Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-22
WARTIME B|LLBOARDs
ARE SEEN ON EVERY HAND
Ground on Which Buildings Were to
Have Gone But for War Enclosed
With Advertisements.
MODERN USE FOR VACANT LOTS
Uncle Sam Has Become Big Adver-
tiser-He Uses Boards From
Which to Preach Thrift, Conserva-
ton and War-Winning Methods.

The books OF the Building Inspector
OF Richmond show that there is less
building going on in this city than
known at this time OF the year for
very many years past. Men who had
contemplated building long before now
have postponed the work because of
the scarcity and high cost of labor and
of building material. There are hun
dreds of lots in Richmond on which 1t
was expected that business houses ana
residences would have been erected
lcng before now, but upon which town
gardens are being made or other use
made OF them. the owners having
abandoned all idea OF building upon
them until the clouds roll by.
Numbers OF these lots are being
utilized by the billboard advertisers.
and vacant lots IL. the very heart OF
the city have hecn. and are being.
inclosed with high structures upon
which flaming advertisements are
painted in glowing colors and in most
expressive language. The United
States government has become a great
advertiser. and Uncle Sam and his
agents use these boards very freely 10
keep the people Informed about thrift
stamps, Liberty bonds. etc. Others of
the boards are used by merchants.
manufacturers and others to let the
whole world know what they have TO
sell.
The billboard men are making point
OF erecting handsome and substantial
boards. evidently believing it will be
long time yet before they will be
called upon 10 remove them to make
way for building purposes. Then
when the brilliant lettering Is put on
and the gorgeous pictures are painted
in to Illustrate and picture the things
the lettering tells about, the boards
become quite ornamental. That is.
some Of them do.
M -;
| Richmond for many miles. the bill
board artists have been very active
for the last several months, until they
lave some of the thoroughfares so
walled in with high boards that it is
impossible for autoists and other
travellers to view tho country and en-
JOY the scenery they pass rapidly
along. This>has called forth numerous
muttered and murmured protests from
the aesthetic. but they have no way OF
helping themselves. 1t cannot he said
that the boardhuilders who have been
giving their attention to the nearby
Gut-of-town highways have been as
careful to make the boards things OF
beauty as have been those who have
builded within the city limits. Some
or the boards are something fearful
TO behold.
Uncle Sam and his agents. who have
become great advertisers. in making
use of biilooards TO discuss before the
people thrift stamps, Liberty bonds.
food conservation and I'll kinds OF war
time economy, have not kept to the
streets and the highways. They have
had erected very handsome boards in
Monroe Park and perhaps in other
parks and on these board: The people
are being preached to day AID night.
for they are so situated that the brill
liant lettering thereon falls under the
glare OF the electric lights. and can he
figured out in the night time as wei
as in the day.
OF course. this new thing OF putting
up h!liboards i'll the parks is a war