The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1957-01-08
Trading, Educational Center Position
OF Community Boosted Past Il Months
Optimism for 1857
Follows AXE of
Business Advances

Examined from any angle of/busi-
ness and finance. 1856 for farm
vile and its business community
was one Of the most successful
perhaps the greatest-of the mod
ern era.
There was one uDattained goal,
that Of the f7armville Area Develop
ment Corporation, TO obtain an in
dustry,. but in prospects for the fu-
ture and surrounded by advance
ments in other areas. even that sub
tracts but little.
When The DEVELOPMENT Corpora-
ton. banding together leading bust
nessmen Of the community. VI a
chartefed in February, 1855, it set
''eaH TO achieve four goals for the
area
~ to maintain leadership as
trading center; ~ to stvengthen TIE
position Of educational center: -
y t0a~ oa'nhlllv em9loved tn
areas labor force. and az n ob'@n
ind"strv to provide payroll conlpen-
saticn for shrinking farm income.
palticYla " that Of tobacco farmers,
Goals Attained
on Points and 2. the community
viii look hack on 1856 as undoubt-
edlv one of its best. On Point 3 the
past II months were as favorable
as the present industrial situation
permit. Point occasions the one
soberint influence on an otherwise
OUTSTANDING II months,
There is recognition by leaders Of
the Dty elopmcnt Corporation that
business prosperity is not necessari-
" synonymous with economic we'll
being Indications Of a relatively
static population in a pe~iod of in
oreasing population, a trading cen
ta~ eccu0n1v where nauv persons
who compose the buying element
are hit by farm income expense
squeeze: These are behind the de
sire for industry expressed by the
corporation.
But even that group advanced
during the year. with q 25 per cent
stock call producing funds to ac-
niire land over which a railroad
spur may be. built to connect the
Former airport property and the
main line Of the Norfolk and Yves
fern Railway.
Record Highs
In every other respect, the usual
induces, retail sales, employment,
bank assets. tax receipts, construc-
ton and property assessments, reg
lister au-time highs for 1856.
The community and countyS 1911
business establishments had retail
sales Of Sic, 179, 600 and payrolls, ex-
cmsjve Of those going to proprietor
ships, Of Sl.775 600 That adds to-
gether to tab the area as one Of
the most successful, sizewise. Of any
trading center in Virginia 1t com
pareS most faVorably, percentage
wise even with Richmond
Net income subject to tax amount
ed to 81. 1874 sol. a gain of S240.512
in taxable income and Of $i,804 in
tax income for the county, as re-
ported by Commissioner Of the Reve-
nue. V. c. Womack.
The current SIC. 800. 972 assessment
OF property, capital and equipment.
is an all-time high and a gain Of
$4,000 over the previous year.
50 New Homes
The years construction total
much of which centered in the
areas role Of trading center-was a
record high of $783,l54 Fifty new
homes, plus snowballing retail and
commercial property Improvements,
reflect the health Of the area as a
trading center.
The $l3,881. 25l existing in bank
deposits as Of January, 1856, were
a. record levels at all three banks.
and indications are that these will
be even higher when reports are
Continued on page y