiA NichmoHd there are now $50
ohsumers OF gas. and the number Is
".h TO be increasing every day
4h aao!tion fire engine site has been
cduired BY the city. n modern station
rectcd and n fun company installed ar
cost'of $4,000.
On street improvements alone 5000. 900
"S oceh expended. so that the streets
South Richmond now compare we'll
- .'' t'!"S' on thiS side of the river
'here before they were mainly noted
or their mud in winter and their di,st
= summer. Hull Street has been paved
nIbcd and Suttered almost its entire
cHSth, ana the general Improvement
as extended into the other main thor
nehfares and into the connecting
tTccts.
= contract has just been let for the
chh n'htation Of the Free Bridge, the
nj 10 meet the demands Of traffic
cross this bridge Seventh Street has
con widcned from the bridge 10 Me.
'onouSh street, and been properly
raied.
CHoOLS PUT on FIRST
CLASS MODERN BASIS
One OF the first acts OF the city was
place the Manchester schools on a
ooting equal 10 those OF Richmond. ana
le Manchester children have now the
dHantagc OF the courses and special
r. aiming AT the John Marshall High
chooi. The city has just Appropriated
1915 900 for new cambridge school.
obtaining twenty-four rooms. the
uildinS TO be completed by September
in time for the opening of the next
>ssion. The school will be situated
50n-foot lot having a depth OF $50
.et TO an alley. between Fifteenth and
owardn Avenue.
FROM SeNchtSl-hFe- arc lights which
anchester originally had. the number
IS been increased to $50, and South
edmond is evan better lighted than
lc north side. The old courthouse
lu"re has been converted into a park.
s. noWn as Washington Square. which is
80 par with some of the parks on
Is side of the river
tiii;S HAVE GREATLY
INCREASED SINCE ANNEXATION
'Ihe old Police Station has been torn
wn, and the Jail on Stockton Street
inverted into better station than any
her in the greater city. The force ha
zen increased TO double its size. and
,lice patrol boxes have been installed
mong the many benefits which the old
anchester police enjoy Is membership
the Police Benevolent Association. TO
hich they were admitted soon after
lnexation.
Following upon these improvements
the city. building has Increased in
@ Southside real estate values have
creased. and the next levy will show
far greater valuation than could have
.Stcd mad not annexation come about
.cprding TO City Auditor Crenshaw.
e city has not only fulfilled all Its
,ligations contracted for in the an
nation ordinance. but has actually
81 ent more money than could have been
manded under the ordinances terms