Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-01-30

say II rains thirteen months ever,
year. The rainfall in some years 1:
10 inches or more. and just now II
showers all the time. There is but
i;tic snow in the winter. although
on may have two feet within n few
ours. The snow melts quickly. how.
yer. There are heavy frosts on ac-
count OF the moisture. Tho frosts
sometimes cover the plank roadways
to depth OF three inches and then
me people have coasting and tobog
gaming parties on the roller coaster
| highways l have described
Prince Rupert is healthy city.
There were less than thirty deaths last
year in the 5000 population, and the
births were 100. There were only five
cases of typhoid fever, and three OF
these came from outside. Tho town
has HOSPITAL which is but little used.
IL has jail. an up-to-date fire depart
ment, with motor engines IL has good
public schools, including u high school,
with building Of four stories. II has
three daily papers. public reading
room; and its people are quite as in
telliSent and much more progressive
than those of similar sized towns in
the East.
For instance. the town believes in
municipal ownership. 1t has hydro
electric plant that cost more than a
half million dollars. from which IL not
only supplies the several public utili-
ties, but IL also sells power to fac
tories and Individuals 1T Si3 per horse
power per annum. The town has It's
own telephone ana electric light plants
The telephone rates 10 business houses
are $3.50 per month. ana the plant
pays profit To the municipai treas
ury. The Mayor tells me he hopes to
put on municipal jitneys TO carry the
IN IL
the board roads
Prince Rupert believes in the single
t;rN. and the most of the revenues OF
the city come from 4 tax on land only
improvements pay nothing. Inc i'rNhcc
Rupert Hotel. for instance. cost Sl2".-
600 to build. 1t is on lot lhVX2nO. ana
this lot is valued At s50,o0o. The tax
Is levied on the lot only There Is
nothing paid on the building. Just
across the way is "a vacant lot OF the
same size. and 1t pays just as much
taxes as the hiG ho,cl The result is
that people cannot afford TO hold val
liable real estate without they i'm
prove it, The present taxes are n lit
tie over twenty mills on the dollar of
assessed values. which are about GO
per cent of the real values,
Prince Rupert started with boom.
1t was all planned and partially de-
vclopcd before n single lot was OTTER
ed for sale The Grand Trunk Pacific
hallway decided upon Il site. and sent
its engineers to clear the land. level
the hills and lay out the city. The
company had $1,000 acres Of land. in
Guiding the town site. and the first
subdivision covered onc-twelfth Of
that area. The woods were cut away.
the land cleared. the business part Of
the city eXcavatcd and levelcd. and
plank roads made. The future city
was advertised and then auctions were
held in Victoria and Vancouver. The
first lots brought high prices and the
boom continued. until the present finan-
cial stringcncy began. Now hard times
have reduced the prices and progress
is halted Tho war has stopped bust
ness in all parts of Canada money is
tight. and the people are so much af-
fccted by what Is going on IN Europe
that they do not think or talk OF any
thing else. Within a short time a large
number OF volunteers have been
equipped here and sent 10 the front
and tho same is true of Dawson in tine
klondike and nearly every city in
Canada.